Psalm 50 Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Last week, we opened Psalm 50 and heard a striking call to attention.
God, the Mighty One, the LORD, summoned the entire earth—from the rising of the sun to its setting—into His courtroom.
But what was surprising wasn’t the scope of His summons; it was the target of His summons: God’s own people.
This psalm is not about the pagan nations.
It’s not about those far from God.
It’s about those who gather in His name—who offer sacrifices, sing His praises, and participate in worship.
And yet, God says their worship has become empty—external actions without internal devotion.
They’re doing all the right things but for all the wrong reasons.
And so God comes—not silently, not softly—but in fire and storm, calling heaven and earth as witnesses.
We were reminded last week that judgment begins with the household of God.
That will include those who trust in Christ.
But for those who trust in Christ, that judgment is not about condemnation but about purification.
God examines our hearts not to destroy us but to correct and restore us.
The first six verses of this psalm introduced the Judge and the courtroom setting.
Today, we hear His verdict.
Let’s open God’s Word and hear what He has to say—not just to the Israelites, but to us as well.
Because God is still calling His people to account—not to shame them, but to shape them.
A Psalm of Asaph. 1 The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest. 4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people: 5 “Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!” 6 The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah 7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. 8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me. 9 I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds. 10 For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. 12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” 16 But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? 17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. 18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers. 19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. 20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. 21 These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you. 22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! 23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”
In the opening verses, we saw God the holy, righteous, perfect judge take his place.
He has summoned the defendants.
Now it is time to plead the case.
Verse seven is the place where the prosecutor begins to present his case.
God Confronts Religious Ritual Without Relationship (vv. 7–9)
God Confronts Religious Ritual Without Relationship (vv. 7–9)
7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.
First the defendants are named - God’s people - Israel.
God calls them "my people" and "Israel" – emphasizing covenant identity.
He is not addressing strangers.
These are His people, His chosen nation, bound to Him by the Mosaic covenant.
The people who made a promise and said, we will follow you, all of your statutes and commands.
This verse is tender and terrifying all at once. “My people… O Israel… I am your God.”
We also see that it is God who brings the case.
“I will testify against you.”
We must be careful to note, God is not rejecting the relationship—
Rather He is calling out the peoples failure to live within it.
And that’s deeply important.
This verse exposes the fact that being God’s people does not exempt them from His judgment.
Rather it intensifies their responsibility.
Jesus gave an example of this directly, we looked at it a while back in Luke chapter 12.
Jesus had told the parable of the rich fool, who God had blessed abundantly, but rather than using what God had blessed him with, the rich man decided to build for himself bigger barns and more storage.
Jesus followed up with a teaching for his disciples on God’s gracious provision for His people and to seek God’s kingdom first and to be ready for the Lord’s return.
Peter asks Jesus a question and Jesus responds.
43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
47 And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
If you want to dive a little deeper, you might also go and read Romans 1 and 2.
Psalm 50 reminds God’s people that He is not distant—He is the personal, covenant God. But relationship doesn’t cancel accountability—it demands it.
Verse 8 lays out one of the clearest places in scripture that ritual is not the problem—ritual without relationship is.
God had commanded sacrifices, but His people had detached the form from the faith.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me.
The issue isn’t that they failed to bring sacrifices.
They had the right forms.
They were consistently participating in worship.
But God isn’t pleased with mere consistency.
God isn’t rebuking lack of ritual—He’s rebuking dependence on ritual.
They were treating sacrifices like divine currency—as if the more bulls they burned, the more blessing they bought.
Protestants - that is Christians who do not follow the Roman Catholic tradition - have historically critiqued Catholic practices like confession, penance, or indulgences when those practices are used to bypass genuine repentance or holiness, as if forgiveness can be earned or scheduled through external acts.
But Protestants are not immune to the same heart issue.
The Protestant Equivalent of Empty Ritual:
The Protestant Equivalent of Empty Ritual:
While we don’t go to a priest for forgiveness of sin, but we have some equivalent acts of spiritual error—where we may be trusting religious activity instead of real repentance and faith:
Some people use -
Sunday Attendance as a Spiritual Reset Button
Sunday Attendance as a Spiritual Reset Button
“As long as I show up to church on Sunday, I’m good with God.”
This mindset treats worship as a weekly reset rather than a lifestyle of surrender.
Some may live in unrepentant sin all week, then sing a few songs, take notes, and feel spiritually rebalanced—without any true change of heart.
