When God Takes the Stand.

מִזְמ֗וֹר לְאָ֫סָ֥ף אֵ֤ל׀ אֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֡ים יְֽהוָ֗ה דִּבֶּ֥ר וַיִּקְרָא־אָ֑רֶץ מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֝֗מֶשׁ עַד־מְבֹאֽוֹ׃

The Mighty One, God the Lord , speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.

מִצִּיּ֥וֹן מִכְלַל־יֹ֗פִי אֱלֹהִ֥ים הוֹפִֽיעַ׃

[2] Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.

יָ֤בֹ֥א אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ וְֽאַל־יֶ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ אֵשׁ־לְפָנָ֥יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל וּ֝סְבִיבָ֗יו נִשְׂעֲרָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃

[3] Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.

יִקְרָ֣א אֶל־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם מֵעָ֑ל וְאֶל־הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ לָדִ֥ין עַמּֽוֹ׃

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

אִסְפוּ־לִ֥י חֲסִידָ֑י כֹּרְתֵ֖י בְרִיתִ֣י עֲלֵי־זָֽבַח׃

[5] “Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”

וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ שָׁמַ֣יִם צִדְק֑וֹ כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִ֓ים׀ שֹׁפֵ֖ט ה֣וּא סֶֽלָה׃

[6] The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah

שִׁמְעָ֤ה עַמִּ֨י׀ וַאֲדַבֵּ֗רָה יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל וְאָעִ֣ידָה בָּ֑ךְ אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֱלֹהֶ֣יךָ אָנֹֽכִי׃

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

לֹ֣א עַל־זְ֭בָחֶיךָ אוֹכִיחֶ֑ךָ וְעוֹלֹתֶ֖יךָ לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִֽיד׃

[8] Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me.

לֹא־אֶקַּ֣ח מִבֵּיתְךָ֣ פָ֑ר מִ֝מִּכְלְאֹתֶ֗יךָ עַתּוּדִֽים׃

[9] I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds.

כִּי־לִ֥י כָל־חַיְתוֹ־יָ֑עַר בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת בְּהַרְרֵי־אָֽלֶף׃

[10] For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.

יָ֭דַעְתִּי כָּל־ע֣וֹף הָרִ֑ים וְזִ֥יז שָׂ֝דַ֗י עִמָּדִֽי׃

[11] I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.

אִם־אֶ֭רְעַב לֹא־אֹ֣מַר לָ֑ךְ כִּי־לִ֥י תֵ֝בֵ֗ל וּמְלֹאָֽהּ׃

[12] “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.

הַֽ֭אוֹכַל בְּשַׂ֣ר אַבִּירִ֑ים וְדַ֖ם עַתּוּדִ֣ים אֶשְׁתֶּֽה׃

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

זְבַ֣ח לֵאלֹהִ֣ים תּוֹדָ֑ה וְשַׁלֵּ֖ם לְעֶלְי֣וֹן נְדָרֶֽיךָ׃

[14] Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,

וּ֭קְרָאֵנִי בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה אֲ֝חַלֶּצְךָ֗ וּֽתְכַבְּדֵֽנִי׃

[15] and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

וְלָ֤רָשָׁ֨ע׀ אָ֘מַ֤ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים מַה־לְּ֭ךָ לְסַפֵּ֣ר חֻקָּ֑י וַתִּשָּׂ֖א בְרִיתִ֣י עֲלֵי־פִֽיךָ׃

[16] But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?

וְ֭אַתָּה שָׂנֵ֣אתָ מוּסָ֑ר וַתַּשְׁלֵ֖ךְ דְּבָרַ֣י אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃

[17] For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.

אִם־רָאִ֣יתָ גַ֭נָּב וַתִּ֣רֶץ עִמּ֑וֹ וְעִ֖ם מְנָאֲפִ֣ים חֶלְקֶֽךָ׃

[18] If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.

פִּ֭יךָ שָׁלַ֣חְתָּ בְרָעָ֑ה וּ֝לְשׁוֹנְךָ֗ תַּצְמִ֥יד מִרְמָֽה׃

[19] “You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit.

תֵּ֭שֵׁב בְּאָחִ֣יךָ תְדַבֵּ֑ר בְּבֶֽן־אִ֝מְּךָ֗ תִּתֶּן־דֹּֽפִי׃

[20] You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son.

אֵ֤לֶּה עָשִׂ֨יתָ׀ וְֽהֶחֱרַ֗שְׁתִּי דִּמִּ֗יתָ הֱ‌ֽיוֹת־אֶֽהְיֶ֥ה כָמ֑וֹךָ אוֹכִיחֲךָ֖ וְאֶֽעֶרְכָ֣ה לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃

[21] These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.

בִּֽינוּ־נָ֣א זֹ֭את שֹׁכְחֵ֣י אֱל֑וֹהַּ פֶּן־אֶ֝טְרֹ֗ף וְאֵ֣ין מַצִּֽיל׃

[22] “Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!

זֹבֵ֥חַ תּוֹדָ֗ה יְֽכַ֫בְּדָ֥נְנִי וְשָׂ֥ם דֶּ֑רֶךְ אַ֝רְאֶ֗נּוּ בְּיֵ֣שַׁע אֱלֹהִֽים׃

[23] The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”