“Yahweh, God of gods, speaks, He summons the earth. From east to west, from Zion, perfection of beauty, He shines. Let our God come and be silent no more! Preceding Him, a devouring fire, round Him, a raging storm. He summons the heavens above and the earth to His people’s trial:
“‘Assemble My faithful before Me who sealed My covenant by sacrifice!’ Let the heavens proclaim His righteousness when God himself is judge! ’Listen, My people, I am speaking; Israel, I am giving evidence against you! I charge, I indict You to Your face, I, God, Your God. I am not finding fault with your sacrifices, those holocausts constantly before Me. I do not claim one extra bull from your homes, nor one extra goat from your pens, since all the forest animals are already mine and the cattle on My mountains in their thousands. I know all the birds of the air, nothing moves in the field that does not belong to Me. If I were hungry, I should not tell you, since the world and all it holds is Mine. Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink goats’ blood? No, let thanksgiving be your sacrifice to God, fulfill the vows you make to the Most High; then you can invoke Me in your troubles and I will rescue you, and you shall honor Me.’
“But to the wicked man, God says: ‘What business have you reciting My statutes, standing there mouthing My covenant, since you detest My discipline and thrust My words behind you? You make friends with a thief as soon as you see one, you feel at home with adulterers, your mouth is given freely to evil and your tongue to inventing lies. You sit there, slandering your own brother, you malign your own mother’s son. You do this and expect Me to say nothing? Do you really think I am like you? You are leaving God out of account; take care! Or I will tear you to pieces where no one can rescue you! Whoever makes thanksgiving his sacrifice, honours Me; to the upright man I will show how God can save’” (Ps 50:1-23).
