Day 110

Psalm 50: Read here – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2050&version=NASB

The title of this psalm (A A psalm of Asaph) tells us that it is the first of Asaph’s psalms in the order of the psalter. Asaph was the great singer and musician of David and Solomon’s era (1 Chronicles 15:17-19, 16:5-7, 16:7, 25:6 1 Chronicles 25:1 and 2 Chronicles 29:30.) Asaph was also a prophet in his musical compositions. 

Asaph began by referring to God in terms of utmost majesty, using several of the words or names in Scripture to refer to God. Each name has its own force of meaning. El speaks of God as mighty; Elohim, the plural, as the object of religious fear; Yahweh, as the self-existent and loving covenant God. 

The idea of v1 is that God has come to Jerusalem to judge the world – ‘from the rising of the sun to its going down. Using reminders of God coming to Mount Sinai in v3(Exodus 19:16-19), Asaph built anticipation for the righteous judgment of God about to be performed. This time God comes to Zion, not Sinai, though he does make significant reference to the Ten Commandments. This scene is a theophany -fire is the emblem of justice in action, and the tempest is a token of his overwhelming power. 

Vs 4-6 should remind us of the words of the Apostle Peter who many centuries later declared that judgment would begin at the house of God. (1 Peter 4:17) 

It can be argued that Psalm 50 only has in direct view God’s judgment of Israel (‘those who have made a covenant with Me’) because it is the nation joined to Him in covenant as described here (Exodus 19:5-6; 24:5-8). Yet by extension (and the principle of 1 Peter 4:17), this has all the people of God in view. Both aspects are true. For those who are true to the covenant, in NT terminology, there is “no condemnation’. (Rom 8:1) ‘Let the heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge:’ God most certainly will judge the earth, including all the wicked, and He will do so in righteousness. Yet He absolutely has the right to begin His judgment among His own.