CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. II
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Corpus Psalterium · Vol. II

Psalm L (50)

Cantillated — Covenant Courtroom Judgment

Paul Whitehorn

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Psalm 50 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

A Psalm by Asaph.

1

The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.

מִזְמ֗וֹר לְאָ֫סָ֥ף אֵ֤ל ׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֡ים יְֽהוָ֗ה דִּבֶּ֥ר וַיִּקְרָא־אָ֑רֶץ מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֝֗מֶשׁ עַד־מְבֹאֽוֹ׃

2

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines out.

מִצִּיּ֥וֹן מִכְלַל־יֹ֗פִי אֱלֹהִ֥ים הוֹפִֽיעַ׃

3

Our God comes, and does not keep silent. A fire devours before him. It is very stormy around him.

יָ֤בֹ֥א אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ וְֽאַל־יֶ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ אֵשׁ־לְפָנָ֥יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל וּ֝סְבִיבָ֗יו נִשְׂעֲרָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃

4

He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that he may judge his people:

יִקְרָ֣א אֶל־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם מֵעָ֑ל וְאֶל־הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ לָדִ֥ין עַמּֽוֹ׃

5

“Gather my saints together to me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

אִסְפוּ־לִ֥י חֲסִידָ֑י כֹּרְתֵ֖י בְרִיתִ֣י עֲלֵי־זָֽבַח׃

6

The heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah.

וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ שָׁמַ֣יִם צִדְק֑וֹ כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִ֓ים ׀ שֹׁפֵ֖ט ה֣וּא סֶֽלָה׃

7

“Hear, my people, and I will speak. Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.

שִׁמְעָ֤ה עַמִּ֨י ׀ וַאֲדַבֵּ֗רָה יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל וְאָעִ֣ידָה בָּ֑ךְ אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֱלֹהֶ֣יךָ אָנֹֽכִי׃

8

I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are continually before me.

לֹ֣א עַל־זְ֭בָחֶיךָ אוֹכִיחֶ֑ךָ וְעוֹלֹתֶ֖יךָ לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִֽיד׃

9

I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens.

לֹא־אֶקַּ֣ח מִבֵּיתְךָ֣ פָ֑ר מִ֝מִּכְלְאֹתֶ֗יךָ עַתּוּדִֽים׃

10

For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills.

כִּי־לִ֥י כָל־חַיְתוֹ־יָ֑עַר בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת בְּהַרְרֵי־אָֽלֶף׃

11

I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of the field are mine.

יָ֭דַעְתִּי כָּל־ע֣וֹף הָרִ֑ים וְזִ֥יז שָׂ֝דַ֗י עִמָּדִֽי׃

12

If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

אִם־אֶ֭רְעַב לֹא־אֹ֣מַר לָ֑ךְ כִּי־לִ֥י תֵ֝בֵ֗ל וּמְלֹאָֽהּ׃

13

Will I eat the meat of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?

הַֽ֭אוֹכַל בְּשַׂ֣ר אַבִּירִ֑ים וְדַ֖ם עַתּוּדִ֣ים אֶשְׁתֶּֽה׃

14

Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High.

זְבַ֣ח לֵאלֹהִ֣ים תּוֹדָ֑ה וְשַׁלֵּ֖ם לְעֶלְי֣וֹן נְדָרֶֽיךָ׃

15

Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

וּ֭קְרָאֵנִי בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה אֲ֝חַלֶּצְךָ֗ וּֽתְכַבְּדֵֽנִי׃

16

But to the wicked God says, “What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips,

וְלָ֤רָשָׁ֨ע ׀ אָ֘מַ֤ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים מַה־לְּ֭ךָ לְסַפֵּ֣ר חֻקָּ֑י וַתִּשָּׂ֖א בְרִיתִ֣י עֲלֵי־פִֽיךָ׃

17

since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you?

וְ֭אַתָּה שָׂנֵ֣אתָ מוּסָ֑ר וַתַּשְׁלֵ֖ךְ דְּבָרַ֣י אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃

18

When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers.

אִם־רָאִ֣יתָ גַ֭נָּב וַתִּ֣רֶץ עִמּ֑וֹ וְעִ֖ם מְנָאֲפִ֣ים חֶלְקֶֽךָ׃

19

“You give your mouth to evil. Your tongue frames deceit.

