Psalms 50:16-23 - Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

Bible Comments

God's Warning to the Wicked

Psalms 50:16-23

These searching words are for us all. We have no right to declare God's statutes, if our hearts hide wickedness in their secret chambers. We must not share ill-gotten money. Impurity, deceit, slander must be far from us, if we would have fellowship with God in prayer or service. God's silence must not be taken as indifference, for He is carefully watching each word and act; and if we persist, He will arise and set out all these unforgiven sins in order before the quickened vision of the soul.

Notice the two final conditions of a blessed life, Psalms 50:23. First, we must offer the sacrifice of praise, for we are priests and must not be slack in presenting the fruit of our lips. See Hebrews 13:15. But in addition we must order our behavior, or way, aright. It is a solemn thing to be entrusted with the great opportunity of living. Every passing moment should have something committed to it to keep in store. We dare not live by haphazard or chance. We must order our ways with prayerful deliberation.

Psalms 50:16-23

16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?

17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.

18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.

19 Thou givestb thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.

20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.

21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.