INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 50 A PSALM OF ASAPH. This psalm is called a psalm of Asaph; either because it was composed by him under divine inspiration, since he was a prophet and a seer, 1 Chronicles 25:2; or because it was delivered to him to be sung in public service, he being a chief musician; see 1... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MIGHTY GOD,.... In the Hebrew text it is "El", "Elohim", which Jarchi renders the "God of gods"; that is, of angels, who are so called, Psalms 8:5; so Christ, who is God over all, is over them; he is their Creator, and the object of their worship, Hebrews 1:6; or of kings, princes, judges, and a... [ Continue Reading ]
OUT OF ZION, THE PERFECTION OF BEAUTY, GOD HATH SHINED. Or "shall shine" p; the past for the future, as Kimchi observes; or "the perfection of the beauty of God hath shined out of Zion" q; that is, Christ; he is the perfection of beauty; he is fairer than the children of men; he is more glorious tha... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR GOD SHALL COME,.... That is, Christ, who is truly and properly God, and who was promised and expected as a divine Person; and which was necessary on account of the work he came about; and believers claim an interest in him as their God; and he is their God, in whom they trust, and whom they wors... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL CALL TO THE HEAVENS FROM ABOVE, AND TO THE EARTH,.... To hear what he shall say, when he will no longer keep silence; and to be witnesses of the justice of his proceedings; see Isaiah 1:2. The Targum interprets this of the angels above on high, and of the righteous on the earth below; and s... [ Continue Reading ]
GATHER MY SAINTS TOGETHER UNTO ME,.... These words are spoken by Christ to the heavens and the earth; that is, to the angels, the ministers of the Gospel, to gather in, by the ministry of the word, his elect ones among the Gentiles; see Matthew 24:30; called his "saints", who had an interest in his... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE HEAVENS SHALL DECLARE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS,.... That is, either the heavens shall bear witness to his justice and equity in judging his people; or the angels, the ministers of the Gospel, shall declare his justifying righteousness, which is revealed in it, to the saints and covenant ones they s... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR, O MY PEOPLE,.... This is an address to the people of the Jews, whom God had chosen to be his people above all others, and who professed themselves to be his people; but now a "loammi", Hosea 1:9, was about to be written upon them, being a people uncircumcised in heart and ears, refusing to hea... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL NOT REPROVE THEE FOR THY SACRIFICES,.... For the neglect of them; this they were not chargeable with; and had they omitted them, a charge would not have been brought against them on that account, since these were not what God commanded when he brought them out of Egypt, Jeremiah 7:22; and wer... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL TAKE NO BULLOCK OUT OF THY HOUSE,.... That is, will accept of none; such sacrifices being no more agreeable to the will of God, Hebrews 10:5; the "bullock" is mentioned, that being a principal creature used in sacrifice; as also the following, [NOR] HE GOATS OUT OF THY FOLDS; the reasons fol... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR EVERY BEAST OF THE FOREST [IS] MINE,.... By creation and preservation; and therefore he stood in no need of their bullocks and he goats; [AND THE CATTLE UPON A THOUSAND HILLS; meaning all the cattle in the whole world.... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW ALL THE FOWLS OF THE MOUNTAINS,.... God not only knows them, but takes care of them; not a sparrow fails to the ground without his knowledge, and all the fowls of the air are fed by him, Matthew 10:29; and therefore needed not their turtledoves and young pigeons, which were the only fowls us... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I WERE HUNGRY, I WOULD NOT TELL THEE,.... Or "say to thee" w; ask for anything FOR THE WORLD [IS] MINE, AND THE FULNESS THEREOF; with which, was the former his case, he could satisfy himself; see Psalms 24:1. w לא אמר לך "non dicam tibi", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus; "non dicerem tibi",... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL I EAT THE FLESH OF BULLS, OR DRINK THE BLOOD OF GOATS?] That is, express a pleasure, take delight and satisfaction, in such kind of sacrifices, which can never take away sin: no, I will not; wherefore other sacrifices, more agreeable to his nature, mind, and will, and to the Gospel dispensation... [ Continue Reading ]
OFFER UNTO GOD THANKSGIVING,.... Which is a sacrifice, Psalms 50:23; and the Jews say x, that all sacrifices will cease in future time, the times of the Messiah, but the sacrifice of praise; and this should be offered up for all mercies, temporal and spiritual; and unto God, because they all come f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CALL UPON ME IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE,.... This is another part of spiritual sacrifice or worship, which is much more acceptable to God than legal sacrifices. Invocation of God includes all parts of religious worship, and particularly designs prayer, as it does here, of which God, and he only, is t... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT UNTO THE WICKED GOD SAITH,.... By whom are meant, not openly profane sinners; but men under a profession of religion, and indeed who were teachers of others, as appears from the following expostulation with them: the Scribes, Pharisees, and doctors among the Jews, are designed; and so Kimchi int... [ Continue Reading ]
SEEING THOU HATEST INSTRUCTION,.... Or "correction" z; to be reproved or reformed by the statutes and covenant they declared to others; they taught others, but not themselves, Romans 2:21; or evangelical instruction, the doctrines of grace, and of Christ; for, as concerning the Gospel, they were ene... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU SAWEST A THIEF, THEN THOU CONSENTEDST WITH HIM,.... Or "didst run with him" a; joined and agreed with him in the commission of the same things; which was literally true of the Scribes and Pharisees: they devoured widows' houses, and robbed them of their substance, under a pretence of long... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU GIVEST THY MOUTH TO EVIL,.... To speak evil things against Christ, his doctrines, ordinances, ministers and people; and to deliver out evil doctrines, pernicious to the souls of men; AND THY TONGUE FRAMETH DECEIT; puts and joins together deceitful words in a very artful manner, by which simple... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SITTEST,.... Either in the chair of Moses, or on the seat of judgment, in the great sanhedrim of the nation; or, as Aben Ezra paraphrases it, "in the seat of the scornful"; [AND] SPEAKEST AGAINST THY BROTHER; even to pass sentence upon him, to put him to death for professing faith in Christ, M... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS HAST THOU DONE,.... "These evil works", as the Targum; which they had done over and over again without remorse, with the greatest pleasure, and with promises of impunity to themselves. This is a confirmation of the charge made by the omniscient God, who saw and knew all their actions;... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW CONSIDER THIS,.... The evils that had been committed, and repent of them; for repentance is an after thought and reconsideration of sin, and humiliation for it; that the Lord, was not like them, not an approver of sin, but a reprover for it; and what would be their latter end, what all this woul... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSO OFFERETH PRAISE,...., Which is exhorted to; Psalms 50:14; GLORIFIETH ME; celebrates the divine perfections, gives God the glory of all mercies; which honours him, and is more grateful and well pleasing to him than all burnt offerings and sacrifices; AND TO HIM THAT ORDERETH [HIS] CONVERSATI... [ Continue Reading ]