Psalms 50:16-21

16 But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?
17 1For you hate discipline, 2and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, 3you are pleased with him, 4and you keep company with adulterers.
19 "You give your mouth free rein for evil, 5and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I 6have been silent; you thought that I[a] was one like yourself. But now I 7rebuke you and 8lay the charge before you.

Psalms 50:16-21 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 8

  • 1. [Romans 2:21, 22]
  • 2. 1 Kings 14:9; Nehemiah 9:26
  • 3. Romans 1:32
  • 4. [1 Timothy 5:22]
  • 5. [Psalms 52:2]
  • 6. Ecclesiastes 8:11; Isaiah 57:11
  • 7. Psalms 90:8; 2 Kings 19:4
  • 8. Job 13:18; Job 23:4

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.