Psalm 50

From ChoralWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Table of Psalms             <<   Psalm 50   >>

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40

41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50

51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60

61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70

71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80

81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90

91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100

101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110

111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120

121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130

131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140

141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150

General Information

Settings by composers

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

 

Text and translations

Clementine Vulgate (Psalm 49)

Latin.png Latin text

1  Psalmus Asaph. Deus deorum Dominus locutus est, et vocavit terram a solis ortu usque
ad occasum.
2  Ex Sion species decoris ejus:
3  Deus manifeste veniet: Deus noster, et non silebit. Ignis in conspectu ejus exardescet;
et in circuitu ejus tempestas valida.
4  Advocabit caelum desursum, et terram, discernere populum suum.
5  Congregate illi sanctos ejus, qui ordinant testamentum ejus super sacrificia.
6  Et annuntiabunt caeli justitiam eius, quoniam Deus judex est.
7  Audi, populus meus, et loquar; Israël, et testificabor tibi:
Deus, Deus tuus ego sum.
8  Non in sacrificiis tuis arguam te; et holocausta autem tua
in conspectu meo sunt semper.
9  Non accipiam de domo tua vitulis, neque de gregibus tuis hircos;
10  quoniam meae sunt omnes ferae silvarum, jumenta in montibus, et boves.
11  Cognovi omnia volatilia caeli, et pulchritudo agri mecum est.
12  Si esuriero, non dicam tibi: meus est enim orbis terrae et plenitudo ejus.
13  Numquid manducabo carnes taurorum? aut sanguinem hircorum potabo?
14  Immola Deo sacrificium laudis, et redde Altissimo vota tua.
15  Et invoca me in die tribulationis: eruam te, et honorificabis me.
16  Peccatori autem dixit Deus: Quare tu narraras justitias meas?
et assumis testamentum meum per os tuum?
17  Tu vero odisti disciplinam, et projecisti sermones meos retrorsum.
18  Si videbas furem, currebas cum eo; et cum adulteris portionem tuam ponebas.
19  Os tuum abundavit malitia, et lingua tua concinnabat dolos.
20  Sedens adversus fratrem tuum loquebaris, et adversus filium matris tuae ponebas scandalum.
21  Haec fecisti, et tacui. Existimasti inique quod ero
tui similis: arguam te, et statuam contra faciem tuam.
22  Intellegite haec, qui obliviscimini Deum, nequando rapiat, et non sit qui eripiat.
23  Sacrificium laudis honorificabit me,
et illic iter quo ostendam illi salutare Dei.

Church of England 1662 Book of Common Prayer

English.png English text

1  The Lord, even the most mighty God, hath spoken: and called the world, from the rising up of the sun unto the going down thereof.
2  Out of Sion hath God appeared: in perfect beauty.
3  Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: there shall go before him a consuming fire,
and a mighty tempest shall be stirred up round about him.
4  He shall call the heaven from above: and the earth, that he may judge his people.
5  Gather my saints together unto me: those that have made a covenant with me with sacrifice.
6  And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is Judge himself.
7  Hear, O my people, and I will speak: I myself will testify against thee, O Israel;
for I am God, even thy God.
8  I will not reprove thee because of thy sacrifices, or for thy burnt-offerings:
because they were not alway before me.
9  I will take no bullock out of thine house: nor he-goat out of thy folds.
10  For all the beasts of the forest are mine: and so are the cattle upon a thousand hills.
11  I know all the fowls upon the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are in my sight.
12  If I be hungry, I will not tell thee: for the whole world is mine, and all that is therein.
13  Thinkest thou that I will eat bulls' flesh: and drink the blood of goats?
14  Offer unto God thanksgiving: and pay thy vows unto the most Highest.
15  And call upon me in the time of trouble: so will I hear thee, and thou shalt praise me.
16  But unto the ungodly said God: Why dost thou preach my laws,
and takest my covenant in thy mouth;
17  Whereas thou hatest to be reformed: and has cast my words behind thee?
18  When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst unto him: and hast been partaker with the adulterers.
19  Thou hast let thy mouth speak wickedness: and with thy tongue thou hast set forth deceit.
20  Thou satest, and spakest against thy brother: yea, and hast slandered thine own mother's son.
21  These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue, and thou thoughtest wickedly, that I am
even such a one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set before thee the things that thou hast done.
22  O consider this, ye that forget God: lest I pluck you away, and there be none to deliver you.
23  Whoso offereth me thanks and praise, he honoureth me:
and to him that ordereth his conversation right will I shew the salvation of God.

