Text -- Psalms 50:11-23 (NET)

50:11 I keep track of every bird in the hills, and the insects of the field are mine. 50:12 Even if I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and all it contains belong to me. 50:13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats? 50:14 Present to God a thank-offering! Repay your vows to the sovereign One! 50:15 Pray to me when you are in trouble! I will deliver you, and you will honor me!” 50:16 God says this to the evildoer: “How can you declare my commands, and talk about my covenant? 50:17 For you hate instruction and reject my words. 50:18 When you see a thief, you join him; you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives. 50:19 You do damage with words, and use your tongue to deceive. 50:20 You plot against your brother; you slander your own brother. 50:21 When you did these things, I was silent, so you thought I was exactly like you. But now I will condemn you and state my case against you! 50:22 Carefully consider this, you who reject God! Otherwise I will rip you to shreds and no one will be able to rescue you. 50:23 Whoever presents a thank-offering honors me. To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver.”

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 50:11

¹ tn Heb “I know.”

² tn The precise referent of the Hebrew word, which occurs only here and in Ps 80:13, is uncertain. Aramaic, Arabic and Akkadian cognates refer to insects, such as locusts or crickets.

NET Notes: Psa 50:13

¹ tn The rhetorical questions assume an emphatic negative response, “Of course not!”

NET Notes: Psa 50:14

¹ tn Heb “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.

NET Notes: Psa 50:15

¹ tn Heb “call [to] me in a day of trouble.”

² sn In vv. 7-15 the Lord makes it clear that he was not rebuking Israel because they had failed to offer sacrifices (v. 8a). On the contrary, they had been faithful in doing so (v. 8b). However, their understanding of the essence of their relationship with God was confused. Apparently they believed that he needed/desired such sacrifices and that offering them would ensure their prosperity. But the Lord owns all the animals of the world and did not need Israel’s meager sacrifices (vv. 9-13). Other aspects of the relationship were more important to the Lord. He desired Israel to be thankful for his blessings (v. 14a), to demonstrate gratitude for his intervention by repaying the vows they made to him (v. 14b), and to acknowledge their absolute dependence on him (v. 15a). Rather than viewing their sacrifices as somehow essential to God’s well-being, they needed to understand their dependence on him.

NET Notes: Psa 50:16

¹ tn Heb “evil [one].” The singular adjective is used here in a representative sense; it refers to those within the larger covenant community who have blatantly violated the Lord’s commandments. In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander, and cheat others (Ps 37:21).

² tn Heb “What to you to declare my commands and lift up my covenant upon your mouth?” The rhetorical question expresses sarcastic amazement. The Lord is shocked that such evildoers would give lip-service to his covenantal demands, for their lifestyle is completely opposed to his standards (see vv. 18-20).

NET Notes: Psa 50:17

¹ tn Heb “and throw my words behind you.”

NET Notes: Psa 50:18

¹ tn Heb “you run with him.”

² tn Heb “and with adulterers [is] your portion.”

NET Notes: Psa 50:19

¹ tn Heb “your mouth you send with evil.”

² tn Heb “and your tongue binds together [i.e., “frames”] deceit.”

NET Notes: Psa 50:20

¹ tn Heb “you sit, against your brother you speak.” To “sit” and “speak” against someone implies plotting against that person (see Ps 119:23).

² tn Heb “against the son of your mother you give a fault.”

NET Notes: Psa 50:21

¹ tn Heb “these things you did and I was silent.” Some interpret the second clause (“and I was silent”) as a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer, “[When you do these things], should I keep silent?” (cf. NEB). See GKC 335 §112.cc.

sn The Lord was silent in the sense that he delayed punishment. Of course, God’s patience toward sinners eventually runs out. The divine “silence” is only temporary (see v. 3, where the psalmist, having described God’s arrival, observes that “he is not silent”).

² tn The Hebrew infinitive construct (הֱיוֹת, heyot) appears to function like the infinitive absolute here, adding emphasis to the following finite verbal form (אֶהְיֶה, ’ehyeh). See GKC 339-40 §113.a. Some prefer to emend הֱיוֹת (heyot) to the infinitive absolute form הָיוֹ (hayo).

³ tn Or “rebuke” (see v. 8).

⁴ tn Heb “and I will set in order [my case against you] to your eyes.” The cohortative form expresses the Lord’s resolve to accuse and judge the wicked.

NET Notes: Psa 50:22

¹ tn Heb “[you who] forget God.” “Forgetting God” here means forgetting about his commandments and not respecting his moral authority.

² sn Elsewhere in the psalms this verb is used (within a metaphorical framework) of a lion tearing its prey (see Pss 7:2; 17:12; 22:13).

NET Notes: Psa 50:23

¹ sn The reference to a thank-offering recalls the earlier statement made in v. 14. Gratitude characterizes genuine worship.

² tn Heb “and [to one who] sets a way I will show the deliverance of God.” Elsewhere the phrase “set a way” simply means “to travel” (see Gen 30:36; cf. NRSV). The present translation assumes an emendation of וְשָׂם דֶּרֶךְ (vÿsam derekh) to וְשֹׁמֵר דְּרָכַּי (vÿshomer dÿrakhay, “and [the one who] keeps my ways” [i.e., commands, see Pss 18:21; 37:34). Another option is to read וְשֹׁמֵר דַּרְכּוֹ (vÿshomer darko, “and [the one who] guards his way,” i.e., “the one who is careful to follow a godly lifestyle”; see Ps 39:1).