Psalms 50:3-13

3 May our God 1come and not keep silence; 2Fire devours before Him, And it is very 3tempestuous around Him.
4 He 4summons the heavens above *, And the earth, to judge His people:
5 "Gather My 5godly ones to Me, Those who have made a 6covenant with Me by 7sacrifice."
6 And the 8heavens declare His righteousness, For 9God Himself is judge. Selah.
7 "10Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you; I am God, 11your God.
8 "I do 12not reprove you for your sacrifices, And your burnt offerings are continually before Me.
9 "I shall take no 13young bull out of your house Nor male goats out of your folds.
10 "For 14every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills.
11 "I know every 15bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine.
12 "If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the 16world is Mine, and all it contains.
13 "Shall I eat the flesh of 17bulls Or drink the blood of male goats?

Psalms 50:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 50

\\<>\\. This psalm is called a psalm of Asaph; either because it was composed by him under divine inspiration, since he was a prophet and a seer, 1Ch 25:2, 2Ch 29:30; or because it was delivered to him to be sung in public service, he being a chief musician; see 1Ch 16:7; and so it may be rendered, "a psalm for Asaph"; or "unto Asaph" {o}; which was directed, sent, and delivered to him, and might be written by David; and, as Junius thinks, after the angel had appeared to him, and he was directed where he should build an altar to the Lord, 1Ch 21:18. The Targum, Kimchi, and R. Obadiah Gaon, interpret this psalm of the day of judgment; and Jarchi takes it to be a prophecy of the future redemption by their expected Messiah; and indeed it does refer to the times of the Gospel dispensation; for it treats of the calling of the Gentiles, of the abrogation of legal sacrifices, and of the controversy the Lord would have with the Jews for retaining them, and rejecting pure, spiritual, and evangelical worship. {o} Poal "ipsi Asaph", Tigurine version, Vatablus; "Asapho", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Ainsworth.

Cross References 17

  • 1. Psalms 96:13
  • 2. Leviticus 10:2; Numbers 16:35; Psalms 97:3; Daniel 7:10
  • 3. Psalms 18:12, 13
  • 4. Deuteronomy 4:26; Deuteronomy 31:28; Deuteronomy 32:1; Isaiah 1:2
  • 5. Psalms 30:4; Psalms 37:28; Psalms 52:9
  • 6. Exodus 24:7; 2 Chronicles 6:11; Psalms 25:10
  • 7. Psalms 50:8
  • 8. Psalms 89:5; Psalms 97:6
  • 9. Psalms 75:7; Psalms 96:13
  • 10. Psalms 49:1; Psalms 81:8
  • 11. Exodus 20:2; Psalms 48:14
  • 12. Psalms 40:6; Psalms 51:16; Isaiah 1:11; Hosea 6:6
  • 13. Psalms 69:31
  • 14. Psalms 104:24
  • 15. Matthew 6:26
  • 16. Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 10:14; Psalms 24:1; 1 Corinthians 10:26
  • 17. Psalms 50:9

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. "Selah" may mean: "Pause, Crescendo" or "Musical interlude"
  • [b]. Or "to"
  • [c]. Or "in My mind;" lit "with Me"
  • [d]. Lit "its fullness"
  • [e]. Lit "strong ones"
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