Psalms 50:16-22

16 But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips?
17 You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you.
18 When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers.
19 You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit.
20 You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son.
21 When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly[a] 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:

Psalms 50:16-22 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 13

  • 1. Psalms 25:10
  • 2. Isaiah 29:13
  • 3. Proverbs 1:22
  • 4. S 1 Kings 14:9; Nehemiah 9:26; Romans 2:21-22
  • 5. Romans 1:32; 1 Timothy 5:22
  • 6. S Job 22:15
  • 7. Psalms 10:7; Psalms 36:3; Psalms 52:2; Psalms 101:7
  • 8. Matthew 10:21
  • 9. Ecclesiastes 8:11; Isaiah 42:14; Isaiah 57:11; Isaiah 62:1; Isaiah 64:12
  • 10. Psalms 6:1; S Psalms 18:15; Psalms 76:6; Psalms 104:7; Isaiah 50:2
  • 11. Psalms 85:5; Isaiah 57:16; Psalms 90:8
  • 12. S Job 8:13; Psalms 9:17; S Isaiah 17:10
  • 13. S Deuteronomy 32:39; Micah 5:8; Psalms 7:2

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or "thought the ‘I " AM"’ was"
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