But to the wicked person, God says:

“What right have you to recite my laws
    or take my covenant on your lips?
17 You hate my instruction
    and cast my words behind you.
18 When you see a thief, you join with him;
    you throw in your lot with adulterers.
19 You use your mouth for evil
    and harness your tongue to deceit.
20 You sit and testify against your brother
    and slander your own mother’s son.
21 When you did these things and I kept silent,
    you thought I was exactly like you.
But I now arraign you
    and set my accusations before you.

22 “Consider this, you who forget God,
    or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:
23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honour me,
    and to the blameless I will show my salvation.” (NIV)

If you remember, when we last looked at Psalm 50, I made the observation that it splits straight down the middle (as does the whole world). We either belong to the people of God or we don’t. However, I need to correct that. It is true that the world divides in this way, but further study has caused me to see that the whole of Psalm 50 is addressed to God’s people, but the second half speaks in particular to those who believe all the correct stuff, but who don’t live it. It is possible to have ‘profession without possession.’

To my mind, verse 17 depicts many people in our society (and even in the professing church). But we must all, ultimately, appear before the Lord our Judge. ‘God’s silence must not be taken as indifference, for he is carefully watching each word and act…’ F.B. Meyer.

There will only be ”salvation” (23) for those who seek to come to God through His appointed sacrifices (23, see also 16) which, of course, find their fulfilment in the final sacrifice of Christ.

Jesus is the only way to the only God there is. Salvation is to be found in Him alone.

‘Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy Cross I cling.’ Augustus Toplady.