Psalms · Chapter 50 of 150

Psalm 50

The glory of God. · Sacrifices to be changed for prayers. · Sincere obedience required.

1A Psalm of Asaph. The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. 2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. 3Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. 4He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. 5Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. 6And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

7Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God. 8I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. 9I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. 10For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. 11I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. 12If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. 13Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? 14Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: 15And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

16But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? 17Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. 18When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. 19Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. 20Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son. 21These 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. 22Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. 23Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

King James Version (1769) · public domain

1A Psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from where the sun rises to where it sets. 2From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. 3Our God approaches and will not be silent! Consuming fire precedes Him, and a tempest rages around Him. 4He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that He may judge His people: 5“Gather to Me My saints, who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” 6And the heavens proclaim His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge. Selah

7“Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God. 8I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices, and your burnt offerings are ever before Me. 9I have no need for a bull from your stall or goats from your pens, 10for every beast of the forest is Mine— the cattle on a thousand hills. 11I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are Mine. 12If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and the fullness thereof. 13Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? 14Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High. 15Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”

16To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips? 17For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you. 18When you see a thief, you befriend him, and throw in your lot with adulterers. 19You unleash your mouth for evil and unharness your tongue for deceit. 20You sit and malign your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. 21You 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. 22Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you: 23He who sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, and to him who rights his way, I will show the salvation of God.”

Berean Standard Bible · public domain

1A Psalm by Asaph. The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset. 2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines out. 3Our God comes, and does not keep silent. A fire devours before him. It is very stormy around him. 4He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that he may judge his people: 5“Gather my saints together to me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” 6The heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah.

7“Hear, my people, and I will speak. Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. 8I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are continually before me. 9I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens. 10For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills. 11I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of the field are mine. 12If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 13Will I eat the meat of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? 14Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High. 15Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

16But to the wicked God says, “What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips, 17since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you? 18When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers. 19“You give your mouth to evil. Your tongue frames deceit. 20You sit and speak against your brother. You slander your own mother’s son. 21You have done these things, and I kept silent. You thought that I was just like you. I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes. 22“Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you into pieces, and there be no one to deliver. 23Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me, and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”

World English Bible · public domain

About Psalms

Psalm 50 commentary

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706), public domain.

Verses 1-6

This psalm is a psalm of instruction. It tells of the coming of Christ and the day of judgment, in which God will call men to account; and the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of judgement. All the children of men are concerned to know the right way of worshipping the Lord, in spirit and in truth. In the great day, our God shall come, and make those hear his judgement who would not hearken to his law. Happy are those who come into the covenant of grace, by faith in the Redeemer's atoning sacrifice, and show the sincerity of their love by fruits of righteousness. When God rejects the services of those who rest in outside performances, he will graciously accept those who seek him aright. It is only by sacrifice, by Christ, the great Sacrifice, from whom the sacrifices of the law derived what value they had, that we can be accepted of God. True and righteous are his judgments; even sinners' own consciences will be forced to acknowledge the righteousness of God.

Verses 7-15

To obey is better than sacrifice, and to love God and our neighbour better than all burnt-offerings. We are here warned not to rest in these performances. And let us beware of resting in any form. God demands the heart, and how can human inventions please him, when repentance, faith, and holiness are neglected? In the day of distress we must apply to the Lord by fervent prayer. Our troubles, though we see them coming from God's hand, must drive us to him, not drive us from him. We must acknowledge him in all our ways, depend upon his wisdom, power, and goodness, and refer ourselves wholly to him, and so give him glory. Thus must we keep up communion with God; meeting him with prayers under trials, and with praises in deliverances. A believing supplicant shall not only be graciously answered as to his petition, and so have cause for praising God, but shall also have grace to praise him.

Verses 16-23

Hypocrisy is wickedness, which God will judge. And it is too common, for those who declare the Lord's statutes to others, to live in disobedience to them themselves. This delusion arises from the abuse of God's long-suffering, and a wilful mistake of his character and the intention of his gospel. The sins of sinners will be fully proved on them in the judgment of the great day. The day is coming when God will set their sins in order, sins of childhood and youth, of riper age and old age, to their everlasting shame and terror. Let those hitherto forgetful of God, given up to wickedness, or in any way negligent of salvation, consider their urgent danger. The patience of the Lord is very great. It is the more wonderful, because sinners make such ill use of it; but if they turn not, they shall be made to see their error when it is too late. Those that forget God, forget themselves; and it will never be right with them till they consider. Man's chief end is to glorify God: whoso offers praise, glorifies him, and his spiritual sacrifices shall be accepted. We must praise God, sacrifice praise, put it into the hands of the Priest, our Lord Jesus, who is also the altar: we must be fervent in spirit, praising the Lord. Let us thankfully accept God's mercy, and endeavour to glorify him in word and deed.

Key verses in Psalm 50

Psalms 50:15
And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Psalms 50:14
Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
Psalms 50:10
For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
Psalms 50:23
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.
Psalms 50:2
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.