[1] From the rising of the sun to where it sets, God, the LORD God, speaks, calling out to the earth. [2] From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines brightly. [3] Our God is coming; he won’t keep quiet. A devouring fire is before him; a storm rages all around him. [4] God calls out to the skies above and to the earth in order to judge his people: [5] “Bring my faithful to me, those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” [6] The skies proclaim his righteousness because God himself is the judge. Selah [7] “Listen, my people, I will now speak; Israel, I will now testify against you. I am God—your God! [8] I’m not punishing you for your sacrifices or for your entirely burned offerings, which are always before me. [9] I won’t accept bulls from your house or goats from your corrals [10] because every forest animal already belongs to me, as do the cattle on a thousand hills. [11] I know every mountain bird; even the insects in the fields are mine. [12] Even if I were hungry, I wouldn’t tell you because the whole world and everything in it already belong to me. [13] Do I eat bulls’ meat? Do I drink goats’ blood? [14] Offer God a sacrifice of thanksgiving! Fulfill the promises you made to the Most High! [15] Cry out to me whenever you are in trouble; I will deliver you, then you will honor me.” [16] But to the wicked God says, “Why do you talk about my laws? Why do you even mention my covenant? [17] You hate discipline, and you toss my words behind your back. [18] You make friends with thieves whenever you see one; you spend your time with adulterers. [19] You set your mouth free to do evil, then harness your tongue to tell lies. [20] You sit around, talking about your own siblings; you find fault with the children of your very own mother. [21] You’ve done these things and I’ve kept quiet. You thought I was just like you! But now I’m punishing you; I’m laying it all out, right in front of your face. [22] So consider this carefully, all you who forget God, or I’ll rip you to pieces with no one to deliver you: [23] The one who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving is the one who honors me. And it is to the one who charts the correct path that I will show divine salvation.”
