A minister once stood in a pulpit and preached the personal gospel of salvation by faith. The congregation did not know that he was standing on only one leg. After about fifteen minutes, he fell over. He got up and launched into the topic of social responsibility, standing only on the other leg. After some time, he fell again. He stood up and made his point: we need a two-legged gospel of faith and obedience. Nothing less will bless God and this world.

We as Christians live in the tension between faith and obedience, worship and work. One must lead to the other or we will have half a gospel. Psalm 50 demands faith that acts. It calls for worship that works. God is introduced both as the Creator and the Covenant-God of Israel. Creation is called to witness because God is coming to judge His people. The psalm exposed Israel’s sins of murder, adultery, and lying. God’s stern warning of judgment is followed by the promise of salvation.

Israel’s worship was on God’s heart. Sacrifices showed the worshiper’s heart and priorities. In Israel’s case, the sacrifices testified against them. The sacrificial system was meant to seal the promise of the covenant, but it was turned into a “let’s make a deal” arrangement through which the people thought they could buy God’s favour with their sacrifices. God did not need their sacrifices, but Israel did. These sacrifices were signs of the covenant between God and Israel, as an act of surrender, and as a substitute for sin.

True worship begins with the heart and includes obedience. That’s why the psalmist tells us in verse 14 to “Offer to God thanksgiving and pay your vows to the Most High.” When worship comes from the heart and is exhibited in obedience, God promises that His people may “Call upon Him in the day of trouble, and He will deliver them and they will glorify Him.”

Psalm 50 applies to us today. We often think that God needs us, our money, our time, our worship. After all, what would He and His church do if we weren’t there? That attitude is wrong for two reasons. First, it assumes that God is weak. He is the sovereign Lord. He does not need us or our money. Second, it expresses too high a view of ourselves. Pride enters in and the proud can’t stand in the presence of the Holy God. God has no needs, and we do not make up for any divine deficiencies through our service, but because He loves us, He invites us to serve Him. We are to treat our offerings as acts of thanksgiving for all that God has done and given. These are the only sacrifices that are acceptable to God.

Sometimes giving thanks to God feels like a sacrifice. We have to push through pain in order to show gratitude to God, but it comes with a big blessing. When we do, we prepare the way for God to show us our salvation; that is, His deliverance, His rescue; redeeming our pain, knowing we have a way out, and saving us from ourselves.

God addressed the wicked in judgment, God rebuked them for using His law and claiming His covenant. Only a person with a heart turned toward God has the right to use His law and claim His covenant. Wicked people hate instruction and reject God’s words. God proves this charge by stating that a wicked person “consents” with a “thief.” The verb “consent” means “to be pleased, to accept favorably.” This goes against the spirit of the commandment not to steal. God also accuses the wicked of being partakers with adulterers. To be a partaker means to “have a portion”” with those who break the marriage vow, and that goes against the commandment not to commit adultery.

God’s condemnations are directed not at the act of sacrifice, but at the people’s attitude in sacrificing. His rebuke must be heard. If not, He will punish those who forget Him. Those who worship God rightly by offering praise will glorify Him and those who conduct themselves according to His law will be saved.

The way to discover whether or not the impending judgment is welcome or undesirable is by examining who is being judged. We hear that God summons people for all time, past, present, and future, from the rising of the sun to its setting. We are twenty-first century Christians are drawn into this text, because no one is excluded from the forthcoming judgment.

(An audio version of this post can be found at https://www.spreaker.com/episode/psalm-50-faith-and-obedience–67654378)

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 739-740)
2. Williams, D., & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 13: Psalms 1-72 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1986; pp. 378-384)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. MacArthur, J.F., Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Fred Gaiser, “Commentary on Psalm 50:1-6.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
6. Matthew Stith, “Commentary on Psalm 50:1-6.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
7. Shauna Hannan, “Commentary on Psalm 50:1-6.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
8. Joni Eareckson Tada, “A Sacrifice of Thanks.” Retrieved from response@joniandfriends.org