Psalm 50

If we take Asaph as the name of the man known to lead the Temple musicians, then he must have also been a prophet of some sort, for his psalms typically deal with the judgment of God.

Were Jehovah like any earthly ruler, He could not really know what was in the hearts of men. But He is God, and knows each soul better than it knows itself. His Covenant with Israel is a covenant of hearts bound to a deity, not bodies bound to a political throne. When He comes, you cannot hide by departing His jurisdiction. His domain is all Creation, far greater than our entire universe. There is no place His searching does not touch.

We begin with established titles and names: El, Elohim and Jehovah. There’s no mistaking who we are talking about here. Some translations are more picturesque about His divine summons — the whole earth from the sunrise to the sunset. From the glorious city of His Temple, He comes forth to reveal His moral character. Revelation is an act that condemns sin, even as it opens the door to repentance, but His stormy wrath will consume sin. No part of Creation is exempt from His judgment, not even Heaven. When God holds court, no living thing is excused from appearing. At some point in this ceremony, He calls out His covenant people. The Heavens themselves declare His justice, for He defines the meaning of the word.

He comes to judge His own people first, those who should know His justice best. Israel stands condemned, accused by Justice Himself. Obedience to the rituals is not the issue here. Why do His people act as if He had some physical need for sacrificial animals as food? Do they not know that He owns all Creation, not merely whatever they choose to bring Him? Whatever God wants is His without bothering to notify anyone, for to no living being is He accountable, but all are accountable to Him.

And what does He really want from us? Genuine gratitude is the ultimate pleasing sacrifice. Obedience from the heart is His just due. The Covenant is an agreement between two parties; do what you have committed yourself to do. Don’t pray to anyone else, but call on Jehovah and He will answer. Then we will glorify Him.

He has a belly full of people who profess His Word, even presuming to teach it, but whose hearts are not open to Him. This is hypocrisy defined, because they secretly wish to get in on the thief’s plunder. Their best friends are adulterers. With that same mouth they deceive and prey on others. And because God did not roar from the Heavens, as if they were petulant children who obey only when the lash is hanging over their heads, they decided that He was as venal as they.

God’s scale of time is not ours; it is we who must conform to His outlook. When the fruit of moral failure is ripe in His mind, then He acts. Contemplate these things while they are mere words of warning in a psalm, not when you are called to account. You cannot imagine what God’s wrath is like. Adore Him now sincerely while He considers His actions, for His power to bless is waiting on you.