Psalms 50; Psalms 44; Psalms 6

Psalms 50

1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.

2 From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.

3 Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages.

4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people:

5 “Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice.

7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel: I am God, your God.

8 I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.

9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens,

10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine.

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

13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?

14 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High,

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

16 But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips?

17 You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you.

18 When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers.

19 You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit.

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

21 When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you.

22 “Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:

23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.”

Psalms 44

1 We have heard it with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.

2 With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish.

3 It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.

4 You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob.

5 Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes.

6 I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory;

7 but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.

8 In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.

9 But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies.

10 You made us retreat before the enemy, and our adversaries have plundered us.

11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations.

12 You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale.

13 You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us.

14 You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us.

15 I live in disgrace all day long, and my face is covered with shame

16 at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me, because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.

17 All this came upon us, though we had not forgotten you; we had not been false to your covenant.

18 Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path.

19 But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals; you covered us over with deep darkness.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,

21 would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart?

22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

23 Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.

24 Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?

25 We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground.

26 Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.

Psalms 6

1 LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.

2 Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint; heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.

3 My soul is in deep anguish. How long, LORD, how long?

4 Turn, LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.

5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name. Who praises you from the grave?

6 I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.

7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.

8 Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.

9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.

10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish; they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.