Psalms 48–50

1Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.

2Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the north sides, the city of the great King.

3God has shown himself in her citadels as a refuge.

4For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together.

5They saw it, then they were amazed. They were dismayed. They hurried away.

6Trembling took hold of them there, pain, as of a woman in travail.

7With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish.

8As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever. Selah.

9We have thought about your loving kindness, God, in the middle of your temple.

10As is your name, God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of righteousness.

11Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.

12Walk about Zion, and go around her. Number its towers.

13Notice her bulwarks. Consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the next generation.

14For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even to death.

1Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,

2both low and high, rich and poor together.

3My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.

4I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my riddle on the harp.

5Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

6Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches—

7none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.

8For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,

9that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.

10For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.

11Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.

12But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.

13This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. Selah.

14They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion.

15But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah.

16Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

17for when he dies he will carry nothing away. His glory won’t descend after him.

18Though while he lived he blessed his soul— and men praise you when you do well for yourself—

19he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.

20A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.

1The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.

2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines out.

3Our God comes, and does not keep silent. A fire devours before him. It is very stormy around him.

4He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that he may judge his people:

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

6The heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah.

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

8I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are continually before me.

9I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens.

10For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills.

11I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of the field are mine.

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

13Will I eat the meat of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?

14Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High.

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

16But to the wicked God says, “What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips,

17since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you?

18When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers.

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

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

21You 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.

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

23Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me, and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”