Psalms 50:1-8

A psalm of Asaph.

1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
2 From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.
3 Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages.
4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice.[a][b]
7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel: I am God, your God.
8 I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.

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.

Cross References 20

  • 1. Joshua 22:22
  • 2. Psalms 113:3
  • 3. Psalms 2:6
  • 4. S Psalms 48:2; S Lamentations 2:15
  • 5. S Deuteronomy 33:2; Psalms 80:1
  • 6. Psalms 96:13
  • 7. ver 21; Isaiah 42:14; Isaiah 64:12; Isaiah 65:6
  • 8. S Leviticus 10:2
  • 9. S Psalms 18:8; Psalms 97:3; Daniel 7:10
  • 10. Job 37:9; Psalms 83:15; Psalms 107:25; Psalms 147:18; Isaiah 29:6; Isaiah 30:28; John 1:4; Nahum 1:3
  • 11. Deuteronomy 4:26; Deuteronomy 31:28; Isaiah 1:2
  • 12. Hebrews 10:30
  • 13. S Deuteronomy 7:6; S Psalms 18:25; Psalms 30:4
  • 14. Exodus 24:7; S 2 Chronicles 6:11
  • 15. S Psalms 19:1; Psalms 89:5
  • 16. S Genesis 16:5; S Job 9:15; Psalms 75:7
  • 17. Hebrews 2:4; Psalms 81:8
  • 18. Exodus 20:2; Psalms 48:14
  • 19. S 2 Samuel 22:16
  • 20. S Psalms 40:6; Hosea 6:6

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text "for God himself is judge"
  • [b]. The Hebrew has "Selah" (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
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