Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Reflections on Psalms 50

 Psalms 50(Contemporary English Version)
  1. (A psalm by Asaph.) From east to west, the powerful LORD God has been calling together everyone on earth.
  2. God shines brightly from Zion, the most beautiful city.
  3. Our God approaches, but not silently; a flaming fire comes first, and a storm surrounds him.
  4. God comes to judge his people. He shouts to the heavens and to the earth,
  5. "Call my followers together! They offered me a sacrifice, and we made an agreement."
  6. The heavens announce, "God is the judge, and he is always honest."
  7. My people, I am God! Israel, I am your God. Listen to my charges against you.
  8. Although you offer sacrifices and always bring gifts,
  9. I won't accept your offerings of bulls and goats.
  10. Every animal in the forest belongs to me, and so do the cattle on a thousand hills.
  11. I know all the birds in the mountains, and every wild creature is in my care.
  12. If I were hungry, I wouldn't tell you, because I own the world and everything in it.
  13. I don't eat the meat of bulls or drink the blood of goats.
  14. I am God Most High! The only sacrifice I want is for you to be thankful and to keep your word.
  15. Pray to me in time of trouble. I will rescue you, and you will honor me.
  16. But to the wicked I say: "You don't have the right to mention my laws or claim to keep our agreement!
  17. You refused correction and rejected my commands.
  18. You made friends with every crook you met, and you liked people who break their wedding vows.
  19. You talked only about violence and told nothing but lies;
  20. you sat around gossiping, ruining the reputation of your own relatives."
  21. When you did all of this, I didn't say a word, and you thought, "God is just like us!" But now I will accuse you.
  22. You have ignored me! So pay close attention or I will tear you apart, and no one can help you.
  23. The sacrifice that honors me is a thankful heart. Obey me, and I, your God, will show my power to save.

This is a psalm of Asaph and very different in nature to previous psalms. Rather than offering praise to God or petitioning Him for help, this psalm portrays a courtroom scene in which God is the judge, God's people are the defendants, and the heavens and the earth serve as witnesses. The scene takes place in beautiful Zion - Jerusalem - the location of God's temple.

Verses 7-15 lay out the first charge against the defendants. First, however, the judge assures them that they are not being charged for their sacrifices or burnt offerings. In fact, they offer more than enough of these. But God, the judge, reminds them that He has no need of their sacrifices in which they offer what is already His. For "every bird of the mountains, and the creatures of the field are Mine." (50:11) Nor does God get hungry as if He needed to eat the meat they offer Him. And if He did get hungry He wouldn't tell them "for the world and everything in it is Mine." (50:12) He would just take what he wanted. He doesn't need anyone to give Him anything.

So what's the problem? They offer sacrifices aplenty but not from the heart. They are simply going through the motions. It is meaningless ritual. What God wants instead is for them to "Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call on Me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor Me." (50:14-15) He wants them to worship Him and to place their trust in Him. Give Him thanks and call on Him in trouble. He wants to be able to rescue them and them have them honor Him as a result.

But meaningless ritual is not the only problem. There is also the problem of their hypocracy. They recite God's statutes which they hate while making friends with theives and associating with adulterers. Furthermore, they use their tongues to mouth evil, maligning and slandering their brother. While they were doing these things God had remained silent for a time and they equated His silence with approval: "you thought I was just like you." (50:21) They not only thought God approved, they thought He did the same things Himself. What depraved minds! They had been reciting God's statutues and covenant which denounce this behavior and yet somehow their minds twisted it all around to believe God approved.

Then comes the verdict and the judge lets them off with a warning: "Understand this, you who forget God, or I will tear you apart, and there will be no rescuer. Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, and whoever orders his conduct, I will show him the salvation of God." (50:22-23) The warning outlines what they should do rather than what they should not do. They are to sacrifice thank offerings and order their conduct. No list of "do's and don'ts" was needed. A heart that genuinely worships God will want to order its conduct and will pay attention to God's statutes.

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