One that I have to check myself on is
“Quiet Time” as a Legalistic Checklist
“Quiet Time” as a Legalistic Checklist
“I read my Bible and prayed today—God must be pleased with me.”
Spending time in Scripture is essential—but it can become a ritual divorced from trust, worship, and obedience, especially when it's treated like a spiritual box to check rather than communion with God.
This can be a fine line to walk at times.
Because sometimes we may need to do it out of obedience to get our hearts in the right place.
Other times, perhaps we need to take a break or shorten our reading for a short time to regain perspective - but that can easily lead to losing the habit if we are not careful.
If you would like help in how to keep your quiet time fresh let’s talk, I can offer some suggestions.
Mor common in the prosperity gospel movement, but others are not immune as well is the idea that
Tithing or Giving is a Way to “Buy” God’s Favor
Tithing or Giving is a Way to “Buy” God’s Favor
“I give faithfully—God will bless me.”
Some use generosity not as an act of worship, but as a kind of spiritual transaction, expecting health, wealth, or protection in return.
It's offering without faith, exactly like Psalm 50 describes.
Another potential for wrong thinking is worship is
Volunteerism as Self-Justification
Volunteerism as Self-Justification
“I serve a lot at church, so I don’t need to deal with my hidden sin.”
Or I serve so I must be a good person.
This is when people cover moral compromise or spiritual apathy with visible acts of service.
But God desires mercy and holiness, not just helpfulness.
One of the most dangerous is
Confession Without Repentance
Confession Without Repentance
“I confessed it to God—so it’s fine now, even if I keep doing it.”
This is perhaps the most direct parallel.
Some churchgoers today reduce 1 John 1:9 to a ritualistic apology, offered with no intent to turn away from the sin.
I got angry - 1 Jn 1:9.
I gossiped - 1 Jn 1:9.
I was greedy - 1 Jn 1:9
I lusted - 1 Jn 1:9
Used in that way it's confession as mechanical relief, not as humble surrender.
This is “cheap grace”—the idea that forgiveness doesn’t need to be accompanied by transformation.
It’s easy to criticize other traditions for hollow ritual, but our own “evangelical liturgies”—attendance, serving, devotions—can be just as hollow if they are divorced from repentance, trust, and obedience.
Psalm 50 calls all of us back to worship that is grateful, relational, and real.
This is a timeless danger: when we mistake activity for authenticity, or ritual for righteousness.
They assumed their sacrifices automatically pleased God.
But God is saying: “I’m not impressed with your offerings. I see your heart.”
As the Psalm continues
9 I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds.
Why? Because worship isn’t about providing for God—it’s about responding to God.
Because God desires our response but does not need it.
He is sovereign, self sufficient, above all things, which is what he describes in the next verses.
God Declares His Total Ownership (vv. 10–12)
God Declares His Total Ownership (vv. 10–12)
10 For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
Here’s the heart of the issue:
The Israelites were acting as if God was dependent on their gifts.
But God says, You’re not giving Me something I don’t already have.
The phrase “a thousand hills” is not meant to be counted—it’s a poetic way of saying: "I own it all."
God is not like the pagan gods who needed to be fed with offerings.
He’s not sustained by our sacrifices.
He’s not waiting on us to help Him survive.
11 I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.
That’s almost sarcastic: If I had a need (which I don’t), I wouldn’t come to you—because I already own everything you could possibly give Me.
This is a powerful correction to transactional religion.
We don’t give to God in order to put Him in our debt.
We don’t serve so He will owe us.
We give because He already owns everything, and we are merely stewards of what He’s entrusted to us.
Stewardship Reflection:
Stewardship Reflection:
God doesn’t want your offering if it comes from the mindset of ownership.
He wants it to come from worship, from gratitude, from recognition that He owns it all already.
God asks a pointed, rhetorical question to expose the absurdity of their thinking.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
God is self-sufficient —He is complete in Himself, needing nothing from creation.
This question drives home the error at the heart of their ritualism: they were treating God as if He were like them—as if He needed to be fed, appeased, sustained by sacrifices.
Moses observed that “no one is like the Lord our God” (Ex. 8:10).
King David said the same thing: “There is none like you” (2 Sam. 7:22).
David’s son Solomon said it too: “There is no God like you” (1 Kings 8:23).
And, finally, God himself tells us, “I am God, and there is none like me” (Isa. 46:9).
