Psalms 50

Some can contend earnestly for trifles and ceremonies, but not for the truth: we should count him indiscreet that should contend more for a picture than for his land of inheritance, a box of counters, than for his box of evidences. 11. We glorify God by praising of him; doxology…

2. His truth. God has made promises to his people, when they are under great pressures to deliver them, and his truth is engaged in his promise (Psalm 50:15): Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you. (Job 5:19) He shall deliver you in six troubles, and in seven.

Resp. 1. We take God's name in vain, when we speak slightly and irreverently of his name (Deuteronomy 28:58): That you may fear this glorious and fearful name, the Lord your God. David speaks of God with reverence (Psalm 50:1): The Lord, even the most mighty God. (Psalm 83:18):…

The thoughts of God's eternity would make us have high, adoring thoughts of God. We are apt to have mean, irreverent thoughts of him (Psalm 50:21): You thought I was such a one as yourself; weak and mortal. But if we would think of God's eternity, when all power ceases, he is Ki…

A gracious heart censures himself, and has charitable thoughts of others; the hypocrite on the contrary. 6. The evil tongue is the slanderous tongue (Psalm 50:20): "You sit and slander your own mother's son." Slandering is when we speak to the prejudice of another, and speak tha…

2. We show our honor to our Heavenly Father by doing all we can to exalt God, and make his excellencies shine forth; though we cannot lift up God higher in Heaven, yet we may lift him higher in our hearts, and in the esteem of others. When we speak well of God, set forth his ren…

Second Branch. 2. It reproves those who make no conscience of slandering others; they come under the breach of this Commandment. Psalm 50:20: You sit and slander your own mother's son. Jeremiah 20:10: Report, say they, and we will report.

If it be so terrible to hear the lion roar, what is it when he begins to tear his prey? Psalm 50:22: "Consider this, you that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces." O that men would think of this, who go on in sin!

1. There is no denying the debt — other debts men may deny, if money be not paid before witness, or if the creditor lose the bond, the debtor may say he owes him nothing; but there is no denying this debt of sin. If we say we have no sin, God can prove the debt (Psalms 50:21): I…

His blessings bestowed are legacies, not debts. Praise is a glorifying of God (Psalm 50:23), and will not you cheerfully pay this peppercorn? Will you not do it constantly (Psalm 146:2)?

Second, consider the ineffectualness of all other things to satisfy justice, though we would multiply offerings — what cares God for these? All the beasts on the mountains are his, he delights not in the blood of bulls and goats, as it is (Psalm 50). Thousands of rams, and ten t…

Verse 11. Your lips, O my Spouse, drop as the honeycomb; honey and milk are under your tongue, and the smell of your garments is as the smell of Lebanon. Zion is the perfection of beauty (Psalm 50:2). All this beauty and sweetness comes from Christ; there is no such thing in the…

(Romans 12:2; Romans 13:14; and 1 Thessalonians 5:17): pray without ceasing. (Psalm 50:15): Call upon me. (Matthew 26:41): Watch and pray.

1 John 5:12. He that has the Son, has life, and he that has not the Son, has not life. We now come to speak of the third way of having Christ, and that is by way of covenant (Isaiah 49:8): I will give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit…

1. Partly because like does best sort with like, friendship is founded in suitableness, and maintained by it, eadem velle & nolle, to will and nill the same things breeds a harmony of minds; the godly will have special love to the godly, and they that fear God will be companions…

2. Providence, whether in his way of mercy or judgment. Mercy: what a majestic description of God is there (Psalm 50:1-5), yet there his presence in his Church is described. The drift of the Psalm is, to set forth God's power and majesty when he comes to call the Gentiles, and t…

For albeit in regard of the reproof itself, it be not greatly material, yet it is not so expedient, nor so profitable in regard of the reprover, 1. because he seems unworthy to reprove another, who is to be reproved himself, being as deep in fault as any: 2. because it will be t…

Wherein he shows, that all the observation of the ceremonies did depend upon the word; and that they are vain and unprofitable, if they be separated from it, even as if one should divide the soul from the body. Hereunto also belongs the argument of Psalm 50: Will I eat the flesh…

The like end are all reprobates to look for; namely, to be sacrificed by the hands of those that are as wicked as themselves. Some take the word Abbirim, for Strong: I had rather follow them which translate it Bulls, it being so taken (Psalm 50). Albeit by Bulls here, under a fi…

For those do but glory in vain who hold a place therein, and yet make little or no account of prayers, nor of true invocation. In what place whatever we be then, let us beware we despise not this exercise of faith, seeing it sufficiently appears by the words of our Prophet, that…

The Prophet blames the Jews for thus abusing the patience and long-suffering of God: which notwithstanding should have softened their hearts (Romans 2:4). But such is man's malice, that he thereby emboldens himself in sinning: and thinks he has good leave to do whatever he pleas…

Now he speaks expressly of his making of them, to teach men that he has no need of this external service. As in (Psalm 50:10) he protests that all beasts are his creatures, and by right belong to him: and yet (forsooth) the Jews would needs pacify him by sacrificing of them. But…

In a word, the first thing necessary for believers is, to be able to rejoice that they have their salvation in God. The next ought to follow, that, having experienced God to be a kind Father, they may "offer to him thanksgiving," (Psalm 50:14.) The Greek word σωτὴρ, Savior, has…

That is to say: Nature has three parts, namely: the spirit, the soul, and the body, and all three may altogether, be either good or bad, and is then called the spirit and the flesh, of which we will not speak at this time. The first part (that is) the spirit, is the most excelle…

