A psalm of Asaph.

Adonai, the God of gods

speaks and summons the Earth

from where the sun rises to where it sets.

God shines forth out of Zion

 – the perfection of beauty.

Our God comes and is not silent.

A devouring fire is before God

and it rages mightily around God.

God calls to heaven above and earth below

to judge God’s people:

 “Gather my holy ones to Me,

those who make made a covenant with Me with a sacrifice.”

The heavens declare God’s righteousness,

because God alone is judge.

Selah.

“Listen, my people, and I will speak,

I will testify against you, Israel:

I am God, your God.

I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices

or your burnt offerings, which are always before Me.

I don’t need a bowl from your household

or goats from your pens

because every forest animal is Mine,

along with the cattle on a thousand hills.

I know every bird in the mountains

 and all the creatures in the field are Mine.

I wouldn’t tell you if I were hungry

because the world and all it contains is Mine!

Do I eat the meat from bulls or drink goat’s blood?

Sacrifice thank offerings to God,

then honor your vows to the Most High.

Call upon me on a day of trouble

– I will rescue you and you will honor Me.”

However, God says to the wicked

“Why are you reciting My laws

and talking about My covenant?

You hate discipline

and throw My words behind you.

You are pleased when you see a thief

and you hang out with adulterers.

You use your mouth to unleash evil,

and you have harnessed your tongue to deceit.

You sit and testify against your sibling,

slandering your own mother’s child.

Should I keep silent about what you have done?

You thought I was the same as you

– but I rebuke you

and lay out the case before your eyes.

You who forgot God – consider this,

or I will tear you to shreds

with nobody to save you.

A sacrifice of praise gives honor,

and whoever is disciplined in this way

will be shown My salvation.”

To the music director: a psalm of Korah’s sons.

Listen, all you peoples.

Give ear, all you who inhabit the world,

both high and low,

poor and rich together.

My mouth speaks words of wisdom;

the meditation of my heart brings understanding.

I will pay close attention to a proverb;

I will speak my riddle with a harp.

Why should I feel fear in evil days?

When the evil of my foes surrounds me?

Or those who trust in their wealth boasting

 about how rich they are?

Nobody can redeem another person

or pay a ransom for them to God.

The cost to redeem a soul is too high

so you should quit trying forever.

Will they live forever and never see the Pit?

Surely they must see it, for even wise people die.

Foolish and senseless people similarly die,

leaving their wealth to the living.

Inwardly, they think their houses are eternal,

their homes throughout the generations,

they even name their lands after themselves.

But a pompous man will not endure.

He is like the animals that perish.

This is the way of those who trust in themselves,

and of their followers who approve of what they say.

Selah.

They are like sheep destined for Sheol.

Death will shepherd them

and the upright will rule over them

when morning comes.

Their image will waste away in Sheol

far from their lofty palaces.

But God redeems my soul from Sheol’s power

– God draws me in.

Selah.

Don’t be concerned when a person grows rich,

or the splendor of their house increases,

for they will take nothing with them when they die,

their splendor will not follow them down.

Even though they congratulate themselves

during their lives

– and people praise you when you prosper –

they will still join their ancestor’s company

who will never again see light.

A pompous, clueless person is like the animals that perish.

A song, a psalm of Korah’s sons.

Great is Adonai,

and most worthy of praise in God’s city,

God‘s holy mountain.

Mount Zion is beautiful in its height,

the joy of the whole world,

to the north of the great Ruler’s city.

God is a stronghold in her palaces.

Behold! When the king assembled they marched together.

When they looked,

they were astounded and ran away in terror.

There they were seized with trembling and pain

like a woman in labor.

God broke the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.

Just as we have heard,

so have we seen in the city

of the Ruler of heavenly armies,

in the city of our God.

God will establish the city forever.

Selah.

In the midst of Your Temple

we have meditated on Your loving-kindness.

Like Your name, O God,

Your praise goes to the end of the earth.

Righteousness fills Your right hand.

Mount Zion is glad and the daughters of Judah rejoice

because of Your decrees.

Walk about Zion, encircle her.

Count her towers, consider her ramparts

and stroll through her palaces

so that you may tell a future generation

“This God is our God for all of eternity

and will always guide us.”