King James Version

English.png English text

A Psalm of Asaph.
1  The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
2  Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
3  Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
4  He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
5  Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.
6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.
7  Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.
8  I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.
9  I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.
10  For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
11  I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
12  If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
13  Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14  Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
1  And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
15  But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?
16  Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.
17  When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
18  Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
19  Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.
20  These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
21  Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
22  Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

Káldi fordítás (49. zsoltár)

Hungarian.png Hungarian translation

Azaf zsoltára.
Az istenek Istene, az Úr szól, és szólítja a földet napkelettől napnyugatig.
Sionból ragyog az ő szépségének képe.
Az Isten nyilván jő, a mi Istenünk nem hallgat. Tűz gyúlad szine előtt, és körötte hatalmas förgeteg.
Elészólítja az eget onnan felől, és a földet, hogy népét megitélje.
Gyűjtsétek egybe neki az ő szenteit, kik szövetséget kötnek vele áldozatok által.
És az egek hirdetni fogják az ő igazságát; mert Isten a bíró.
Halljad, én népem! és szólani fogok; Izrael! és bizonyságot teszek neked: Isten, a te Istened vagyok én.
Nem az áldozatok miatt feddelek téged, mert áldozataid szemem előtt vannak mindenkoron.
Nem veszem el házadból a borjakat, sem nyájaidból a bakokat;
mert enyém az erdők minden vada, a barmok a hegyeken és az ökrök.
Ismerem mind az égi madarakat, és a mező szépsége előttem vagyon.
Ha éhezném, nem mondanám neked; mert enyém a föld kereksége és annak teljessége.
Vajjon a tulkok húsát eszem-e? vagy a bakok vérét iszom-e?
Áldozd Istennek a dicséret áldozatát, és add meg fogadásidat a Fölségesnek;
és híjj segitségűl engem a szorongatás napján: megmentelek és tisztelni fogsz engem.
A bűnösnek pedig mondja az Isten: Miért hirdeted te igazságaimat, és veszed szádba szövetségemet?
holott te gyűlölted a fegyelmet, és hátravetetted beszédeimet.
Ha tolvajt láttál, vele futottál, és a házasságtörőkkel volt részed.
Szád bővelkedett gonoszsággal, és nyelved álnokságot koholt.
Leülvén, atyádfia ellen szólottál, és anyád fiának botrányára voltál.
Ezeket cselekedted, s én hallgattam. Azt vélted gonoszúl, hogy hasonló vagyok hozzád; de én megfeddelek téged és szemed elé rakom.
Értsétek ezt, kik az Istent elfeleditek: nehogy egykor elragadjon, és ne legyen, ki megmentsen.
A dicséret áldozata tisztel engem; és ez az út, melyen megmutatom neki az Isten szabadítását.

William Whittingham, 1560 Old Version

English.png English text

1. The mighty God, th'Eternal hath thus spoke,
And all the world he will call and provoke!
E'en from the east, and so forth to the west:
Out of Zion, which place he liketh best,
God will appear, in beauty most excellent,
God will come before that long time be spent:

2. Devouring fire shall go before his face,
A tempest great shall round about him trace.
Then shall he call the earth and heavens bright,
To judge his folk with equity and right.
Saying, Go to, and now my saints assemble;
My pact they keep, their gifts do not dissemble.

3. The heav'ns they shall declare his righteousness
For God is Judge of all things more and less
Hear, my people, for I will now reveal;
List, Israel, I'll from thee naught conceal:
Thy God, the Lord and I, and will not blame thee
For not giving all sorts of off'rings to me:

4. I have no need to take of thee at all
Goats of thy fold, or calves out of thy stall.
For all the beasts are mine within the woods,
On thousand hills cattle are mine own goods;
I know for mine all birds that are on mountains,
All beasts mine are which haunt the fields and fountains.

5. Were I hungry I would not thee it tell;
For all is mine that in the world doth dwell.
Eat I the flesh of great bulls or bullocks!
Or drink the blood of goats or of the flocks.
Offer to God praise and hearty thanksgiving,
And pay thy vows unto God ever living.

