1.
The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
Title. of Asaph = of, or for Asaph. The only Psalm of Asaph in Book II, the others being in Book III of the Psalms.
The mighty God, even the LORD. Hebrew "El, Elohim, Jehovah" = The God of Gods, even Jehovah. Occurs only here and Joshua 22:22 (twice). See App-4 .
2.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
Zion. See App-68 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
3.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
shall come. The promise of Exodus 3:7 , Exodus 3:8 turned into a prayer. Compare Isaiah 11:11 .
not keep silence. Now He is keeping silence. But He will speak again, and here we are told what He will say.
4.
He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
5.
Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.
Gather = Gather in.
saints = those who have found favour with God. Compare Matthew 24:29-31 .
by sacrifice. Compare Exodus 24:8 .
6.
And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.
Selah. Connecting the "call" to "hear" what true worship is (verses: Psalms 50:7-15 ), and to "consider" what true service is (verses: Psalms 50:16-22 ) when these things come into judgment (Psalms 50:6 ). Both are summed up in Psalms 50:23 . ( App-66 .)
7.
Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.
8.
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.
9.
I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.
10.
For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
11.
I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
12.
If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
world. Hebrew. tebel = the habitable world (Greek. oikoumene) .
13.
Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14.
Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
Offer. Hebrew. zabach. App-43 . Here is true worship. See Psalms 50:23 ; Psalms 40:6 ; Psalms 51:17 . Hebrews 13:15 . Compare Isaiah 1:11-14 .Jeremiah 7:22 , Jeremiah 7:23 .Hosea 6:6 . Amos 5:21 . This is the opposite of "unthankful" (2 Timothy 3:2 ).
MOST HIGH. Hebrew Elyon. App-4 .
15.
And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
16.
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?
wicked. Hebrew rasha. App-44 .
saith = hath said.
What. ? Figures of speech Erotesis and Apodioxis. App-6 . See Romans 2:21 , Romans 2:22 .
17.
Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.
18.
When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
consentedst with = foundest pleasure with. Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulg, read "rannest".
19.
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
evil. Hebrew. raa . App-44 .
frameth = weaveth.
20.
Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.
thine own mother's son. Figure of speech Periphrasis , for emphasis.
21.
These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
I kept silence ; Thou thoughtest. Compare Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 .Isaiah 3:11 ; Isaiah 26:10 .
22.
Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
GOD. Hebrew Eloah. App-4 .
deliver = rescue.
23.
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.
conversation = way. Some codices, with five early printed editions, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "And there [will be] a way by which I will show to him", &c.
To the chief Musician. See App-64 .