Psalm 50

A psalm of Asaph.

The Mighty One, God, the Lord,(A)
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to where it sets.(B)
From Zion,(C) perfect in beauty,(D)
    God shines forth.(E)
Our God comes(F)
    and will not be silent;(G)
a fire devours(H) before him,(I)
    and around him a tempest(J) rages.
He summons the heavens above,
    and the earth,(K) that he may judge his people:(L)
“Gather to me this consecrated people,(M)
    who made a covenant(N) with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim(O) his righteousness,
    for he is a God of justice.[a][b](P)

“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
    I will testify(Q) against you, Israel:
    I am God, your God.(R)
I bring no charges(S) against you concerning your sacrifices
    or concerning your burnt offerings,(T) which are ever before me.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50:6 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text for God himself is judge
  2. Psalm 50:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

50 The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.

Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.

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

Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.

I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.

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22 “Consider this, you who forget God,(A)
    or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:(B)
23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,
    and to the blameless[a] I will show my salvation.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50:23 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; the meaning of the Masoretic Text for this phrase is uncertain.

22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

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The Lord’s Anger Against Israel

The Lord has sent a message(A) against Jacob;
    it will fall on Israel.
All the people will know it—
    Ephraim(B) and the inhabitants of Samaria(C)
who say with pride
    and arrogance(D) of heart,
10 “The bricks have fallen down,
    but we will rebuild with dressed stone;(E)
the fig(F) trees have been felled,
    but we will replace them with cedars.(G)
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s(H) foes against them
    and has spurred their enemies on.
12 Arameans(I) from the east and Philistines(J) from the west
    have devoured(K) Israel with open mouth.

Yet for all this, his anger(L) is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.(M)

13 But the people have not returned(N) to him who struck(O) them,
    nor have they sought(P) the Lord Almighty.
14 So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
    both palm branch and reed(Q) in a single day;(R)
15 the elders(S) and dignitaries(T) are the head,
    the prophets(U) who teach lies(V) are the tail.
16 Those who guide(W) this people mislead them,
    and those who are guided are led astray.(X)
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,(Y)
    nor will he pity(Z) the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly(AA) and wicked,(AB)
    every mouth speaks folly.(AC)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.(AD)

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The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,

10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.

11 Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;

12 The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts.

14 Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.

15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

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Paul’s Anguish Over Israel

I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying,(A) my conscience confirms(B) it through the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself(C) were cursed(D) and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people,(E) those of my own race,(F) the people of Israel.(G) Theirs is the adoption to sonship;(H) theirs the divine glory,(I) the covenants,(J) the receiving of the law,(K) the temple worship(L) and the promises.(M) Theirs are the patriarchs,(N) and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah,(O) who is God over all,(P) forever praised![a](Q) Amen.

God’s Sovereign Choice

It is not as though God’s word(R) had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.(S) Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”[b](T) In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children,(U) but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.(V) For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”[c](W)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:5 Or Messiah, who is over all. God be forever praised! Or Messiah. God who is over all be forever praised!
  2. Romans 9:7 Gen. 21:12
  3. Romans 9:9 Gen. 18:10,14

I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

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