6. Call upon me when troubled thou shalt be;
Then will I help, and thou shalt honor me.
To the wicked thus saith th' eternal God,
Why dost thou preach my words and laws abroad,
Seeing thou hast them with thy mouth abused,
And hat'st to be by discipline reduced!

7. My words, I say, thou dost reject and hate:
If that thou seest a thief, as with thy mate,
Thou runn'st with him, and so your prey seek out;
And art all one with the adult'rous rout.
Thou giv'st thyself to backbite and to slander,
And how thy tongue deceiveth, is a wonder.

8. Thou sitt'st musing thy brother how to blame,
And how to put thy mother's son to shame.
These things thou didst, and while I held my tongue,
Thou didst me judge, because I stayed so long,
Like to thyself; yet though I kept long silence,
Once shalt thou feel of thy wrongs just recompense.

9. Consider this, ye that forget the Lord,
And fear not when he threat'neth with his word,
Lest without help I spoil you as a prey:
But he that thanks offers, praiseth alway,
Saith the Lord God, and he that walketh this trace,
I will him teach God's saving health t'embrace.

John Hopkins, 1562 Old Version

English.png English text

1. The God of gods, the Lord,
Hath called the earth by name:
From whence the sun doth rise, unto
The setting of the same.

2. From Sion his fair place,
His glory bright and clear:
The perfect beauty of his grace,
From thence it did appear

3. Our God shall come in haste,
To speak aloud, no doubt:
Before him shall the fire waste,
And tempest round about.

4. The heavens which are so high,
The earth below likewise,
He will call forth, that he may try
The people that are his.

5. Bring forth my saints, saith he,
My faithful flock most dear:
Who are in band and league with me,
My law to love and fear.

6. And when these things are tried,
Then shall the heavens record,
That God is just, and all must bide
The judgments of the Lord.

7. My people now give heed,
Israel to thee I cry :
I am thy God, thy help at need,
Thou canst it not deny.

8. I do not say to thee,
Thy sacrifice is slack:
Thou offer'st daily unto me,
Much more than I do lack.

9. Think'st thou that l do need,
Thy cattle young or old:
Or else so much desire to feed
On goats out of thy fold?

10. Nay, all the beasts are mine
In woods that eat their fills:
And thousands more of neat and kine,
That run wild on the hills.

The Second Part.
11. The birds that build on high,
On hills and out of sight:
And beasts that in the fields do lie,
Are subject to my might.

12. Then though l hungered sore,
What need I ought of thine?
Since that the earth with her great store,
And all therein, is mine.

 

13. To bulls flesh have I mind
To eat it, dost thou think?
Or such a sweetness do I find
The blood of goats to drink?

14. Give to the Lord his praise,
With thanks to him apply;
And see thou pay thy vows always
Unto the God most high.

15. Then seek and call to me,
When ought would work thee blame:
And I will sure deliver thee,
That thou may'st praise my name.

16. But to the wicked train,
Who talk of God each day:
And yet their works are foul and vain,
To them the Lord will say:

17. With what face darest thou
My word once speak or name ?
Why doth thy words my law allow,
Thy deeds deny the same?

18. Whereas for to amend
Thy life thou art so slack:
My word, to which thou dost pretend
Is cast behind thy back.

The Third Part.
19. When thou a thief dost see
By theft to live in wealth,
With him thou runn'st, and dost agree
Likewise to thrive by stealth.

20. When thou dost them behold,
That wives and maids defile,
Thou lik'st it well, and waxest bold
To use that life most vile.

21. Thy lips thou dost apply
To slander and defame:
Thy tongue doth teach to cheat and lie,
And still doth use the same;

24. Thou studiest to revile
Thy friends to thee most near:
With slander basely dost defile
Thy mother's son most dear.

23. Hereat while I do wink,
As though I did not see,
Thou goest on still, and so dost think
That l am like to thee.

24. But sure I will not let
To strike when I begin:
'Thy faults in order I will set,
And open all thy sin.

Metrical versions by Isaac Watts

English.png English text

PART 1 (C.M.)
The Lord, the judge, before his throne
Bids the whole earth draw nigh,
The nations near the rising sun,
And near the western sky.

No more shall bold blasphemers say,
'Judgment will ne'er begin;'
No more abuse his long delay
To impudence and sin.

