‏ Psalms 50

* The glory of God. (1-6) Sacrifices to be changed for prayers.

(7-15) Sincere obedience required. (16-23)1-6 This psalm is a psalm of instruction. It tells of the

coming of Christ and the day of judgment, in which God will call

men to account; and the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of judgement.

All the children of men are concerned to know the right way of

worshipping the Lord, in spirit and in truth. In the great day,

our God shall come, and make those hear his judgement who would

not hearken to his law. Happy are those who come into the

covenant of grace, by faith in the Redeemer's atoning sacrifice,

and show the sincerity of their love by fruits of righteousness.

When God rejects the services of those who rest in outside

performances, he will graciously accept those who seek him

aright. It is only by sacrifice, by Christ, the great Sacrifice,

from whom the sacrifices of the law derived what value they had,

that we can be accepted of God. True and righteous are his

judgments; even sinners' own consciences will be forced to

acknowledge the righteousness of God. 7-15 To obey is better than sacrifice, and to love God and our

neighbour better than all burnt-offerings. We are here warned

not to rest in these performances. And let us beware of resting

in any form. God demands the heart, and how can human inventions

please him, when repentance, faith, and holiness are neglected?

In the day of distress we must apply to the Lord by fervent

prayer. Our troubles, though we see them coming from God's hand,

must drive us to him, not drive us from him. We must acknowledge

him in all our ways, depend upon his wisdom, power, and

goodness, and refer ourselves wholly to him, and so give him

glory. Thus must we keep up communion with God; meeting him with

prayers under trials, and with praises in deliverances. A

believing supplicant shall not only be graciously answered as to

his petition, and so have cause for praising God, but shall also

have grace to praise him. 16-23 Hypocrisy is wickedness, which God will judge. And it is

too common, for those who declare the Lord's statutes to others,

to live in disobedience to them themselves. This delusion arises

from the abuse of God's long-suffering, and a wilful mistake of

his character and the intention of his gospel. The sins of

sinners will be fully proved on them in the judgment of the

great day. The day is coming when God will set their sins in

order, sins of childhood and youth, of riper age and old age, to

their everlasting shame and terror. Let those hitherto forgetful

of God, given up to wickedness, or in any way negligent of

salvation, consider their urgent danger. The patience of the

Lord is very great. It is the more wonderful, because sinners

make such ill use of it; but if they turn not, they shall be

made to see their error when it is too late. Those that forget

God, forget themselves; and it will never be right with them

till they consider. Man's chief end is to glorify God: whoso

offers praise, glorifies him, and his spiritual sacrifices shall

be accepted. We must praise God, sacrifice praise, put it into

the hands of the Priest, our Lord Jesus, who is also the altar:

we must be fervent in spirit, praising the Lord. Let us

thankfully accept God's mercy, and endeavour to glorify him in

word and deed