Psalms 50
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The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
5 Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.
6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.
7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.
8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.
9 I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
16 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?
17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee.
18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.
21 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.
22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Psalm 50:1-23
God Himself Is Judge
A Psalm of Asaph.
1The Mighty One, God the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.
3Our God comes; he does not keep silence;
before him is a devouring fire,
around him a mighty tempest.
4He calls to the heavens above
and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5“Gather to me my faithful ones,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
6The heavens declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge! Selah
7“Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
O Israel, I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
8Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9I will not accept a bull from your house
or goats from your folds.
10For every beast of the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.
11I know all the birds of the hills,
and all that moves in the field is mine.
12“If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and its fullness are mine.
13Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?
14Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and perform your vows to the Most High,
15and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
16But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to recite my statutes
or take my covenant on your lips?
17For you hate discipline,
and you cast my words behind you.
18If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
and you keep company with adulterers.
19“You give your mouth free rein for evil,
and your tongue frames deceit.
20You sit and speak against your brother;
you slander your own mother’s son.
21These 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.
22“Mark this, then, you who forget God,
lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
23The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!”
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Psalm 50:1-23
Psalm 50
A psalm of Asaph.
1The Mighty One, God, the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
2From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
3Our God comes
and will not be silent;
a fire devours before him,
and around him a tempest rages.
4He summons the heavens above,
and the earth, that he may judge his people:
5“Gather to me this consecrated people,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
6And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
for he is a God of justice.
7“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
I will testify against you, Israel:
I am God, your God.
8I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices
or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.
9I have no need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,
10for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.
11I know every bird in the mountains,
and the insects in the fields are mine.
12If I were hungry I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
13Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?
14“Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15and call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
16But to the wicked person, God says:
“What right have you to recite my laws
or take my covenant on your lips?
17You hate my instruction
and cast my words behind you.
18When you see a thief, you join with him;
you throw in your lot with adulterers.
19You use your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue to deceit.
20You sit and testify against your brother
and slander your own mother’s son.
21When 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.
22“Consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:
23Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,
and to the blameless I will show my salvation.”
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
This Psalm captures a grand and solemn moment, when God opens a court session to sit in judgment on His own people. The issue in this court case is that Israel goes through all the right motions of being His covenant people, but they don’t live by the covenantal requirements. They are very religious but not very good. They practice the forms but don’t live the life.
In startling terms God states His accusation against His people: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You do not care for My instructions and you cast my words behind you.”
God’s surprising remedy to the religious wickedness of His people is that they bring thank-offerings to Him, thanking Him for what He has done. This is what makes Him real in our experience. It is possible to be regularly involved in the forms of religion without ever engaging with God. Thanksgiving prompts our belief in Him to intersect with our lives. It acknowledges His living, active presence in our daily business. It takes our worship of Him beyond church walls, into our homes and on to the streets.
Garth Bainbridge
Australia
