Font Size
Psalm 50:1-3
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 50:1-3
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 50[a]
The Worship Acceptable to God
1 A psalm of Asaph.[b]
[c]The Lord, the God of gods,[d]
has spoken and summoned the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
3 Our God is coming, and he will not be silent;
he is preceded by a devouring fire,
and a raging tempest surrounds him.[e]
Footnotes
- Psalm 50:1 This psalm takes the form of an indictment against God’s people for the formalistic practice of their religion and a request for sacrifices of praise accompanied by obedience. It is divided into three parts: (1) the announcement of the Lord’s arrival and the convening of the court (vv. 1-6); (2) the Lord’s words of correction (vv. 7-15); (3) his rebuke for the wicked and promise of reward or punishment (vv. 16-23). The psalm itself may have been composed for a temple liturgy for reaffirming commitment to the covenant.
In praying this psalm, we should recall that Jesus also condemned formalism. Christ does not reproach us for our external worship, our beautiful liturgical celebrations, vows, oblations, or sacrifices. However, all these must truly reflect sentiments of profound religion—“a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God” (Rom 12:1). - Psalm 50:1 Asaph: probably a choral leader in the Jerusalem temple (see notes on Pss 73–89).
- Psalm 50:1 The author knows how to conjure up the whole apparatus of a divine manifestation. God himself solemnly appears to challenge those who dishonor worship and the law and to recall for them the great demands of the covenant. Israel must realize that the God of Zion is the God of Sinai (see Ex 19:16-20). It is a picture of the Last Judgment.
- Psalm 50:1 The Lord, the God of gods: in Hebrew, a threefold formula for the divine name that can also be translated as: “The Mighty One, God, the Lord.” It is found elsewhere only in Jos 22:22 (also see Deut 10:17). This psalm is notable for the seven names or other titles it uses for God (v. 1: the God of gods [or: The Mighty One], “God,” “Lord”; v. 6: “judge”; v. 14: “Most High”; v. 21: “I am”; v. 22: “God”—alternative word, Eloah).
- Psalm 50:3 The Lord is the Ruler of the universe and his appearance is attended by phenomena calculated to create awe in his subjects: fire and a tempest. When he comes in judgment, he is like a consuming fire (see Deut 4:24; 9:3; Isa 66:16; Heb 12:29); in his anger, he may also storm like a tempest (see Isa 66:15).
