The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
As formerly at the giving of the law on Sinai, so now at the final consummation of the Gospel, Yahweh appears in glory. His judging as King on Zion, and thence over the whole earth, is set forth.
Psalms 50:1-23.-He, after a long silence, summons all to witness His righteousness in judging, and gathering His saints who have convenanted with Him by sacrifice (Psalms 50:1-16); expostulation with Israel for formalism; His effectual invitation to them to call upon Him in trouble) Psalms 50:7-15); judgment on transgressors who take God's covenant in their mouth, while rejecting God's commands, presuming on His silence (Psalms 50:16-21); concluding summary: Warning to forgetters of God: thanksgiving, and a right conversation, the way to salvation (Psalms 50:22-23).
Title - Psalm of Asaph - The warning against sacrificial formalism appropriately is given by a Levite, one of the class whose duty it was to attend to the outward rite. Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were chief musicians of David (1 Chronicles 15:17; 1 Chronicles 15:19). Asaph is called "the seer" (2 Chronicles 29:30). The Psalms bearing his name, Psalms 73:1-28 to Psalms 83:1-18 are similar in style.
The mighty God, (even) the Lord - 'EEL (H410), 'ELOHIYM (H430), YAHWEH (H3068): a climax, each successive name rising in sublimity above the preceding. Not only MIGHTY (singular), equivalent to 'Eloah (H433), but as 'ELOHIYM (H430) (plural), having all the fullness and infinitude of Deity; not only so, but also YAHWEH (H3068), self-existent, unchanging, faithful to His covenant with His people.
Hath spoken - or 'speaks.' What he speaks follows (Psalms 50:5; Psalms 50:7-23).
And called the earth, from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Not Israel alone but the whole earth is concerned in the issue of the scene. At the same time, the saints, Israel, and the wicked are the prominent persons affected by the judgment, the nations in general subsequently (Psalms 50:5; Psalms 50:7; Psalms 50:16; Psalms 50:23). The whole earth is called on to witness God's coming manifestation (Deuteronomy 4:26). For the display of God's righteousness in reproving, afflicting, and then converting and vindicating Israel, and taking vengeance on the wicked (the Antichristian confederacy), eventuates in the conversion of the Gentile nations throughout the earth.