The Mighty One Calls
אֵ֤ל׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֡ים יְֽהוָ֗ה דִּבֶּ֥ר וַיִּקְרָא־אָ֑רֶץ מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֝֗מֶשׁ עַד־מְבֹאֽוֹ׃
The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from where the sun rises to where it sets.
יָ֤בֹ֥א אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ וְֽאַל־יֶ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ אֵשׁ־לְפָנָ֥יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל וּ֝סְבִיבָ֗יו נִשְׂעֲרָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
Our God approaches and will not be silent! Consuming fire precedes Him, and a tempest rages around Him.
יִקְרָ֣א אֶל־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם מֵעָ֑ל וְאֶל־הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ לָדִ֥ין עַמּֽוֹ׃
He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that He may judge His people:
אִסְפוּ־לִ֥י חֲסִידָ֑י כֹּרְתֵ֖י בְרִיתִ֣י עֲלֵי־זָֽבַח׃
“Gather to Me My saints, who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ שָׁמַ֣יִם צִדְק֑וֹ כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִ֓ים׀ שֹׁפֵ֖ט ה֣וּא סֶֽלָה׃
And the heavens proclaim His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge. Selah
שִׁמְעָ֤ה עַמִּ֨י׀ וַאֲדַבֵּ֗רָה יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל וְאָעִ֣ידָה בָּ֑ךְ אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֱלֹהֶ֣יךָ אָנֹֽכִי׃
“Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God.
לֹ֣א עַל־זְ֭בָחֶיךָ אוֹכִיחֶ֑ךָ וְעוֹלֹתֶ֖יךָ לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִֽיד׃
I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices, and your burnt offerings are ever before Me.
לֹא־אֶקַּ֣ח מִבֵּיתְךָ֣ פָ֑ר מִ֝מִּכְלְאֹתֶ֗יךָ עַתּוּדִֽים׃
I have no need for a bull from your stall or goats from your pens,
כִּי־לִ֥י כָל־חַיְתוֹ־יָ֑עַר בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת בְּהַרְרֵי־אָֽלֶף׃
for every beast of the forest is Mine—the cattle on a thousand hills.
יָ֭דַעְתִּי כָּל־ע֣וֹף הָרִ֑ים וְזִ֥יז שָׂ֝דַ֗י עִמָּדִֽי׃
I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are Mine.
אִם־אֶ֭רְעַב לֹא־אֹ֣מַר לָ֑ךְ כִּי־לִ֥י תֵ֝בֵ֗ל וּמְלֹאָֽהּ׃
If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and the fullness thereof.
הַֽ֭אוֹכַל בְּשַׂ֣ר אַבִּירִ֑ים וְדַ֖ם עַתּוּדִ֣ים אֶשְׁתֶּֽה׃
Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
זְבַ֣ח לֵאלֹהִ֣ים תּוֹדָ֑ה וְשַׁלֵּ֖ם לְעֶלְי֣וֹן נְדָרֶֽיךָ׃
Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
וּ֭קְרָאֵנִי בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה אֲ֝חַלֶּצְךָ֗ וּֽתְכַבְּדֵֽנִי׃
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
וְלָ֤רָשָׁ֨ע׀ אָ֘מַ֤ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים מַה־לְּ֭ךָ לְסַפֵּ֣ר חֻקָּ֑י וַתִּשָּׂ֖א בְרִיתִ֣י עֲלֵי־פִֽיךָ׃
To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?
וְ֭אַתָּה שָׂנֵ֣אתָ מוּסָ֑ר וַתַּשְׁלֵ֖ךְ דְּבָרַ֣י אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃
For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you.
אִם־רָאִ֣יתָ גַ֭נָּב וַתִּ֣רֶץ עִמּ֑וֹ וְעִ֖ם מְנָאֲפִ֣ים חֶלְקֶֽךָ׃
When you see a thief, you befriend him, and throw in your lot with adulterers.
פִּ֭יךָ שָׁלַ֣חְתָּ בְרָעָ֑ה וּ֝לְשׁוֹנְךָ֗ תַּצְמִ֥יד מִרְמָֽה׃
You unleash your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit.
תֵּ֭שֵׁב בְּאָחִ֣יךָ תְדַבֵּ֑ר בְּבֶֽן־אִ֝מְּךָ֗ תִּתֶּן־דֹּֽפִי׃
You sit and malign your brother; you slander your own mother’s son.
אֵ֤לֶּה עָשִׂ֨יתָ׀ וְֽהֶחֱרַ֗שְׁתִּי דִּמִּ֗יתָ הֱֽיוֹת־אֶֽהְיֶ֥ה כָמ֑וֹךָ אוֹכִיחֲךָ֖ וְאֶֽעֶרְכָ֣ה לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃
You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
בִּֽינוּ־נָ֣א זֹ֭את שֹׁכְחֵ֣י אֱל֑וֹהַּ פֶּן־אֶ֝טְרֹ֗ף וְאֵ֣ין מַצִּֽיל׃
Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:
זֹבֵ֥חַ תּוֹדָ֗ה יְֽכַ֫בְּדָ֥נְנִי וְשָׂ֥ם דֶּ֑רֶךְ אַ֝רְאֶ֗נּוּ בְּיֵ֣שַׁע אֱלֹהִֽים׃
He who sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, and to him who rightly orders his way, I will show the salvation of God.”