Throned on a cloud our God shall come,
Bright flames prepare his way;
Thunder and darkness, fire and storm,
Lead on the dreadful day.

Heav'n from above his call shall hear,
Attending angels come,
And earth and hell shall know, and fear
His justice, and their doom.

'But gather all my saints', he cries,
'That made their peace with God
By the Redeemer's sacrifice,
And seal'd it with his blood.'

'Their faith and works brought forth to light
Shall make the world confess,
My sentence of reward is right,
And heav'n adore my grace.'

 

PART 2 (C.M.)
Thus saith the Lord, "The spacious fields,
And flocks, and herds, are mine;
O'er all the cattle of the hills
I claim a right divine.

"I ask no sheep for sacrifice,
Nor bullocks burnt with fire;
To hope and love, to pray and praise,
Is all that I require.

"Call upon me when trouble's near,
My hand shall set thee free
Then shall thy thankful lips declare
The honor due to me.

"The man that offers humble praise,
He glorifies me best;
And those that tread my holy ways
Shall my salvation taste."

 

PART 3 (C.M.)
When Christ to judgment shall descend,
And saints surround their Lord,
He calls the nations to attend,
And hear his awful word.

"Not for the want of bullocks slain
Will I the world reprove;
Altars, and rites, and forms are vain,
Without the fire of love.

"And what have hypocrites to do
To bring their sacrifice?
They call my statutes just and true,
But deal in theft and lies.

"Could you expect to 'scape my sight,
And sin without control?
But I shall bring your crimes to light,
With anguish in your soul."

Consider, ye that slight the Lord,
Before his wrath appear,
If once you fall beneath his sword,
There's no deliv'rer there.

 

PART 4 (L.M.)
The Lord, the Judge, his churches warns,
Let hypocrites attend and fear,
Who place their hope in rites and forms,
But make not faith nor love their care.

Vile wretches dare rehearse his name
With lips of falsehood and deceit;
A friend or brother they defame,
And soothe and flatter those they hate.

They watch to do their neighbors wrong,
Yet dare to seek their Maker's face;
They take his cov'nant on their tongue,
But break his laws, abuse his grace.

To heav'n they lift their hands unclean,
Defiled with lust, defiled with blood;
By night they practise every sin,
By day their mouths draw near to God.

And while his judgments long delay,
They grow secure and sin the more;
They think he sleeps as well as they,
And put far off the dreadful hour.

O dreadful hour! when God draws near
And sets their crimes before their eyes!
His wrath their guilty souls shall tear,
And no deliv'rer dare to rise.

 

(PART 5) (10 10. 10 10. 10 10.)
The Lord, the Sovereign, sends his summons forth,
Calls the south nations and awakes the north;
From east to west the sounding orders spread,
Through distant worlds and regions of the dead:
No more shall atheists mock his long delay;
His vengeance sleeps no more: behold the day!

Behold, the Judge descends, his guards are nigh;
Tempest and fire attend him down the sky:
Heaven, earth, and hell, draw near; let all things come
To hear his justice, and the sinner's doom:
"But gather first my saints," the Judge commands,
"Bring them, ye angels, from their distant lands.

"Behold, my covenant stands for ever good,
Sealed by th' eternal Sacrifice in blood,
And signed with all their names; the Greek, the Jew,
That paid the ancient worship or the new,
There's no distinction here; come, spread their thrones,
And near me seat my favorites and my sons.

"I, their Almighty Savior and their God,
I am their Judge: ye heavens, proclaim abroad
My just eternal sentence, and declare
Those awful truths that sinners dread to hear:
Sinners in Zion, tremble and retire;
I doom the painted hypocrite to fire.

"Not for the want of goats or bullocks slain
Do I condemn thee; bulls and goats are vain
Without the flames of love; in vain the store
Of brutal off'rings that were mine before;
Mine are the tamer beasts and savage breed,
Flocks, herds, and fields and forests where they feed.

"If I were hungry, would I ask thee food?
When did I thirst, or drink thy bullocks' blood?
Can I be flattered with thy cringing bows,
Thy solemn chatterings and fantastic vows?
Are my eyes charmed thy vestments to behold,
Glaring in gems, and gay in woven gold?

