Psalm 50

Bible Passage:  Psalm 50

When seeing or hearing the continuous injustice unfolding around us, we tend to question the timing of God’s judgment and deliverance. There was a natural tendency to interpret any such event based on our human’s understanding of God’s nature. It was all the more painful if you suffered a loss in the injustice and the first question would most likely be ‘does God care’.

Some people turned their sadness into extreme anger and aggression, believing that they are better placed to execute the judgment. Some turned away from God, believing that they are the forgotten lot. Some managed to overcome the trials with great perseverance and faith.

The Psalmist spoke of God’s warning to the wicked ones in verses 21-22. As much as they were deceiving their own conscience and people around them through justifying God’s silence as endorsement to their evil deeds, they were in fact despising the goodness of God and treasuring up for themselves the wrath of God.

On the ‘evil deeds’ that caught my attention resides in verses 16-17. These are the people who on one hand taught and preached the words of God but on the other, condoning and at times partaking the evil deeds themselves. These people are likened to the Pharisees, of whom Jesus rebuked as ‘making the outside of the cup and dish clean, but the inward part is full of greed and wickedness’ (Lk 11:39).

God is good. God is merciful. God forbears and overlooks our weaknesses. I think the question for me to take away from this chapter is ‘do we live worthy of His love and grace?’ or ‘have we taken His goodness and His silence for granted’, not knowing that the goodness of God is meant to lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4-9).

The Psalmist praises the sovereignty of God and that He sits in the Highest place as The Judge for all people. Just when you feel disheartened at the injustice and events that do not seem to make sense, do not forget of God’s sovereignty as the ultimate Judge (v6). The key is for us to strive in keeping our conducts upright and righteous for we know this is the way leading us to salvation (v23).

Have a blessed week ahead.