This Psalm, like the preceding one, is a didactic Psalm. But while the lesson of Psalms 49 is an echo of the teaching of the -Wise Men," that of Psalms 50 is an echo of the teaching of the Prophets: and while, in accordance with the characteristic method of -Wisdom," "all peoples" are addressed in P... [ Continue Reading ]
_The mighty God_, even the _Lord_ El Elohim Jehovah. The three names, representing three aspects of the Divine character, are combined to emphasise the majesty of Him with Whom Israel has to do. _El_represents Him as the Mighty One; _Elôhîm_perhaps (the original meaning is doubtful) as the Awful One... [ Continue Reading ]
A solemn introduction, describing the Advent of Jehovah to judge His people. Of old He appeared at Sinai in the midst of lightnings and storm to give the Law: now He comes forth from Zion with the same tokens of power and majesty to enforce it.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty_ This rendering is certainly preferable to that of P.B.V., -Out of Zion hath God appeared in perfect beauty." Cp. Psalms 48:2; and Lamentations 2:15, which unites phrases taken from both Psalms. In 1MMalachi 2:12 the Temple is called "our beauty and our glory.... [ Continue Reading ]
In the preceding verses the Theophany is described as already visibly beginning. Instead of simply continuing that description, the poet-seer "imagines himself as an eager and interested spectator," and prays God to come near and declare His will: Let our God come, and not keep silence! Fire devou... [ Continue Reading ]
_He shall call to the heavens from above_ Better, in continuation of the preceding verse, Let him call to the heavens above. The object of the summons is -that he may judge his people." Heaven and earth, the whole world of nature, are summoned to be witnesses of the judgement, for they are far older... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gather_&c. To whom is the command addressed? Perhaps to the angels who are God's ministers of judgement (Matthew 24:31), and by whom He appears attended (Deuteronomy 33:2); less probably to heaven and earth, which according to the analogy of the parallel passages, are summoned as witnesses. But per... [ Continue Reading ]
Better (unless we alter the vocalisation and render, _and let the heavens declare_), And the heavens declare his righteousness, For God is about to Judge. While the defendants are being gathered, the Psalmist hears the heavens, which have been summoned to witness the trial, solemnly proclaiming t... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will testify against thee_ Or, I will protest unto thee, of solemn wanting and exhortation. Cp. Psalms 81:8, another Asaphite Psalm. _I_am _God,_even _thy God_ The words which stand at the head of the Decalogue, with _God_substituted for _Jehovah_by the Elohistic editor of the Psalm. Cp. Psalms... [ Continue Reading ]
The trial begins. God is the accuser as well as the judge. Israel's sacrifices are unexceptionable, but it is not slain beasts which the Lord of all the earth desires, but the devotion of the heart, exhibited in thanksgiving and trust. The people as a whole are addressed. The duty which is enforced... [ Continue Reading ]
Render with R.V., I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; And thy burnt offerings are continually before me. This rendering is grammatically preferable to that of R.V. marg. _Nor for thy burnt offerings, which are_&c., which gives substantially the same sense. God's indictment does not relate... [ Continue Reading ]
_The wild beasts of the field_ A peculiar phrase, found only in another Asaphite Psalm (Psalms 80:13), meaning probably all that moveth in the field, including the -creeping thing" (Genesis 1:24 f). _are mine_ Lit., _are with me_, i.e. _are in my sight_(P.B.V.), or, _in my mind_(R.V. marg.). 12F.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the world is mine_&c. Cp. Psalms 24:1; Psalms 89:11; Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 10:14; Job 41:11; 1 Corinthians 10:26.... [ Continue Reading ]
Such a gross and material notion of sacrifice was common in heathen countries, and the survival of the phrase -bread" or -food of Jehovah" seems to indicate that it once existed even in Israel. See Leviticus 3:11; Leviticus 21:6; Leviticus 21:8; Leviticus 21:17; Leviticus 21:21; &c. See Robertson Sm... [ Continue Reading ]
_Offer_&c. Lit., _sacrifice unto God thanksgiving_: hence R.V., offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. The context makes it clear that spiritual sacrifices of thanksgiving are meant, not the material -sacrifices of thanksgiving" (Leviticus 7:12) as contrasted with burnt offerings. Cp. Psalms... [ Continue Reading ]
What sacrifice then does God desire? Not the material sacrifices of the altar, but the offering of the heart.... [ Continue Reading ]
_call upon me_&c. Prayer is the proof of trust. Cp. Psalms 20:1; yet note that that Psalm contains a reference to the acceptableness of material sacrifice (Psalms 50:3). The LXX. here inserts a _Selah_, which would appropriately mark the close of this division of the Ps. Cp. Psalms 50:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
What meanest thou by rehearsing my statutes, and by having taken (R.V. rightly, and that thou hast taken) my covenant in thy mouth? The people had pledged themselves to observe the conditions of the covenant as laid down in the -book of the covenant," of which the Decalogue (-the tables of the coven... [ Continue Reading ]
In the preceding verses God has reproved the formalist: the man who regarded the offering of sacrifice as the essence of religion. He now turns to address the wicked man: the hypocrite, who repeated His commandments and professed allegiance to Him, while he deliberately set those commandments at def... [ Continue Reading ]
_instruction_ Or, _correction_; the whole discipline of moral education; a word occurring here only in the Psalter, but common in Proverbs, where it is the mark of the fool and the scorner to despise instruction. Cp. Deuteronomy 8:5; Deuteronomy 11:2. _and castest_&c. Lit., and hast cast, flung the... [ Continue Reading ]
_then thou consentedst with him_ The original is stronger: thou didst delight thyself with him, didst gladly associate with him. Cf. Job 34:9. R.V. omits _then_. The LXX vocalises the consonants differently and renders, _thou didst run along with him_(cp. Proverbs 1:16): but the Massoretic reading i... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hast let loose thy mouth for evil, And thy tongue contriveth deceit. Giving way to unbridled speech, evil in substance and mischievous in aim: contriving a whole structure of deliberate falsehoods.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou sittest_emphasises the deliberateness of the slander. Cp. "the session of scorners," i. 1. _Thy brother_might mean any Israelite; but the alternative _thine own mother's son_(cp. Psalms 69:8, note) in the parallel line indicates that it is to be understood literally. The Psalmist describes a s... [ Continue Reading ]
When thou didst these things, and I kept silence, refraining from immediate condemnation of thy conduct by condign punishment, thou didst mistake longsuffering for indifference, and think that I cared as little as thyself for the laws of morality. _that I was_ This rendering hardly represents the o... [ Continue Reading ]
_ye that forget God Elôah:_see note on Psalms 50:1. For the phrase cp. Psalms 9:17; Job 8:13; and for the thought, Psalms 10:4. _lest I tear_&c. Like a lion. Cp. Hosea 5:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
Practical conclusion, addressed to both classes: to the formal worshippers who -forget God" by ignoring the spiritual character of the worship which He desires, as well as to the hypocrites whose conduct proves that they "refuse to have Him in their knowledge.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whoso offereth praise_ He that offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving, as in Psalms 50:14. This line sums up the teaching of Psalms 50:7 on the nature of true worship: and it is natural to expect the second line to sum up the teaching of Psalms 50:16 on the obligations of moral duty. This it does i... [ Continue Reading ]