And thus to have her vineyard before her, signifies watchfulness and tenderness, as those who have their eye always on their orchard or vineyard. And it does import, 1. Watchfulness, as has been said. 2. Diligence and carefulness, so it's opposed to the hiding of the talent (Luk…

Now here first, certain it is, that God is the great Lord and proprietor both of heaven and earth, and of all things in them (Psalm 24:1): The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof. And (Psalm 50:10): Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hill…

Secondly, whoever puts his trust and confidence in any creature more than in God, is guilty of this inward heart-idolatry; as when we depend upon interest, or power, or policy for our safeguard and success, more than on that God, who is able both with and without created helps a…

I answer briefly: to take the name of God is no other than to make use of it, either as the object of our thoughts, or the subject of our discourses: and so we find this phrase used, (Psalm 16:4) "I will not take up their names into my lips." And (Psalm 50:16) "What have you to…

The King of glory against whom you have rebelled, and who could crush you so easily without any injury to himself, is not only willing to lay aside his anger, but also entreats you to accept of reconciliation; heartily embrace Jesus Christ upon his own terms, and the work will b…

There are good Evidences that they never had Communion in those Ordinances which God had appointed as Seals of his Covenant, wherein they themselves were to be active, such as their Sacrifices etc. until they had done it. It is plainly implied in Psalm 50 that it was the Manner…

That the blasphemers and scoffers of these last days are not instantly struck dumb, struck dead. That he who has so much said against him, yet does himself keep silence (Psalm 50:12), and does not answer all these reproaches and contradictions (as he easily could) in thunder and…

Again, All my springs; all the comforts of my heart, and that good and joy my spirit receives, and all the graces of the Spirit that I have, and all the quickning and strengthning I have, is communicated to me this way. And upon this ground, the Church is called the very perfect…

If the wrath of a King be like the roaring of a Lion, then what is the Almighties wrath! which is burning wrath, Job 19. 11. Tearing wrath, Psalm 50:22. Surprizing wrath, Job 20. 23. And abiding wrath, Job 3. 36.

How much more holds that answer now, that was given even in those times (Micah 6:6), With what shall I come before the Lord, etc. you need not all that trouble and expense, it is at hand that God requires most of all, namely, to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly w…

This pest is still killing some almost in all companies, many wounded as it is said of the strange woman (Proverbs 7), and they convey it under fair prefacing of commendation, so giving them poison in wine, both that it may pass the better, and penetrate the more. This is a grea…

Certainly, those that have any thing of experience of the spiritual life, cannot be ignorant of Satan's enterprises. Well then, we had need go to God to deliver us from evil: for outward evils, for the protection of his providence; for these God has undertaken (Psalm 50:15): Cal…

The reasons why we are to mingle praises and thanksgiving with our requests, are these; 1. Because this complies more with the great end of worship; which is not so much the relief of man, as the honor of God; therefore we should not only intend the supply of our necessities, fo…

Still that God may be glorified in every condition. When we ask deliverance from evil: (Psalm 50:15) Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. So that the glory of God, in all requests that we make to him, like oil, still swims on the top,…

3. Their errors in worship were many. Here our Lord takes notice but of one, that they thought to be heard for their much speaking; and there the original mistake of the heathens (and that which comprises all the rest) was this, a transformation, or changing of God into the like…

1. I'll mention the first, to gather the saints together, to draw all his scattered people into one holy body and communion. Psalm 50:5: Gather my saints together to me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. Now they are scattered up and down, as God has service…

Were peoples hearts more humble, their Tongues would be more charitable. 'Tis the sign of an Hypocrite to censure others and commend himself. 2. They speak one of another in slandering: Psalm 50:20. You sittest and slanderest your own Mothers son.

As the Lord said to Eliphaz, Job 42:7. Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right; so some think of God, but they do not think of him the thing that is right. 1. They have Low unworthy Thoughts of God, they Fancy God to be like themselves, Psalm 50:21. Men think God is as…

In which words it appears that Saul still retained certain vestiges of religion, since when he was pressed by powerful enemies, of whom he was afraid, he knew that he must flee to God, which is some sign of piety. You might say, then, that Saul was truly pious, since the invocat…

And in Isaiah: 'He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a sheep is like one who breaks a dog's neck; he who presents an offering is like one who offers swine's blood; he who remembers incense is like one who blesses an idol. All these things they h…

Sacred Scripture is accustomed to speak in this way, so that it indicates that God is to be invoked by us with that confidence with which we offer the worship due him, and that we acknowledge him as he has revealed himself to us. Thus in Psalm 50 God commands himself to be invok…

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Psalm 50:15) Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you will glorify me. Open your case before the Lord.

To quicken you to this, know, 1. If you observe not his answer, God loses a great deal of honor and praise; for it is said, (Psalm 50:15) Call upon me in time of trouble, and I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. Every answer of prayer makes for the glory of God: and (Co…

The more clear is your claim when you trust yourselves with him; he is a merciful God, and his word says he will take care for them that fear him. 4. All this trust must be set to work in prayer, so does David and so says the word (Psalm 50:15). Call upon me in the day of troubl…

1. It is a dishonor to God, and they are sensible of that as well as a misery to themselves: it is a dishonor to his power, as if he could not help, to his love as if he would not, to his truth as if he would fail in the needful time, or were fickle and inconstant, as if he woul…

4. With sincerity without dissimulation and guile, profession without answerable duty is like leaves without fruit, words must come from the heart, to be talking of God when they lie under the guilt of known sins (James 2:16). If one says to the poor, Depart in peace, be warmed…