פִּ֭יךָ שָׁלַ֣חְתָּ בְרָעָ֑ה וּ֝לְשׁוֹנְךָ֗ תַּצְמִ֥יד מִרְמָֽה׃

20

You sit and speak against your brother. You slander your own mother’s son.

תֵּ֭שֵׁב בְּאָחִ֣יךָ תְדַבֵּ֑ר בְּבֶֽן־אִ֝מְּךָ֗ תִּתֶּן־דֹּֽפִי׃

21

You have done these things, and I kept silent. You thought that I was just like you. I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes.

אֵ֤לֶּה עָשִׂ֨יתָ ׀ וְֽהֶחֱרַ֗שְׁתִּי דִּמִּ֗יתָ הֱֽיוֹת־אֶֽהְיֶ֥ה כָמ֑וֹךָ אוֹכִיחֲךָ֖ וְאֶֽעֶרְכָ֣ה לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃

22

“Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you into pieces, and there be no one to deliver.

בִּֽינוּ־נָ֣א זֹ֭את שֹׁכְחֵ֣י אֱל֑וֹהַּ פֶּן־אֶ֝טְרֹ֗ף וְאֵ֣ין מַצִּֽיל׃

23

Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me, and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”

זֹבֵ֥חַ תּוֹדָ֗ה יְֽכַ֫בְּדָ֥נְנִי וְשָׂ֥ם דֶּ֑רֶךְ אַ֝רְאֶ֗נּוּ בְּיֵ֣שַׁע אֱלֹהִֽים׃

Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.

The Mighty One…

God, the LORD

speaks…

He calls the earth

from sunrise

to its setting

Out of Zion

perfect in beauty

God shines forth

Our God comes

He will not be silent

Fire devours before Him

the storm surrounds Him

He calls to the heavens

above

and to the earth—

to judge His people

Gather to Me

My faithful ones

Gather to Me

those bound by covenant

The heavens declare

His righteousness

God Himself

is Judge

Hear, My people—

I will speak

Israel—

I testify against you

I am God

your God

I do not rebuke you

for your sacrifices

They are always before Me

I take no bull

from your house

no goats

from your fields

Every beast is Mine

every creature

every bird

Do I eat

the flesh of bulls

Do I drink

their blood

Offer to God

a sacrifice of thanks

Call on Me

I will deliver you

But to the wicked—

God says

What right have you

to speak My laws

You hate correction

You cast My words behind you

You run with thieves

you stand with adulterers

Your mouth speaks evil

your tongue weaves lies

You accuse your brother

your own blood

You did these things

and I was silent

You thought—

I was like you

But now I rebuke you

I set it before your eyes

Consider this—

you who forget God

or I will tear you apart

and none will rescue

The one who offers thanks

honors Me

The one who orders his way

will see

the salvation of God

The Mighty One…

God, the LORD

has spoken

Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.

Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.

About these songs. They are a summary and a commentary on the Psalms, not a word-for-word translation. Read what these songs are →

What These Songs Are, and What They Are Not

These songs are not a word-for-word translation of the Psalms. They were never meant to be. Nor do they try to capture every idea in every psalm. In a song, that would be impossible.

What we have done is capture the essence of each psalm: what matters most in it. Think of each song as a summary. Think of it as a cheat sheet. The purpose of the psalm is still being met. God's word to mankind is still being heard.

Behind many of these lines is word research: deep study of the meaning of the Hebrew. So where a line sounds different from your translation, and you think it is wrong, study it. We believe you will find that the essence of what we sing is true.

The truth is that no one can set the Psalms to music without also becoming a commentator. That is what this is. It is a modern commentary on the Psalms: not only the Psalms themselves, and not only the Psalms being sung. So do not think that every word of the psalm is here. It is not. Read the psalm itself, in full.

Why do this at all? Because we believe God intended humanity to be surrounded by His word. This was always the entertainment He wanted us to have: not hours of television, not a day lost in a phone looking at nonsense. The blessed man of Psalm 1 meditates on God's word day and night. How can we meditate on His word if we do not surround ourselves with it?

As ministers, our first responsibility is to share God's word with people. That is what these songs are for.

Paul Whitehorn