Golden Year's Message by Preacher Lek Aik Wee

A Devotional Study of the Psalms

GOD IS JUDGE

PSALM 50

Introduction

Who is Asaph?

He was one of David's chief music leaders. Son of Berachiah (1 Chronicles 6:39 ) and a Levite (1 Chronicles 15:17 ). He sounded the bronze cymbals. He ministered before the ark of God (1 Chronicles 16:5 ). His sons were appointed to various duties by David (1 Chronicles 25:1 ). He composed many psalms (Psalm 50 , Psalm 73, Psalm 74, Psalm 75, Psalm 76, Psalm 77, Psalm 78, Psalm 79, Psalm 80, Psalm 81, Psalm 82, Psalm 83 ). The singers at the Temple under Ezra were descendants of Asaph (Ezra 2:41 ). His descendants helped dedicate the new Temple (Ezra 3:10 ) and the wall (Nehemiah 12:35-36 ).

This is a judgment psalm. God is judge. He comes to Judge His people, even His people. 1 Peter 4:14-17 provides an excellent interpretation of this psalm, "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"

As Christians, we bear the name of Christ. Our conduct whether amongst Christian brothers and sisters or with unbelievers brings either glory or shame to Him! What tremendous privilege we have as Christians, yet with it a testimony for the glory of God. "How is our walk?" is the question for our consideration? Have we been a good ambassador for Christ or a stumbling block to others?

(1) His Coming Announced (v 1-6 )

Psalms 50:1-3 "{A Psalm of Asaph.} 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."

The mighty God, our LORD is coming as Judge. The word "al" speaks of the all-mighty power of God. His judgment is very fair because nothing we do can be hidden from His eyes.

The following verses provide a good commentary of this psalm, 1 Peter 3:1b ".I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.2 Peter 3:10-12 , 17-18 "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?...Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."

"You can be certain of this: when the Day of Judgment comes, we shall not be asked what we have read, but what we have done; not how well we have spoken, but how well we have lived."

The mighty God will judge with by His words that travel whole length of the earth day and night, we are without excuse on the day of judgment for now hearing it The judgment of God is by the fires of hell for every unbelieving. The gospel is being sounded out today to the ends of the earth, have you not heard it and be convicted to a new life because of it?

Psalms 50:4-6 "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."

Heaven itself will bear witness to the justness of the sentence. If God Himself is judge, who can escape His judgment?

This is the judgment of works for believers called the "judgment seat" or Bema described in 2 Corinthians 5:8-10 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." The Judgment Seat of Christ is a time for those who have been faithful and diligent to receive commendation from our Lord Jesus Christ. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap." It is a time of accountability. Do not wait till then, but start now to be accountable for our every action. What kind of reward do we receive? On the basis of what Christ had done for us on Calvary, no believer will have to pray for his sins past, present and future.

The Second Coming of Christ will be in two phases - first the Rapture which literally means "being caught up", then the Second Advent. The rapture is mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." It is a special event when the Church will be caught up into heaven. At the Rapture, Christ will appear out of heaven and there will be a great shout followed by the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God. Those who know Christ as Saviour and Lord, but no longer alive will be raised up from their graves with new incorruptible bodies. Then all believers will be instantly changed and be given incorruptible bodies.

The second judgment is the Great White Throne judgment for unbelievers after the millennium. This is for unbelievers. The Judge will judge by the Word of God, Matthew 12:36-37 "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." So, we are to be careful with our mouths, what we say, vulgarities, lies and slanders.

We study God's Word now, so that when Jesus returns, we can participate in the heavenly graduation. The only way to participate in this graduation is to be enrolled in the Universe of Life whose principal is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ.

(2) His Judgment Pronounced (v 7-13 , 16-22 )

(a) Insincere worship (v 7-13 )

Psalms 50:7-13 "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. I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?"

The word "hear" is in the imperative. The people of God, Israel is being reproved by God. Their worship were insincere. God is displeased with their attitude of worship! It was "for show", merely external religiosity.

