A song of Asaph.

The Acceptable Sacrifice

1God, the LORD,a has spoken.

He has summoned the earth

from the rising of the sun to its setting place.

2From Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God has shined forth.

3Our God has appeared and he has not been silent;

a devouring fire blazed before him,

and a mighty storm swirled around him.

4He summoned the heavens above

and the earth below,b

to sit in judgment on his people.

5“Assemble before me, my saints,

who have entered into my covenant by sacrifice.”

6The heavens revealed his justice,

for God is himself the judge.

Interlude

7“Listen, my people,

for I am making a pronouncement:

Israel, I, God, your God, am testifying against you.

8I do not rebuke you because of your sacrifices;

indeed, your burnt offerings are continuously before me.

9I will no longer accept a sacrificialc bull from your household;

nor goats from your pens.

10Indeed, every animal of the forest is mine,

even the cattle on a thousand hills.

11I know all the birds in the mountains;

indeed, everything that moves in the field is mine.

12“If I were hungry, I would not tell you;

for the world is mine along with everything in it.

13Why should I eat the flesh of oxen

or drink the blood of goats?

14Offer to God a thanksgiving praise;

pay your vows to the Most High.

15Call on me in the day of distress;

I will deliver you, and you will glorify me.”

16As for the wicked, God says,

“How dare you recite my statutes

or speak about my covenant with your lips!

17You hate instruction

and toss my words behind you.

18When you see a thief, you befriend him,

and you keep company with adulterers.

19You give your mouth free reign for evil,

and your tongue devises deceit.

20You sit and speak against your brother;

you slander your own mother’s son.

21These things you did, and I kept silent,

because you assumed that I was like you.

But now I am going to rebuke you,

and I will set forth my case before your very own eyes.”

22Consider this, you who have forgotten God—

Otherwise, I will tear you in pieces

and there will be no deliverer:

23Whoever offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me,

and I will reveal the salvation of God

to whomever continues in my way.”d