Psalm 50:16–21

But to the wicked God says:

“What right have you to recite my statutes

or take my covenant on your lips?

For you hate discipline,

and you cast my words behind you.

If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,

and you keep company with adulterers.

“You give your mouth free rein for evil,

and your tongue frames deceit.

You sit and speak against your brother;

you slander your own mother’s son.

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.

But to the wicked person, God says:

“What right have you to recite my laws

or take my covenant on your lips?

You hate my instruction

and cast my words behind you.

When you see a thief, you join with him;

you throw in your lot with adulterers.

You use your mouth for evil

and harness your tongue to deceit.

You sit and testify against your brother

and slander your own mother’s son.

When you did these things and I kept silent,

you thought I was exactly like you.

But I now arraign you

and set my accusations before you.

But God says to the wicked:

“What right do you have to recite my statutes

and to take my covenant on your lips?

You hate instruction

and fling my words behind you.

When you see a thief,

you make friends with him,

and you associate with adulterers.

You unleash your mouth for evil

and harness your tongue for deceit.

You sit, maligning your brother,

slandering your mother’s son.

You have done these things, and I kept silent;

you thought I was just like you.

But I will rebuke you

and lay out the case before you.

But God says to the wicked:

“Why bother reciting my decrees

and pretending to obey my covenant?

For you refuse my discipline

and treat my words like trash.

When you see thieves, you approve of them,

and you spend your time with adulterers.

Your mouth is filled with wickedness,

and your tongue is full of lies.

You sit around and slander your brother—

your own mother’s son.

While you did all this, I remained silent,

and you thought I didn’t care.

But now I will rebuke you,

listing all my charges against you.

But to the wicked God says,

“What right have you to recite my statutes

and mention my covenant with your mouth,

while you yourself hate discipline,

and cast my words behind you?

When you see a thief, then you are pleased with him,

and your association is with adulterers.

You give your mouth free rein for evil,

and you harness your tongue to deceit.

You sit and speak against your brother;

you slander your mother’s son.

These things you have done, and I have been silent;

You imagined that I was just like you.

I will rebuke you and present an argument before your eyes.

But unto the wicked God saith,

What hast thou to do to declare my statutes,

Or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?

Seeing thou hatest instruction,

And castest my words behind thee.

When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him,

And hast been partaker with adulterers.

Thou givest thy mouth to evil,

And thy tongue frameth deceit.

Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother;

Thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.

These things hast thou done, and I kept silence;

Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself:

But I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.