Psalms 50:16-21

In the preceding verses God has reproved the formalist: the man who regarded the offering of sacrifice as the essence of religion. He now turns to address the wicked man: the hypocrite, who repeated His commandments and professed allegiance to Him, while he deliberately set those commandments at defiance by his conduct. To him God adopts a sterner tone. The offences with which he is charged are breaches of the commandments of the second Table of the Decalogue, neglect of the simplest moral duties toward his neighbour. The general reproof in Psalms 50:16 is followed by specific charges of breaking the eighth, seventh, and ninth commandments, and the address concludes with a stern warning, Psalms 50:21. Comp. generally Hosea 4:1-2; Romans 2:17-24.