Psalm 50 Bible Commentary

Ps 50:1-23. In the grandeur and solemnity of a divine judgment, God is introduced as instructing men in the nature of true worship, exposing hypocrisy, warning the wicked, and encouraging the pious.

1-4. The description of this majestic appearance of God resembles that of His giving the law (compare Ex 19:16; 20:18; De 32:1).

4. above--literally, "above" (Ge 1:7).
heavens . . . earth--For all creatures are witnesses (De 4:26; 30:19; Isa 1:2).

5. my saints-- (Ps 4:3).
made--literally, "cut"
a covenant, &c.--alluding to the dividing of a victim of sacrifice, by which covenants were ratified, the parties passing between the divided portions (compare Ge 15:10, 18).

6. The inhabitants of heaven, who well know God's character, attest His righteousness as a judge.

7. I will testify--that is, for failure to worship aught.
thy God--and so, by covenant as well as creation, entitled to a pure worship.

8-15. However scrupulous in external worship, it was offered as if they conferred an obligation in giving God His own, and with a degrading view of Him as needing it [Ps 50:9-13]. Reproving them for such foolish and blasphemous notions, He teaches them to offer, or literally, "sacrifice," thanksgiving, and pay, or perform, their vows--that is, to bring, with the external symbolical service, the homage of the heart, and faith, penitence, and love. To this is added an invitation to seek, and a promise to afford, all needed help in trouble.

16-20. the wicked--that is, the formalists, as now exposed, and who lead vicious lives (compare Ro 2:21, 23). They are unworthy to use even the words of God's law. Their hypocrisy and vice are exposed by illustrations from sins against the seventh, eighth, and ninth commandments.

21, 22. God, no longer (even in appearance) disregarding such, exposes their sins and threatens a terrible punishment.

22. forget God--This denotes unmindfulness of His true character.

23. offereth praise-- (Ps 50:14), so that the external worship is a true index of the heart.
ordereth . . . aright--acts in a straight, right manner, opposed to turning aside (Ps 25:5). In such, pure worship and a pure life evince their true piety, and they will enjoy God's presence and favor.

Ps 51:1-19. On the occasion, compare 2Sa 11:12. The Psalm illustrates true repentance, in which are comprised conviction, confession, sorrow, prayer for mercy, and purposes of amendment, and it is accompanied by a lively faith.

1-4. A plea for mercy is a confession of guilt.
blot out--as from a register.
transgressions--literally, "rebellions" (Ps 19:13; 32:1).

2. Wash me--Purity as well as pardon is desired by true penitents.

3. For . . . before me--Conviction precedes forgiveness; and, as a gift of God, is a plea for it (2Sa 12:13; Ps 32:5; 1Jo 1:9).

4. Against thee--chiefly, and as sins against others are violations of God's law, in one sense only.
that . . . judgest--that is, all palliation of his crime is excluded; it is the design in making this confession to recognize God's justice, however severe the sentence.

5, 6. His guilt was aggravated by his essential, native sinfulness, which is as contrary to God's requisitions of inward purity as are outward sins to those for right conduct.

6. thou shalt make, &c.--may be taken to express God's gracious purpose in view of His strict requisition; a purpose of which David might have availed himself as a check to his native love for sin, and, in not doing so, aggravated his guilt.
truth . . . and . . .wisdom--are terms often used for piety (compare Job 28:28; Ps 119:30).

7-12. A series of prayers for forgiveness and purifying.
Purge . . . hyssop--The use of this plant in the ritual (Ex 12:22; Nu 19:6, 18) suggests the idea of atonement as prominent here; "purge" refers to vicarious satisfaction (Nu 19:17-20).

8. Make . . . joy--by forgiving me, which will change distress to joy.

9. Hide, &c.--Turn from beholding.

10. Create--a work of almighty power.
in me--literally, "to me," or, "for me"; bestow as a gift, a heart free from taint of sin (Ps 24:4; 73:1).
renew--implies that he had possessed it; the essential principle of a new nature had not been lost, but its influence interrupted (Lu 22:32); for Ps 51:11 shows that he had not lost God's presence and Spirit (1Sa 16:13), though he had lost the "joy of his salvation" (Ps 51:12), for whose return he prays.
right spirit--literally, "constant," "firm," not yielding to temptation.

12. free spirit--"thy" ought not to be supplied, for the word "free" is, literally, "willing," and "spirit" is that of David. "Let a willing spirit uphold me," that is, with a soul willingly conformed to God's law, he would be preserved in a right course of conduct.

13. Then--Such will be the effect of this gracious work.
ways--of providence and human duty (Ps 18:21, 30; 32:8; Lu 22:32).

14. Deliver--or, "Free me" (Ps 39:8) from the guilt of murder (2Sa 12:9, 10; Ps 5:6).
righteousness--as in Ps 7:17; 31:1.

15. open . . . lips--by removing my sense of guilt.

16. Praise is better than sacrifice (Ps 50:14), and implying faith, penitence, and love, glorifies God. In true penitents the joys of pardon mingle with sorrow for sin.

18. Do good, &c.--Visit not my sin on Thy Church.
build . . . walls--is to show favor; compare Ps 89:40, for opposite form and idea.

19. God reconciled, material sacrifices will be acceptable (Ps 4:5; compare Isa 1:11-17).