Psalms 50:8-18

8 "I do 1not reprove you for your sacrifices, And your burnt offerings are continually before Me.
9 "I shall take no 2young bull out of your house Nor male goats out of your folds.
10 "For 3every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills.
11 "I know every 4bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine.
12 "If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the 5world is Mine, and all it contains.
13 "Shall I eat the flesh of 6bulls Or drink the blood of male goats?
14 "Offer to God 7a sacrifice of thanksgiving And 8pay your vows to the Most High;
15 9Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall 10rescue you, and you will 11honor Me."
16 But to the wicked God says, "What right have you to tell of My statutes And to take 12My covenant in your mouth?
17 "For you 13hate discipline, And you 14cast My words behind you.
18 "When you see a thief, you 15are pleased with him, And you 16associate with adulterers.

Psalms 50:8-18 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 16

  • 1. Psalms 40:6; Psalms 51:16; Isaiah 1:11; Hosea 6:6
  • 2. Psalms 69:31
  • 3. Psalms 104:24
  • 4. Matthew 6:26
  • 5. Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 10:14; Psalms 24:1; 1 Corinthians 10:26
  • 6. Psalms 50:9
  • 7. Psalms 27:6; Psalms 69:30; Psalms 107:22; Psalms 116:17; Hosea 14:2; Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15
  • 8. Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21; Psalms 22:25; Psalms 56:12; Psalms 61:8; Psalms 65:1; Psalms 76:11
  • 9. Psalms 91:15; Psalms 107:6, 13; Zechariah 13:9
  • 10. Psalms 81:7
  • 11. Psalms 22:23
  • 12. Isaiah 29:13
  • 13. Proverbs 5:12; Proverbs 12:1; Romans 2:21, 22
  • 14. 1 Kings 14:9; Nehemiah 9:26
  • 15. Romans 1:32
  • 16. 1 Timothy 5:22

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. Or "in My mind;" lit "with Me"
  • [b]. Lit "its fullness"
  • [c]. Lit "strong ones"
  • [d]. Some ancient versions read "run together"
  • [e]. Lit "your part is with"
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.