[50:1] The Almighty God, the Lord, speaks; he calls to the whole earth from east to west.
[50:2] God shines from Zion, the city perfect in its beauty.
[50:3] Our God is coming, but not in silence; a raging fire is in front of him, a furious storm around him.
[50:4] He calls heaven and earth as witnesses to see him judge his people.
[50:5] He says, “Gather my faithful people to me, those who made a covenant with me by offering a sacrifice.”
[50:6] The heavens proclaim that God is righteous, that he himself is judge.
[50:7] “Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel. I am God, your God.
[50:8] I do not reprimand you because of your sacrifices and the burnt offerings you always bring me.
[50:9] And yet I do not need bulls from your farms or goats from your flocks;
[50:10] all the animals in the forest are mine and the cattle on thousands of hills.
[50:11] All the wild birds are mine and all living things in the fields.
[50:12] “If I were hungry, I would not ask you for food, for the world and everything in it is mine.
[50:13] Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
[50:14] Let the giving of thanks be your sacrifice to God, and give the Almighty all that you promised.
[50:15] Call to me when trouble comes; I will save you, and you will praise me.”
[50:16] But God says to the wicked, “Why should you recite my commandments? Why should you talk about my covenant?
[50:17] You refuse to let me correct you; you reject my commands.
[50:18] You become the friend of every thief you see, and you associate with adulterers.
[50:19] “You are always ready to speak evil; you never hesitate to tell lies.
[50:20] You are ready to accuse your own relatives and to find fault with them.
[50:21] You have done all this, and I have said nothing, so you thought that I am like you. But now I reprimand you and make the matter plain to you.
[50:22] “Listen to this, you that ignore me, or I will destroy you, and there will be no one to save you.
[50:23] Giving thanks is the sacrifice that honors me, and I will surely save all who obey me.”