“Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.”
(Psalm 50:23)
Summary of Chapter 50: This psalm, as the former, is a psalm of instruction, not of prayer or praise; it is a psalm of reproof and admonition, in singing which we are to teach and admonish one another. In the foregoing psalm, after a general demand of attention, God by his prophet deals. Many older commentators feel that Psalm 50 was authored by the original “Asaph”.The psalm is a warning to the pilgrim of Zion to avoid hypocrisy and formalism before God. The setting of the psalm is comparable to a courtroom: God, the Judge, appears in a theophany.
Psalm Chapter 50:1-23:
A psalm of Asaph.
The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets. From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: “Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice. “Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel: I am God, your God. I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? “Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? 1You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son. When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you. “Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you: Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.”
Father God, I confess that I have not always had the right attitude of true thanks giving towards You, I want to make my life a living sacrifice that is pleasing to You and glorifies Your name. Assist, identify and correct any wrong attitudes within my heart and begin anew to worship You in spirit and truth. I love You, thank You, praise You and give You all the glory in Jesus Precious Name Amen.
"Only Life Changes" 