In The Word
Read: Psalms 50
God, the Judge of the Righteous and the Wicked.
A Psalm of Asaph.
50 The Mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken
And summoned the earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God has shone.
3 May our God come and not keep silent;
Fire devours before Him,
And a storm is violently raging around Him.
4 He summons the heavens above,
And the earth, to judge His people:
5 “Gather My godly ones to Me,
Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
6 And the heavens declare His righteousness,
For God Himself is judge. Selah
7 “Hear, My people, and I will speak;
Israel, I will testify against you;
I am God, your God.
8 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices,
And your burnt offerings are continually before Me.
9 I will not take a bull from your house,
Nor male goats from your folds.
10 For every animal of the forest is Mine,
The cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird of the mountains,
And everything that moves in the field is Mine.
12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,
For the world is Mine, and everything it contains.
13 Shall I eat the flesh of bulls
Or drink the blood of male goats?
14 Offer God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
And pay your vows to the Most High;
15 Call upon Me on the day of trouble;
I will rescue you, and you will honor Me.”
16 But to the wicked God says,
“What right do you have to tell of My statutes
And to take My covenant in your mouth?
17 For you yourself hate discipline,
And you throw My words behind you.
18 When you see a thief, you become friends with him,
And you associate with adulterers.
19 You let your mouth loose in evil,
And your tongue harnesses deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you have done and I kept silent;
You thought that I was just like you;
I will rebuke you and present the case before your eyes.
22 “Now consider this, you who forget God,
Or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be no one to save you.
23 He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who sets his way properly
I will show the salvation of God.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
This Psalm helps us realize that we will all answer to God for the way we have lived our lives. There will be a day of reckoning when Yahweh calls everyone in, the godly and ungodly alike. Each one of us will give an account of himself to God (Romans 14:12). Of course, the ungodly who did not put their faith in Christ will be condemned to eternal judgment. Unfortunately, the godly who put their faith in Christ, but did not live out fully the ways of God, will suffer loss.
God is saying in this Psalm that He is not looking for sacrifices as excuses to live unrighteously, but asking that the people of God would be grateful for God’s help and do what they committed to do toward God. However, those that say they know God and are in covenant with Him, but live in a way that is not according to the ancient paths, God says that He will tear them to pieces when they stand before Him. He outlines in verses 17 through 22 what kind of lifestyle that looks like. The sad thing is these people thought they were acting godly.
We will all answer to God for the way we live. It reveals where our faith is. When you read verses 17 through 22, does it resemble your life now? If so, repent and begin to honor your commitment to God and be grateful for His grace.