Psalms 50:1-8

1 The God of gods, the Lord, speaks. He calls the earth from the rising to the setting sun.

2 God shines from Jerusalem, whose beauty is perfect.

3 Our God comes, and he will not be silent. A fire burns in front of him, and a powerful storm surrounds him.

4 He calls to the sky above and to the earth that he might judge his people.

5 He says, "Gather around, you who worship me, who have made an agreement with me, using a sacrifice."

6 God is the judge, and even the skies say he is right. Selah

7 God says, "My people, listen to me; Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.

8 I do not scold you for your sacrifices. You always bring me your burnt offerings.

Psalms 50:1-8 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.