The worship of Israel was not right in God's sight. In their daily life, they continue in their sin and in their religious life, they bring their fatted calf. God is informing Israel that He is not mocked. He can see through the hypocrisy of the Israelites. They draw near to God but their hearts are far away.

Micah the prophet indicted Israel with these words, Micah 6:6-8 "Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

The accused Israel being guilt ridden and has no excuse whatsoever before the righteous God. They had no defence. They stood convicted because they had been unfaithful time and again. Was there contrition in their repentance? Did they now come before the LORD on bended knees asking for mercy and forgiveness? The answer is clearly no. There is a tone of self-righteousness in their repentance, they instead seemed to be coming to bargain with God as it were to bribe the LORD into giving them as it were the try by their service to erase their sins. Israel had the responsibility to make right with the LORD, to make right the wrongs that they had done. God's sovereignty does not negate human responsibility. Thus far, the LORD has shown His sovereign care and protection over His people. But it must not be taken as a licence to sin. The presentation here is in four rhetorical questions as it were to make right with the LORD. The poet use of the rhetorical question is to give information with passion.

The people thought that appeasing the LORD for the wrong they done with abundant material things would sufficed, it showed their truly depraved state. They could utter four ritualistic activity, and they can continue in their sin, were playing church, to show that one is a Christian without genuine repentance and piety toward God, by coming to worship, giving large amount of tithe, going for prayer meeting, doing all the forms of religiosity.

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine - God is Creator and Owner of this earth. He does not need our offerings. Our offerings to God are in fact for our spiritual reward.

If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? - God does not need us to feed him, the bulls and the goats all belong to Him!

(b) Disregard for God's Word (v 16-17 )

Psalms 50:16-17 "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? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee."

They were unfaithful to God. They profess Christ but practice otherwise, Titus 1:16 "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."

(c)Stealing and committing adultery (v 18 )

(d)Deceitful tongue (v 19-20 )

Psalms 50:18-21 "When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son. 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."

They are guilty of theft, adultery and slander. They thought that they are able to escape God's punishment, Ecclesiastes 8:11 "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil."

Apostle Paul warned the Corinthian Christian in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

Psalms 50:22 "Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver."

God will judge! King Solomon wrote as a conclusion for man's life in Ecclesiastes 12:14 "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Judgment is nigh, take heed to repent and reorder our wretched lives.

(3)His Judgment Averted (v 14-15 , 23 )

Psalms 50:14-15 "Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."

A Thanksgiving Prayer

For each new morning with its light, Father, we thank Thee, for rest and shelter of the night, we thank Thee, for health and food, for love and friends, for everything thy goodness send, Father, in heaven, we thank Thee.

Psalms 50:23 "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God."

Testimony

Wang Ming Dao in his book "Spiritual Food" said this "When the Lord Jesus appeared to the Apostle John in Patmos His hair was white. To the disciples who overcame were given white garments, He also promised that they should walk with Him in white garments. The twenty-four elders seated around the throne of God were wearing garments of white, while the great multitude who stood before God are described as those who "have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb". At the marriage of the Lamb on a day yet to come, the bride of the Lamb (i.e. the Church) will also be wearing linen clothes that are clean and bright. And on the day that the Lord Jesus executes judgment the horse on which He rides is a white horse. The hosts who accompany Him will also be arrayed in white. And in addition to that, the throne on which the Lord is seated to judge the world is also white. From the evidence of all scriptural records we can conclude without any doubt that the colour God loves is white. What an attractive colour is white! Why does God, through His servant, set forth these things in the Scriptures? Is it not to teach us to pursue a life of purity which is worthy of our heavenly calling? If our lives are less than pure, how can we stand with boldness and joy in the presence of His glory? He teaches us that while we are in the world to follow a manner of life that is like that of His Son - pure, sincere, righteous, modest and compassionate; that is in fact perfect."