PSALM FIFTY

BEWARE PLAY ACTING.

   ASAPH was a leader among the singers appointed by David. With Herman and 
Etyan, he was appointed to sound with symbols of brass and to prophecy with 
harps and psalteries. This Psalm is in the form of a trilogy with prologue: 
God's voice to His people; and God's voice to the wicked.
   The opening would be better transliterated, instead of translated as it 
is. It could read, EL-ELOHIM - Jehovah Speaks. He has spoken world-wide. It 
is a call to solemn judgment. It is not a call from Sinai with its blackness 
and thunderings. It is a call from Zion - the perfection of beauty - with God 
shining forth. The sound of His voice and the light of His Glory, both 
presage His presence.
   God's voice to His people is clear. He speaks to condemn formalism. He has 
been their benefactor, friend, guide, deliverer, and lawgiver. The heart of 
man knows that his life should be continual worship. So he seeks to calm his 
conscience by outward offerings and good works. These neither calm the 
conscience nor satisfy God. God will often take the will for the deed, but He 
will never take the deed for the will. The heart MUST always be in what we do 
for the Lord. Some in Israel came to conceive God as requiring the death of 
animals to meet some demands of His nature. Verse nine of this psalm denies 
this. What God desires most in all sacrifices is a right attitude of heart 
and mind in the offering.
   God's voice to the wicked is in condemnation of hypocrisy. The Scripture 
insists on pure motives and real sincerity. God sees man as a willing breaker 
of the Law. He says He will call men to account. One of the surest signs of 
swift destruction coming on a man is his hatred of reproof. He despises 
warning and counsel. He rejects true doctrine and timely admonition. Man 
considers it so easy to put on an act of being good. He may fool himself.  He 
may fool others. But no-one has ever fooled God.
   The simple, direct, message of this psalm is:- Be thankful; Be obedient ; 
Be sincere. 



Copyright (c) 1995, Hedley Palmer. All rights reserved.



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