Study Desk

A Psalm of ^[a]Asaph.

^(a)The Mighty One, God, the Lord , has spoken, And summoned the earth ^(b)from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Out of Zion, ^(c)the perfection of beauty, God ^(d)has shone forth.

May our God ^(e)come and not keep silence; ^(f)Fire devours before Him, And it is very ^(g)tempestuous around Him.

He ^(h)summons the heavens above, And the earth, to judge His people:

"Gather My ⁽ⁱ⁾godly ones to Me, Those who have made a ^(j)covenant with Me by ^(k)sacrifice."

And the ^(l)heavens declare His righteousness, For ^(m)God Himself is judge. ^[b]Selah.

"⁽ⁿ⁾Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify ^[c]against you; I am God, ^(o)your God.

"I do ^(p)not reprove you for your sacrifices, And your burnt offerings are continually before Me.

"I shall take no ^(q)young bull out of your house Nor male goats out of your folds.

"For ^(r)every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills.

"I know every ^(s)bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is ^[d]Mine.

"If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the ^(t)world is Mine, and ^[e]all it contains.

"Shall I eat the flesh of ^[f](u)bulls Or drink the blood of male goats?

"Offer to God ^(v)a sacrifice of thanksgiving And ^(w)pay your vows to the Most High;

^(x)Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall ^(y)rescue you, and you will ^(z)honor Me."

But to the wicked God says, "What right have you to tell of My statutes And to take ^(aa)My covenant in your mouth?

"For you ^(ab)hate discipline, And you ^(ac)cast My words behind you.

"When you see a thief, you ^[g](ad)are pleased with him, And ^[h]you ^(ae)associate with adulterers.

"You ^[i](af)let your mouth loose in evil And your ^(ag)tongue frames deceit.

"You sit and ^(ah)speak against your brother; You slander your own mother's son.

"These things you have done and ^(ai)I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will ^(aj)reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.

"Now consider this, you who ^(ak)forget God, Or I will ^(al)tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.

"He who ^(am)offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who ^[j](an)orders his way aright I shall ^(ao)show the salvation of God."