"Unthinking wretch! how couldst thou hope to please
A God, a Spirit, with such toys as these,
While, with my grace and statutes on thy tongue,
Thou lovest deceit, and dost thy brother wrong?
In vain to pious forms thy zeal pretends,
Thieves and adulterers are thy chosen friends.

"Silent I waited with long-suff'ring love,
But didst thou hope that I should ne'er reprove?
And cherish such an impious thought within,
That God, the Righteous, would indulge thy sin?
Behold my terrors now: my thunders roll,
And thy own crimes affright thy guilty soul."

Sinners, awake betimes; ye fools, be wise;
Awake before this dreadful morning rise;
Change your vain thoughts, your crooked works amend,
Fly to the Savior, make the Judge your friend
Lest, like a lion, his last vengeance tear
Your trembling souls, and no deliverer near.

 

(PART 6) (10 10. 10 10. 10 10.)
The God of glory sends his summons forth,
Calls the south nations and awakes the north;
From east to west the sovereign orders spread,
Through distant worlds and regions of the dead:
The trumpet sounds; hell trembles; heaven rejoices
Lift up your heads, ye saints, with cheerful voices.

No more shall atheists mock his long delay;
His vengeance sleeps no more; behold the day:
Behold, the Judge descends; his guards are nigh;
Tempests and fire attend him down the sky.
When God appears, all nature shall adore him;
While sinners tremble, saints rejoice before him.

"Heaven, earth, and hell, draw near; let all things come
To hear my justice, and the sinner's doom;
But gather first my saints," the Judge commands,
"Bring them, ye angels, from their distant lands."
When Christ returns, wake every cheerful passion
And shout, ye saints; he comes for your salvation.

"Behold, my covenant stands for ever good,
Sealed by th' eternal Sacrifice in blood,
And signed with all their names; the Greek, the Jew,
That paid the ancient worship or the new."
There's no distinction here; join all your voices,
And raise your heads, ye saints, for heaven rejoices.

"Here," saith the Lord, "ye angels, spread their thrones
And near me seat my favorites and my sons:
Come, my redeemed, possess the joys prepared
Ere time began; 'tis your divine reward."
When Christ returns, wake every cheerful passion;
And shout, ye saints; he comes for your salvation.

"I am the Savior, I the Almighty God,
I am the Judge: ye heavens, proclaim abroad
My just eternal sentence, and declare
Those awful truths that sinners dread to hear."
When God appears, all nature shall adore him;
While sinners tremble, saints rejoice before him.

"Stand forth, thou bold blasphemer, and profane,
Now feel my wrath, nor call my threatenings vain:
Thou hypocrite, once dressed in saints' attire,
I doom the painted hypocrite to fire."
Judgment proceeds; hell trembles; heaven rejoices;
Lift up your heads, ye saints, with cheerful voices.

"Not for the want of goats or bullocks slain
Do I condemn thee; bulls and goats are vain
Without the flame of love; in vain the store
Of brutal offerings, that were mine before."
Earth is the Lord's, all nature shall adore him;
While sinners tremble, saints rejoice before him.

"If I were hungry, would I ask thee food?
When did I thirst, or drink thy bullocks' blood?
Mine are the tamer beasts and savage breed,
Flocks, herds, and fields and forests where they feed."
All is the Lord's, he rules the wide creation;
Gives sinners vengeance, and the saints salvation.

 

"Can I be flattered with thy cringing bows,
Thy solemn chatterings and fantastic vows?
Are my eyes charmed thy vestments to behold,
Glaring in gems, and gay in woven gold?"
God is the Judge of hearts, no fair disguises
Can screen the guilty when his vengeance rises.

"Unthinking wretch! how couldst thou hope to please
A God, a Spirit, with such toys as these,
While, with my grace and statutes on thy tongue,
Thou lovest deceit, and dost thy brother wrong?"
Judgment proceeds; hell trembles; heaven rejoices;
Lift up your heads, ye saints, with cheerful voices.

"In vain to pious forms thy zeal pretends;
Thieves and adulterers are thy chosen friends;
While the false flatt'rer at my altar waits,
His hardened soul divine instruction hates."
God is the Judge of hearts, no fair disguises
Can screen the guilty when his vengeance rises.

