Psalms 50
PATTo the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Thcodoret truly observes, that, in this Psalm as well as the former, David (who was the author of it/and delivered it to the master of the music in the tabernacle) speaks in thq person of the people: whom ho instructs how to give God thanks (not for Hezekiah’s recovery from his great sickness, and the lengthening of his days, as Theodoret takes it, but) for granting him those victories which they prayed for in the Psalm foregoing. And it is generally looked upon as describing, under that figure, the exaltation, glory, and majesty of Christ, which he obtained by his bloody death and passion. Many of the Hebrews themselves apply it to the Messiah. So that it may be called a Psalm of triumph, after the victories which David got over his enemies j which were a type of Christ’s victory over death, and of the triumph that ensued. And truly there are some things in it which are more literally fulfilled in Christ than in David, as ver. 4— G. A Psalm of Asaph. The author, of this Psalm, the title tells us (as we translate it), was Asaph, who composed several songs, as w r ell as David, for the use of the tabernacle, as we read in 2 Chron. xxix. 30. But whether he was Asaph the Levite, who lived in the same age with David, or some other prophet in aftertimes, cannot be certainly resolved. It seems to me that it was “not the former; because he is never, that I remember, called Asaph the seer, as the other is; whose psalms Hezekiah caused to be sung together with those of king David. And therefore I judge it most likely that he lived in aftertimes, in the reign of some pious prince, such as Jehoshaphat; or, which is most probable, in the days of Hezekiah himself; (see Psal. xliv.) who, though he had reformed the worship of God, yet could not amend men’s minds; but there still remained, this prophet observed, abundance of hypocrisy among them: both among the people, who placed all religion in sacrifices, and other external rites and ceremonies; and among the doctors of the law and the judges, who taught the people their duty, but observed none of those precepts themselves which they expounded to others. Both these this holy man awakens, by this Psalm, to a consideration of the danger they were in; representing God as the supreme judge of the world, coming in an amazing manner to call them all to a strict account, and to take a severe vengeance on them, unless they amended; which began to come upon them by Sennacherib: whom God threatened to send against the hypocritical nation: (Isa. x. G.) and calls that time, the day of his visitation, (ver. 3.) when Sennacherib overran all the country, (as Isaiah prophesied, viii. 7, 8.) till he came to Jerusalem: upon which city Nebuchadnezzar completely executed the judgment here threatened, when he destroyed Jerusalem and the temple itself; unto which it was to no purpose to bring a multitude of sacrifices, while they continued the evil of their doings, (Isa. i. 13. 1G.) In both which days of visitation, first by the king of Assyria, and then by the king of Babylon, the Psalmist here represents the Divine Majesty, after the manner of men, like to a king coming out of iris palace, attended by his ministers, with the ensigns of terror carried before him; and issuing out his orders to summon all his subjects to appear at his tribunal, and hear their accusation read, with tho sentence he would pronounce upon them. burnt-offerings, to have been continually before me.] I do not mean those concerning sacrifices; I have no complaint to make about that matter: thy burnt-offerings, I acknowledge, never fail to be brought both morning and evening to my altar; and I sec how busy thou art in that employment: life into a conformity with all my precepts; for this is tho man whom I will make partaker of thq blessings which I have promised.
Psalms 50:1
JL HE king shall joy in thy strength, OLord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!. Thon hast heard the prayers of thy people, O Lord, when they cried unto thee, saying, Lord, save the king: (xx. 9.) who will never cease, therefore, to thank thee, with the greatest joy and gladness, for that extraordinary strength and courage wherewith thou didst endue him. O how much beyond all expression are his joy and “thankfulness for.fliy wonderful deliverance of him! s *..^ JL HE mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth, from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof] The omnipotent Majesty, the supreme Judge of heaven and earth, to whom the greatest kings and potentates are but subjects; the eternal Lord, who changes not, hath given out his orders, that all the people of the land, from east to west, be summoned to appear before him.
Psalms 50:2
TIiou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips, Selah. Thou hast granted all that his heart desired, (xx. 4.) as well as that which he Openly requested with his lips.,Vcr. 3. For thou preventest him tvith the blessings of goodness: thou settesta crown of pure gold on his head.] Yea,.rnoTe than his heaTt desired.! For when he thought of no such thing, thou wast graciously pleased to anoint him to a kingdom: in which having settled him, thou hast added a new glory to him, and set an illustrious crown upon his head. (1 Chron. xx. 2.) Out ofZion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.] He will go forth in the greatest splendour out of his magnificent palace, where he dwells in Zion; and let you see how much his incomparable excellencies and perfections are to be reverenced.
