Psalms 50:1

PSALM L

God, the Sovereign Judge, cites before his throne all his

people, and the priests and the judges, 14;

and reproaches them for their vain confidence in the sacrifices

they had offered, 7-13;

and shows them the worship he requires, 14, 15;

and then enters into a particular detail of their hypocrisy,

injustice, and union with scandalous transgressors; all of

whom he threatens with heavy judgments, 16-22.

The blessedness of him who worships God aright, and walks

unblamably, 23.

NOTES ON PSALM L

In the title this is said to be A Psalm of Asaph. There are twelve that go under his name; and most probably he was author of each, for he was of high repute in the days of David, and is mentioned second to him as a composer of psalms: Moreover Hezekiah the king, and the princes, commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord, with the WORDS of DAVID, and of ASAPH the SEER. His band, sons or companions, were also eminent in the days of David, as we learn from 1 Chronicles 25:1, c. Asaph himself was one of the musicians who sounded with cymbals of brass, 1 Chronicles 15:19. And he is mentioned with great respect, Nehemiah 12:46: And in the days of DAVID and ASAPH of old there were CHIEF of the SINGERS, and SONGS of PRAISE and THANKSGIVING unto God. He was certainly a prophetic man: he is called a seer-one on whom the Spirit of God rested and seems from this, his education, and natural talent, to be well qualified to compose hymns or psalms in the honour of God. Persons capable of judging, on a comparison of those Psalms attributed to Asaph with those known to be of David, have found a remarkable difference in the style. The style of David is more polished, flowing, correct, and majestic, than that of Asaph, which is more stiff and obscure. He has been compared to Persius and to Horace; he is keen, full of reprehensions, and his subjects are generally of the doleful kind; which was probably caused by his living in times in which there was great corruption of manners, and much of the displeasure of God either threatened or manifested. It is not known on what particular occasion this Psalm was written; but at most times it was suitable to the state of the Jewish Church.

Verse Psalms 50:1. The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken] Here the essential names of God are used: אל אלהים יהוה EL, ELOHIM, YEHOVAH, hath spoken. The six first verses of this Psalm seem to contain a description of the great judgment: to any minor consideration or fact it seems impossible, with any propriety, to restrain them. In this light I shall consider this part of the Psalm, and show, -

First, The preparatives to the coming of the great Judge. El Elohim Jehovah hath spoken, and called the earth-all the children of men from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, (מכלל יפי michlal yophi, the beauty where all perfection is comprised,) God hath shined, Psalms 50:1.

1. He has sent his Spirit to convince men of sin, righteousness, and judgment.

2. He has sent his WORD; has made a revelation of himself; and has declared both his law and his Gospel to mankind: "Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined," Psalms 50:2. For out of Zion the law was to go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:3.

Secondly, The accompaniments.

1. His approach is proclaimed, Psalms 50:3: "Our God shall come."

2. The trumpet proclaims his approach: "He shall not keep silence."

3. Universal nature shall be shaken, and the earth and its works be burnt up: "A fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him," Psalms 50:3.

Thirdly, The witnesses are summoned and collected, and collected from all quarters; some from heaven, and some from earth.

1. Guardian angels.

2. Human associates: "He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people," Psalms 50:4.

Fourthly, The procedure. As far as it respects the righteous, orders are issued: "Gather my saints," those who are saved from their sins and made holy, "together unto me." And that the word saints might not be misunderstood, it is explained by "those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice;" those who have entered into union with God, through the sacrificial offering of the Lord Jesus Christ. All the rest are passed over in silence. We are told who they are that shall enter into the joy of their Lord, viz., only the saints, those who have made a covenant with God by sacrifice. All, therefore, who do not answer this description are excluded from glory.

Fifthly, The final issue: all the angelic host, and all the redeemed of the Lord, join in applauding acclamation at the decision of the Supreme Judge. The heavens (for the earth is no more, it is burnt up) shall declare his righteousness, the exact justice of the whole procedure, where justice alone has been done without partiality, and without severity, nor could it be otherwise, for God is Judge himself. Thus the assembly is dissolved; the righteous are received into everlasting glory, and the wicked turned into hell, with all those who forget God. Some think that the sentence against the wicked is that which is contained, Psalms 50:16. See the analysis at the end, Psalms 50:23, and particularly on the six first verses, in which a somewhat different view of the subject is taken.