Psalms
Chapter 50
God speaks as judge and calls the whole earth, sky and land, to witness while he brings a charge against his own people. He tells them he does not need their animals, since every creature already belongs to him; what he asks for is thanks, kept promises, and to be called on in trouble. He then turns to the wicked, who recite his laws while joining thieves and lying about their own family, and warns them to think again.
Plain reading written for preteens. Clear and complete, at about a fifth grade reading level.
The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
1God the Mighty One, the LORD, has spoken. He calls the whole earth to come, from where the sun rises to where it sets.
2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
2From Zion, the city that is perfect in beauty, God shines out.
3Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
3Our God is coming, and he will not stay silent. Fire burns ahead of him, and a wild storm rages around him.
4He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
4He calls to the sky above and to the earth below, so that he can judge his people.
5Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.
5He says, "Gather my faithful people to me, the ones who made an agreement with me by offering a sacrifice."
6And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.
6The skies announce that God does what is right, because God himself is the judge. Selah.
"Selah" is a word that appears often in the Psalms. It is probably a note for the musicians, but no one today knows exactly what it meant.
7Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.
7"Listen, my people, and I will speak. Israel, I will state my case against you. I am God, your God.
8I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.
8I am not scolding you about your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are always there in front of me.
9I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.
9I do not need to take a bull from your barn or goats from your pens.
10For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
10Every animal in the forest is already mine, and so is the cattle on a thousand hills.
11I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
11I know every bird in the mountains, and every creature in the fields belongs to me.
12If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
12If I were hungry, I would not tell you, because the world and everything in it is mine.
13Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
13Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats?
14Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
14Bring God an offering that says thank you, and keep the promises you made to the Most High.
15And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
15Call to me on the day trouble comes. I will rescue you, and you will give me honor."
16But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?
16But to the wicked, God says, "What right do you have to recite my laws or to talk about my agreement?
17Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee.
17You hate being corrected, and you throw my words away behind you.
18When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
18When you see a thief, you take his side. You join in with people who break their marriage promises.
19Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
19You let your mouth run loose to do evil, and your tongue puts lies together.
20Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.
20You sit and speak against your brother. You spread lies about your own mother's son.
21These 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.
21You did all this while I stayed silent, so you thought I was just like you. Now I will correct you and lay it all out in front of your eyes.
The KJV says "such an one as thyself." It means they pictured God as having the same low standards they had.
22Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
22Think hard about this, you who forget God. If you do not, I will tear you apart, and no one will save you.
23Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.
23Whoever brings an offering of thanks gives me honor. And to the one who lives the right way, I will show God's saving power."
The KJV says "conversation," which in 1611 meant the whole way a person lives, not just talking.
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