Psalms 50:3
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. Our God will undoubtedly come and reckon with you, though now he seems to take no notice of your impiety: and he will not Come like earthly princes, before whom there marches an armed multitude, but in a far more terrible and irresistible manner; which shall make you as sensible of his dreadful presence, as your ancestors were at Mount Sinai, when the devouring flames, and thunder, and lightning, which attended on him, made the very mountain quake and tremble. (Exod. xix. 16. 18. Isa. ix
Psalms 50:4
He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days, for ever and ever. He desired only to escape with his life, when he was encompassed with inevitable dangers: and thou moreover didst promise to prolong his days; (2 Sam. vii. 12.) and to continue the crown to his posterity for many generations, (2 Sara. vii. 16. 19.) as thou wilt do to his son Christ for ever and ever. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.] He shall call heaven and earth to be witnesses of the equity of his proceedings; (Isa. i.2.) and you may as soon move them out of their place, as avoid appearing before his tribunal.
Psalms 50:5
His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. Great is the fame, also, which he hath won by the many victories thou hast given him: (2 Sam. vii. 9.) all nations, honour him (as they shall much more do the Messiah), and reverence that royal majesty to which thou hast exalted him. (1 Chron. xiv.2.17.) ■) bbt.il t.« h ■* Ver. C. For thou Jiast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.] And, which is - a far greater glory,, thou hast not only bestowed extraordinary benefits upon himself; but made him a blessing to future generations, whom thou wilt bless for his sake. (1 Kings, viii. 15. 20. 5G.) By which special favour and token of thy love to him, thou hast raised him to the highest pitch of joy as.well as of greatness.. tl i Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.] He will send out his officers, with a peremptory charge, saying, Bring those men before me, whom I have obliged above all other people, and separated to myself to be a holy nation; (Deut. xiv. 2.) and who have engaged themselves to me in such a solemn covenant, confirmed by the blood of sacrifices, that they wish they might perish, in like manner, if they did not observe it, (Jer. xxxiv. 18, 19.)
Psalms 50:6
And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah. They shall have a fair trial, whether they have so done or not: for the justice of his judgment shall be as conspicuous as the heavens; because God himself, who cannot do unrighteously, will examine the cause, and pronounce the sentence.
Psalms 50:7
For the king trusteth in the Lord; and through the mercy of the Most High, he shall not be moved. Which shall never cease to cheer and refresh his spirit, because he confides in him who never fails to perform his promises: through his kindness, who is superior to all, the throne of David shall stand fast, though all the. power on earth shall combine. to overturn it.,” > -\ •<.,,… Hear, O my people, and I will speak: Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.] Imagine then, that all things being thus prepared, you hear him calling to you, saying, Hearken, O my people, for I have something to say to thee. O Israel, my beloved people, hearken; for I must admonish and convince thee of the breach of those laws, w T hich I, the supremo lawgiver, and thy most gracious God, have given to thee, (Exod. xx. 2.)
Psalms 50:8
Tliine hand shall find out all ihine enemies; thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. They are thy enemies, O Most High,. as well as his, who endeavour to disturb him.; and they shall never escape thy vengeance: wheresoever they skulk or fly for. safety, thy vengeance shall pursue them, and punish their spiteful opposition to thee. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices, or thy
Psalms 50:9
TJiou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them upjn his wrath, and the fire shall devour thevi. Woe be to them, when the time comes wherein thou wilt call them to an account for their hatred to thee. They shall as certainly perish, as if they were cast into a fiery oven: the Lord, who is justly incensed against them, shall utterly consume them with a sharp and unavoidable destruction. f; I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor hegoats out of thy folds.’] But is this all that I Tequire of thee? do not mistake thyself, nor think that I will be content all the rest of my laws should be broken, if you do but multiply sacrifices, of which I have no need; or if I had, need not be beholden unto thee, for the very best of them.
Psalms 50:10
Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men. Th/ey shall be so far from finding any favour, that thou shalt quite ex- Digitized, by Microsoft ® [psalm XXII, tingnish their families, and wholly abolish such a wicked generation. For c *ery beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.’] Forl.could be supplied out of myown folds and herds, which thou hast nothing to do withal; having all the beast of the forest at my command,, with the cattle that graze on more hills than thou hast ever seen.
Psalms 50:11
For they intended evil against thee; they imagined a mischievous device, ivhich they are not able to perform. Who intended to destroy thy anointed, and root out thy religion. Their design was so mischievous, and therefore they deserve to be thus punished; though they were not able to effect it. I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are mine.] I know also where the fowls of the mountains build their nests, which thou canst not reach; and the wild beasts in the open fields, whom thou canst not enclose, are all ready at hand to do me service.
