EXPOSITION
THE psalmist announces an appearance of God to his people "out of Zion," and a pronouncement of judgment upon them, which all heaven (Psalms 50:4) and earth (Psalms 50:1) are called upon to witness. The judgment takes the shape of a twofold address; first, to the righteous, who are exhorted to the spiritual worship of God (Psalms 50:14, Psalms 50:15), and warned against putting too much trust in sacrifice (Psalms 50:8-13); secondly, to the wicked, who are sternly reproved for their hypocrisy, their hatred of instruction, their sins in act and speech, their want of natural affection, and their low and unworthy idea of the nature of God (Psalms 50:16-21). In conclusion, a word of final warning is given to the wicked (Psalms 50:22), and a word of final encouragement to the righteous (Psalms 50:23).
The psalm consists of four portions:
1. An introduction (divided off by the pause-mark, "Selah," from the rest of the psalm), announcing the "appearance," and calling on heaven and earth to witness it (Psalms 50:1-6).
2. An address to the godly Israelites (Psalms 50:7-15).
3. An address to the ungodly Israelites (Psalms 50:16-21).
4. A conclusion, divided equally between threat and promise (Psalms 50:22, Psalms 50:23).
The psalm is ascribed to Asaph, the "chief," or superintendent, of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chronicles 16:4, 1 Chronicles 16:5). So are also Psalm 73-83. Some of these may have been composed by later Asaphite Levites; but the present ode may well be Asaph's own, since it "bears all the marks of the golden age of Hebrew poetry." Asaph's composition of a portion of the Psalter is implied in Hezekiah's command to the Levites, reported in 2 Chronicles 29:30.