To You Who Forget God…

Psalms 50:16-23

16 But to the wicked God says:
"What right have you to declare My statutes,
Or take My covenant in your mouth,
17 Seeing you hate instruction
And cast My words behind you?

18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him,
And have been a partaker with adulterers.

19 You give your mouth to evil,
And your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother's son.

21 These things you have done, and I kept silent;
You thought that I was altogether like you;
But I will rebuke you,
And set them in order before your eyes.

22 "Now consider this, you who forget God,
Lest I tear you in pieces,
And there be none to deliver:

23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;
And to him who orders his conduct aright
I will show the salvation of God."

This second half of Psalm 50 moves from the hope of God’s righteousness as mercy to those receiving His word and following Him, now to address those who continue to pursue wickedness and face an unpleasant end.  God is the speaker through the psalmist Asaph, and He opens with a challenge to the wicked who pretend that they can tell others of God’s word to follow, but hate His instructions and throw them under their own feet to trod down as they despise all God’s word tells them.  This hypocrisy is unfathomable to the righteous, and abhorrent to the LORD.  Those opposed to God and His statutes do things like these named here: going along with and helping thieves (steal), join in adultery as if it is a good thing (coveting), speak evil of others (slander and insults), deceive others (lie), and even slander family!  God sees all these things and patiently observes, for He will enact judgment in the final day.  Until then, He tests them and is longsuffering with a view towards their redemption.  He rebukes them, not as a fellow sinful man, and reveals their sin to them to confront, confess, and repent (turn from).  He leaves a warning at the end of the song to those who would leave God out of their thoughts and consideration.  He warns of destruction without a chance of deliverance at a certain point.  But the promise to those who turn to follow Him with thankful praise and give God all the glory is salvation!  He delivers those who are broken-hearted and humble in repentance, who turn from sin to follow Him with matching conduct, which is the fruit of deliverance from sin’s penalty in the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  But to those who forget God…