Verses 7-13 lay out the case, but God doesn’t leave His readers to wallow in their shame.
Verse 14 begins to mark a turning point.
God shifts from rebuke to instruction - from correction to redirection.
He begins to offer the remedy.
God Calls for Thankfulness and Trust (vv. 14–15)
God Calls for Thankfulness and Trust (vv. 14–15)
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,
The sacrifice of thanksgiving was one that symbolized gratitude to God, it was not a sacrifice for the removal of guilt.
It was a voluntary offering.
God is saying:
“Don’t bring Me offerings to manipulate Me.
Bring Me offerings because you’re grateful for Me.”
In contrast to mechanical ritual, thanksgiving is relational and personal.
It flows from remembering God's faithfulness, not trying to earn His favor.
God wants gratitude from the heart and obedience in a person’s walk.
To perform your vows to the Most High…” (v. 14b)
Connects worship to obedience.
God doesn’t want singing without surrender.
He wants hearts that say “yes” to His Word and follow through.
And He wants His people to remember that He is available!
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
This is truly beautiful.
God’s saying:
I don’t want you to treat Me like I need you.
I want you to know that you need Me.
This is grace.
God doesn’t promise He’ll respond based on how many sacrifices you bring, but on the basis of His faithfulness to His people.
When God rescues, the right response is not payment—it’s praise.
True worship isn’t trying to impress God—it’s trusting Him.
True sacrifice is not trying to appease Him—it’s appealing to Him.
God is glorified not by our attempts to manage Him, but by our dependence on Him.
This is a reminder we desperately need today as well.
God is not a cosmic vending machine.
We can’t go up, put our dollar in and wait for the snack to fall.
God doesn’t want to be used—He wants to be trusted, loved, and glorified.
The Disconnect Between Image and Reality
The Disconnect Between Image and Reality
We live in an image-saturated world.
People polish their online presence.
Leaders rehearse their public statements.
Even in church, we learn how to speak the right language and look the part.
But behind the curtain, there’s often a gap—a disconnect between appearance and reality, between confession and character.
God continues to confront this kind of life head-on in verses 16-21.
God zeroes in on a particular group: the religious hypocrites—those who say the right words but live in contradiction to the covenant they claim.
16 But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?
God Exposes the Hypocrisy of the Religious (vv. 16–17)
God Exposes the Hypocrisy of the Religious (vv. 16–17)
This is a direct address—“But to the wicked…”—and remember, in context, these are not outsiders.
Wicked here refers to people guilty of sin, against either God or man
These are people within the covenant community.
They know the words.
They can quote the verses.
But God says, “What right do you have?”
Why? Verse 17 gives the answer:
17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.
To make that a little easier to understand -
You quote the Scriptures, but you refuse correction.
You sing the songs, but you discard the commands.
You like the parts of God’s Word that affirm you, but you reject the parts that confront you.
This is religion without repentance.
It’s covenant language on the lips, but rebellion in life.
They are comfortable with God’s language, but unwilling to live under God’s authority.
How much of this do you see in your own life?
God Lists the Evidence (vv. 18–20)
God Lists the Evidence (vv. 18–20)
18-20 list specific evidence.
18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.
This is not accidental sin—it’s intentional association with evil.
Their loyalties reveal their hearts.
19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit.
The imagery here is of an unbridled mouth—no restraint, no fear of God, no truthfulness. The tongue becomes a tool for crafting lies.
There is no filter, no fear, no truthfulness.
The words are crafted to manipulate, deceive, and destroy.
20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son.
This is betrayal at the most personal level—familial treachery, gossip, and defamation.
They not only sin—they turn on their own people while claiming to be God’s.
This is not random gossip—it’s betrayal. It’s violation of the closest human bonds.
This is moral Collapse in Three Directions:
Compromise with evil (v. 18)
Corruption of speech (v. 19)
Conflict in relationships (v. 20)
This is what happens when religion is separated from repentance.
This Psalm tells us that God would not hold his tongue any longer.
21 These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
God is no longer silent.
The divine courtroom has moved from summoning to sentencing.
The case has been laid out and now verdict is being read.
This verse contains one of the most condemning lines in the whole psalm.
“You thought I was like you.”
You assumed My silence meant I approved.
You mistook My patience for permissiveness.
You believed you could live a double life and never be held accountable.
But you were wrong.
God has seen everything—but said nothing. And that silence was tragically misunderstood.
They thought:
“Since nothing bad is happening, God must be fine with my life.”