Psalms 50:12
Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them. It may most justly provoke thee to set thyself against them: and, as their aim, and the bent of their heart, was to throw him down whom thou hast advanced; so to make them the mark of thy severest displeasure, till they fall down wounded and rise no more^ If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof] If I were hungry, I would not come to acquaint thee with it, that thou mightest provide me food: why should I be beholden to thy poverty, when I am so rich? for the whole world is mine, and all that it contains.
Psalms 50:13
Be thou exalted,- Lord, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power. Whereby all good men shall be excited to extol thy power; and therefore shew the greatness of it, O Lord, and magnify thyself before their eyes: and then, whatsoever others do, we, who are delivered by thee, will set forth thy mightiness in our songs, and celebrate it with perpetual praises. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?] Canst thou be so absurd as to imagine that I need meat or drink? and for that reason call daily for the flesh of bulls, and the blood of goats, to satisfy my hunger, and to quench my thirst? or that my nature is such, that I <?an be pleased merely with the smoke of those upon my altar?
Psalms 50:14
Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the Most High. They have their use: but if thou wilt bring me acceptable sacrifices, know that I value, in the first place, a truly thankful heart, which gratefully acknowledges my benefits, above all the peace-offerings in the world; and next, that I expect thou shouldcst faithfully perform all the vows and promises thou makest, when thou beggest any blessing of me; and not think to put me off (who am too great to be dallied withal) with sin-offerings for the breach of them..
Psalms 50:15
And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. And, thirdly, devoutly commend thyself unto me, when thou art in any trouble, by ardent prayer; piously confiding in me, and thou shalt find it more powerful than all burnt-offerings: for I will certainly deliver thee, that thou mayest honour me with thy praises, and proclajm my power and goodness, to invite others unto my service. Ver. 1G. But unto the wicked Godsaith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?] Not that this is all that I require of thee; for if thou leadest a wicked life, and art injurious to thy neighbours, what care I for thy praises, or for thy zeal, to boot, in pressing my commands upon others, which thou dost not observe thyself? thou braggest thou art a vol. in. doctor of the law, and thou declarcst to the people my will and pleasure, and makest often mention of my covenant, whereby they stand bound to be obedient to me; but to what purpose is it? or with what face canst thou do it?
Psalms 50:17
Seeing thou hatest instruction, and easiest my tvords behind thee. Since, by thy example, thou teachest them to contemn all those instructions to which thou hatest to be bound thyself; and by thy actions declarcst thou hast no regard at all to any thing, either that I have bidden thee do, or threatened I will do to those that violate my precepts.
Psalms 50:18
When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. When thou hast observed a man thrive by stealth and robbery, instead of having him punished, thou hast greedily accepted the proffer of being a sharer with him; and, which is worse, the adulterers find favour with thee, and thou art partaker with them in their filthiness.
Psalms 50:19
TJiou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou lettest thy tongue loose to slanders; and backbitcst those who are not present to answer for themselves; and dost not stick to contrive artificial lies and deceits, to cheat those that have any dealing with thee.
Psalms 50:20
TJiou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son. Nay, when thou sittest in open court, solemnly to judge men according to the law, thou makest bold to speak falsely (for a reward); and that not against a stranger, but thy own brother; yea, thou wilt not spare him that lay in the same womb with thee; but load hira with calumnies and reproaches.
Psalms 50:21
These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. All this wickedness thou hast committed, and I have forborne to punish thee: but instead of amending thy life, to which my patience should have invited thee, thou hast presumed so much upon my lenity, as to add another sin to all the rest; and imagined that I am ignorant of what is done in secret, or am altogether as well pleased with these things as thyself: and therefore now I have sharply rebuked thee for them (so hateful they are to me) and set them all in order (that thou mayest see nothing can escape my knowledge) distinctly before thy eyes.
Psalms 50:22
Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Let this be a warning to you, and to all those that abuse the patience and long-suffering of God; never thinking of his just severity against such wicked doers. Consider this seriously, and repent in time, lest my patience be turned into indignation and wrath; and I lay hold on you, and snatch you away, to suffer your deserved punishment: and none of your companions, whom you have served in their sins, shall be able to give you any relief; but all perish together with yon.
Psalms 50:23
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God. Remember I have told you what sacrifices I am well pleased with; not with those of beasts, but with the sacrifice of praise and hearty thanksgiving for all my benefits; which doth mo more honour than all the lifeless sacrifices of bulls and goats: but he that thus de* voutly worships me, must take care withal to disposo his