Psalm 50:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:

NIV: He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people:

NASB: He summons the heavens above, And the earth, to judge His people:

CSB: On high, he summons heaven and earth in order to judge his people:

NLT: He calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the judgment of his people.

KJV: He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.

NKJV: He shall call to the heavens from above, And to the earth, that He may judge His people:

Asaph began this psalm by depicting God's unimaginable power and glory (Psalm 50:1–3). He describes the Lord arriving to pronounce judgment. Here, God once again speaks to all creation as He delivers a verdict. This sentence applies to God's chosen people, the nation of Israel (Exodus 6:7).

By God's word heaven and earth were formed (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3). The entire universe is His to command. When Moses assembled Israel, he began a song with the words, "Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth" (Deuteronomy 32:1). Similarly, Isaiah began his indictment of wayward Israel with the words. "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lᴏʀᴅ has spoken" (Isaiah 1:2). Micah's message to Judah begins: "Hear, you people, all of you; pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it, and let the Lord Gᴏʀᴅ be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple" (Micah 1:2).

Psalm 50:1–6 establishes the nature of God as supreme Judge. Three separate terms are used to identify Him; these highlight His existence as the only true God. The Lord calls His people for judgment and the entire earth to hear the ruling. This gives great weight to the accusations made in the following verses. God's overall criticism is that Israel hypocritically participates in sacrifices, while blatantly defying His will through sin and immorality.

Asaph depicts God as an unimaginably glorious judge, calling the entire world to hear a divine verdict. Israel has offered sacrifices, but God ignores them. The nation rejects His laws. It is pervaded with blatant sin, even while they claim to be God's chosen people. The Lord's patience does not mean He does not notice. Those who continue ignoring Him will be "torn apart" without any possibility of rescue. Those who respond to God with sincerity will be rescued.

This psalm, written by Asaph, addresses the Lord's intended connection between religious rituals and daily behavior. When the people offer sacrifices, but blatantly reject God's laws, they invite judgment. This passage notes national sins mentioned directly in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:14–16). In other writings, Asaph expresses frustration over Israel's continued rebellion and God's delayed response (Psalm 73:2–3; 74:10).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 5/1/2024 10:28:35 PM