“But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.” (v. 21b)
The trial is over.
The evidence is on the table.
God names the charge: religious hypocrisy.
And He says: “I am not like you. I am holy. I am just. I will not be mocked.”
Theological Reflection:
Theological Reflection:
The truth is that God’s silence is not indifference.
He delays judgment out of mercy
4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
God is not like us.
He is holy.
His standards do not change.
His character is not compromised by human behavior.
God sees through the religious mask.
Nothing is hidden from His sight (Hebrews 4:13).
The most amazing thing is that God is loving and gracious and does not leave His followers in a place of hopelessness.
Psalm 50 is not a rejection of God’s people—it’s a rebuke aimed at restoration.
God offers a climactic warning -
And in verses 22–23, the Judge speaks His final word.
But this final word is not just a verdict—it’s an invitation.
God is not merely declaring guilt; He is calling for repentance, offering hope, and showing the way to restoration.
22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
“Mark this”—pay attention.
“You who forget God”—The problem is not ignorance. It’s willful neglect.
They have selectively forgotten God's holiness, justice, and expectations.
“Lest I tear you apart…” – The imagery is graphic and intense, evoking a lion tearing prey. It reinforces the deadly seriousness of spiritual hypocrisy.
“...and there be none to deliver.” – When judgment comes, there is no court of appeal. Only God can deliver from God. If He is your enemy, there is no rescue.
God is calling us to integrity. To repentance. To worship that is honest and holy.
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”
God returns to the central theme of this psalm: true worship.
It’s not bulls or goats. It’s not empty words. It’s not ritual without heart.
It is:
Thankfulness that reflects a heart humbled by grace,
Obedience that reflects a life transformed by truth.
“To one who orders his way rightly,
I will show the salvation of God.”
This is the hope-filled promise at the end of a heavy psalm.
There is still a path forward:
Not through religious performance,
Not through moral superiority,
But through thankful, obedient, humble trust.
Those who “order their way rightly” don’t earn salvation—they walk in it. They embrace God’s covenant not just with their lips, but with their lives.
Illustration: Two Responses to Correction
Illustration: Two Responses to Correction
Imagine two students caught cheating on a test.
One denies it, minimizes it, and walks away unchanged.
The other admits it, feels the weight of it, and asks how to make things right.
Which one will grow? Which one will find restoration?
Psalm 50 ends with God offering that second path to anyone willing to take it.
Conclusion: Worship That Leads to Life
Conclusion: Worship That Leads to Life
Psalm 50 does not leave us without a path forward.
It’s a sobering psalm, yes—but also a gracious one.
God does not expose our hollow worship to shame us.
He does it to heal us, to reclaim our hearts, to restore our walk with Him.
“The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God.” (v. 23)
That phrase—“orders his way rightly”—is the call to every one of us.
But hear this clearly: you cannot order your life rightly without first trusting the One who made the way.
You can’t clean yourself up and come to God.
You must come to God and let Jesus cleanse you.
This psalm is not just about better behavior or more sincere worship.
It’s about the grace of God calling wayward hearts back home.
And that call begins with one central step:
Believe in Jesus Christ.
He is the perfect worshiper.
He obeyed every command, honored every covenant, and laid down His life for our failures to do the same.
When Jesus died on the cross, He bore the judgment we deserve for our empty religion and hidden rebellion.
He rose again to offer not just forgiveness—but new life, a new heart, and a new way to walk.
So before you go try to “order your way rightly,” stop and ask:
Have I trusted Jesus as Savior and Lord?
You can’t skip that step. It’s the only step that makes the rest possible.
If you’re already a believer—then here is your call:
Don’t let your worship be hollow.
Don’t recite verses while resisting their voice.
Don’t give offerings while guarding your sin.
Don’t serve while ignoring the Savior.
God doesn’t need your performance—He desires your heart.
So offer Him your thanksgiving.
Perform your vows with sincerity.
And call upon Him in the day of trouble—because He alone delivers.
This is worship that pleases God.
In the End:
Psalm 50 invites you to trade:
ritual for relationship,
performance for praise,
hypocrisy for honesty,
and self-reliance for faith in Christ.
“To the one who orders his way rightly, I will show the salvation of God.”
Let that be you.
Not someday.
Today.
Call upon Him.
Trust in Him.
Walk with Him.
Let your life be a living offering of thanksgiving—
because the Judge who calls you is also the Savior who saves you