"Silent I waited with long-suffering love;
But didst thou hope that I should ne'er reprove?
And cherish such an impious thought within,
That the All-Holy would indulge thy sin?"
See, God appears; all nature joins to adore him;
Judgment proceeds, and sinners fall before him.

"Behold my terrors now; my thunders roll,
And thy own crimes affright thy guilty soul;
Now like a lion shall my vengeance tear
Thy bleeding heart, and no deliverer near."
Judgment concludes; hell trembles; heaven rejoices;
Lift up your heads, ye saints, with cheerful voices.

Sinners, awake betimes; ye fools, be wise;
Awake before this dreadful morning rise;
Change your vain thoughts, your crooked works amend,
Fly to the Savior, make the Judge your friend:
Then join the saints, wake every cheerful passion;
When Christ returns, he comes for your salvation.

Metrical version by James Merrick

English.png English text

1  The Lord, th'Almighty monarch, spake,
And bade the Earth the summons take,
Far as his eyes the realms survey
Of rising and declining day.

2  Reveal'd from Sion's sacred bound,
The seat with matchless beauty crown'd,
Our God his course shall downward bend,
Nor silent to his work descend.

3  At his approach the fire shall blaze,
And kindled pour its streaming rays;
Devouring flames shall march before,
And mightiest tempests round him roar.

4  Heav'n from above shall hear his call,
And thou, the vast terrestrial ball!
While man's whole race their Judge shall meet,
In countless throngs before his seat.

5  "My saints collect from distant poles,
Collect the just and faithful souls,
With whom my compact firm has stood,
Seal'd with the spotless Victim's blood."

6  Th'applauding heav'ns the changeless doom,
While God the balance shall assume,
In full memorial shall record,
And own the justice of their Lord.

7  With humblest awe, my people, hear;
For God, thy God, his voice shall rear:
Myself, O Israel, will attest
The guilt that stains thy erring breast.

8  Though at the altar's kindled fire
No bleeding victim should expire,
Not ritual sacrifice withheld
My theme of just complaint shall yield:

 

9  Still let thy stall the steer detain,
Still let thy goat untouch'd remain
Amidst his herd-mates: from thy hands
Nor goat nor steer thy Lord demands:

10  Mine are the beasts that range the wood,
Mine all the tame or savage brood
Whose train the earth's wide pasture fills,
And wanders o'er her thousand hills.

11  Each fowl, that from its airy flight
Descends upon the mountain's height,
Each brute, that o'er the champaign strays,
My all-observing eye surveys.

12  Admit, I hunger; shall thy God
Descend from thee to ask his food,
Lord of the world and all its store
Thy aid, thou child of earth, implore?

13  Shall bulls to ease my want be slain,
Or blood of goats my thirst restrain?
Go, suppliant at my altar bow,
And pay thy thanks, and pay thy vow:

14  (Be this thy off'ring:) in thy woes
On me with stedfast hope repose;
So shall my ear receive thy pray'r,
And, grateful, thou my mercy share.

15  Thou wretch by discipline unaw'd,
(Thus to the impious speaks my God,)
Thy secret crimes to me are known;
I see my laws behind thee thrown:

16  And thou, dost thou with lips profane
The precepts of my will explain,
And, rank'd thyself amid my foes,
My terms of offer'd grace propose?

 

17  Say, has the thief to thee applied,
And thou thy wanted aid denied?
Or fail'd th'adult'rer e'er to see
A partner of his guilt in thee?

18  Train'd in each well-dissembled art
To veil the purpose of thine heart,
Thy tongue to fraud has loos'd the reins,
And lie with lie connected feigns.

19  Hast thou not sat, with cruel aim
Reflecting on a brother's fame,
And with invented scandal stain'd
Whom erst one womb with thee contain'd?

20  While yet my anger I suppress'd
Within the secrets of my breast,
And silent deign'd thy crimes to see,
Thy folly pictur'd me like thee:

21  But soon my op'ning lips shall yield
The just rebuke so long withheld,
And bid, before thy conscious eyes,
Thy guilt in all its horror rise.

22  Ye souls forgetful of my fear,
With full regard my dictates hear;
Lest, at my word, your life the grave
Demand, and none be nigh to save.

23  Who yields the sacrifice of praise,
His best-accepted homage pays:
Who forms his steps aright, shall know
What joys from my salvation flow.

Retrieved from "https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php?title=Psalm_50&oldid=1793405"