4He shall call to the heavens from above,
And to the earth, that He may judge His people:
5“Gather My saints together to Me,
Those who have [a]made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
6Let the heavens declare His righteousness,
For God Himself is Judge. Selah

7“Hear, O My people, and I will speak,
O Israel, and I will testify against you;
I am God, your God!
8I will not [b]rebuke you for your sacrifices
Or your burnt offerings,
Which are continually before Me.
9I will not take a bull from your house,
Nor goats out of your folds.
10For every beast of the forest is Mine,
And the cattle on a thousand hills.
11I know all the birds of the mountains,
And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.

12“If I were hungry, I would not tell you;
For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.
13Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
Or drink the blood of goats?
14Offer to God thanksgiving,
And pay your vows to the Most High.
15Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

16But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to declare My statutes,
Or take My covenant in your mouth,
17Seeing you hate instruction
And cast My words behind you?
18When you saw a thief, you consented[c] with him,
And have been a partaker with adulterers.
19You give your mouth to evil,
And your tongue frames deceit.
20You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.
21These things you have done, and I kept silent;
You thought that I was altogether like you;
But I will rebuke you,
And set them in order before your eyes.

22“Now consider this, you who forget God,
Lest I tear you in pieces,
And there be none to deliver:
23Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;
And to him who orders his conduct aright
I will show the salvation of God.”