Sermon on Psalm 50. Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Sermon on Psalm 50 Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, Why did you come to church this morning? I mean, no one forced you to come here. I know, consistory calls you to come to church, but you could have stayed in bed nonetheless. You could have done what many other people do on the Sunday morning: sleep in, do some gardening. So what made you decide to get up, dress in your Sunday best, get in the car, and roll up at church? Or was it a decision at all? It is just what you do every Sunday, something like your Sunday routine? Did you give it any thought at all? These are a few of the questions that Asaph puts to the people of God in Psalm 50. In his poetic liberty he presents the LORD God in this Psalm as a God who calls his people to account. And he addresses the good and the bad in the people of God - those who mean well, and those who are, what we would call, nominal Christians, or, more bluntly, hypocrites. They are the ones who talk a lot about living a Christian life style, about obeying the will of God, but do not themselves practice what they preach. And so, in Psalm 50 Asaph warns against heartless routine, and heartless obedience. Psalm 50 is a Psalm which admonishes us and tells us what the LORD God really wants from us. Our God does not want our heartless routine, nor does he want our heartless obedience, because those things do not glorify him at all. If you really want to honour and glorify your God, brs and srs, if you really love him, if you really want to thank him for his blessings, then you have to give him your heart. Only those who give their hearts to God can really glorify him. That is the point of Psalm 50: We glorify God by offering him our hearts We will make and explain this point by following six steps. First we see the setup of the Psalm - God comes to judge his people. Then we will see that God does not ask for outward display of rituals, but instead a heartfelt thanksgiving. Then we will see that God does not want lip service, but instead a heartfelt obedience. And finally we will consider that God shows his salvation to all those who give him their hearts in such thanksgiving and obedience. 1. God comes to judge his people So first about the format of Psalm 50. Well, that is not so hard to see. Psalm 50 present us with the scene of a court of law. Vss 1-6 set that scene. God comes from Zion to set up his judge s seat before his people. And Asaph takes his time to paint the picture of the great majesty of God. It begins with the first verse. God is called by three names: the Mighty One, God and LORD. And this God calls to himself heaven and earth - sun, moon, and stars. In fact, this picture is reminiscent of the LORD coming to his people on Mount Sinai when he made his covenant with them. God reveals himself in fire and storm (3b). In vs 5 he calls his covenant people to himself. God is judge. Sun, moon, and stars are called to witness the proceedings. Asaph paints an impressive and majestic scene. He clearly wants to impress on the people of God that what follows in the Psalm is not a small matter. He is going to address a few crucial questions! And not in a very subtle way either! In vs 7 it says that God will testify against his own people, he will rebuke his people and charge it with wrongdoings (21c). This is serious business! The people of God better listen, for if they don t, God will tear them apart (22)! We are left to wonder about the exact circumstance of this Psalm. Had the people of God in the time of Asaph fallen into some serious sin? Had they abandoned God to go after idols? Did they not trust in God in the face of some enemy? The Psalm does not say any of this. The 1

only thing we know is that Asaph lived in the time of king David, and that he had an important role in the organisation of the worship of the LORD, especially with music and singing. But other than that, there are no clues in the text of Psalm 50 about the historical context. Then what do we conclude from structure and format of this Psalm? How is this relevant for us? Well, remember this: God is judging his own covenant people. There are no special historical circumstances, so he is judging them on matters that challenge the people of God of all times and all places. The charges that God lays before his people, are dangers that threaten the people of God of the NT, the church of Jesus Christ, just as much as the Israel of the OT. God will call us to give account as well. In Mt. 12:36 the Lord Jesus says that on the day of judgment all people will have to give account of every careless word they have spoken. And in Rom. 2 the apostle Paul speaks about the coming judgment and says that God will render to each according to his works (vs 6). We are God s covenant people now and we too will be called to give account. So when the almighty God speaks to his people in Psalm 50, we better listen and heed his words. 2. God does not want outward display of rituals The first charge that God lays down before his people is their empty routine. Hence the questions I asked at the beginning of the sermon. Why did you come to church this morning? It is because you really want to be here, or is it because you feel that you re supposed to be here? Do you come to church hungry for the gospel, and praying that you will grow in faith? Or do you come because that s just the Sunday thing to do, and hoping that the sermon won t be too long? Just the other week I was in one of our FR churches, sitting in the pews. And as I was listening to the sermon, I noticed a boy in the pew in front of me - he must have been about 9 or 10 years old. He had taken off his wrist watch, and put it on the bench in front of him, and then he sat, with his head in his hands, staring at this watch, watching the time go by ever so slowly, counting the minutes until finally the sermon would be over. It made me very sad. Is that how you sit in church, brs and srs, boys and girls? Just going through the motions, ticking off the items of the liturgy, waiting for the end to come, the final liberating amen? You may think that this all sounds a bit harsh. But I think that you know that it is the sad reality sometimes. We know this from experience. We also know it because in the Bible we are repeatedly warned for this. Vss 8-15 of Psalm 50 address the issue as well. In vs 8 the LORD has his people know that he does not rebuke them because of their sacrifices. They come to the tabernacle often enough. God sees the sacrifices and is basically happy to accept them, if I may put it that way. So, it s good that you come to church, brs and srs, nothing wrong with that. There is nothing wrong with having a Sunday routine. You don t have to get up every Sunday morning and specifically ask yourself the question, shall I go to church or not? But on the other hand, if you re doing it out of habit only, then you would do better to stay home. Really, God doesn t want that kind of worship. In vss 9-13 the LORD says to the Israelites that if they offer sacrifices to him to do him a favour, then they better leave it altogether. What can man give to God that he does not already have? All the beasts of the forest, the cattle on the hills, all the birds and wildlife, they all belong to God. When they sacrifice, the Israelites are giving to God in sacrifice what he already owns! Or, with vss 12-13, do the Israelites really think that they have to feed God? Some of the Canaanite people actually believed that they had to provide food and drink for their gods. Do the people of God think the same? Do they really think that God needs them? God doesn t need your worship, brs and srs, as if he cannot do without. God is enough to himself. And besides, he has countless angels around his throne who do nothing else but praise him without ceasing. This does not mean that God does not want your sacrifices and your praise, because he does. But it all comes down to your motivation. Why would you come to church? Why would you sing your Psalms and Hymns to the LORD God almighty? If it is just a pious display of 2

worship, if we re just putting on a show of ritual and ceremony, then, says the LORD our God, don t bother. Yes, Ps. 22:3 says that God is enthroned on the praises of Israel. But that does not mean that without the praises of his people God would not have a throne, or be king anymore. That is a sobering realisation, is it not, brs and srs? Rituals and ceremonies are good practise, but if they degenerate into ritualism, then they are completely worthless in the eyes of God. They may still make you feel good, but God does not care for them. They can still make us feel good because we like familiarity. When something is always the same and predictable, it gives you a sense of safety. And so most of us don t like surprises in church, something that startles us. That is perhaps why at times there is such strong resistance to changes in worship service liturgy, because it can make us feel uncomfortable. But, brs and srs, liturgy does not serve the purpose of making you feel comfortable, nor is your Sunday routine meant to keep you happy. Sunday worship is for God. And if you simply follow your routine, but your heart is not in it, then the only thing that your rituals and routine will give you, is the false impression that all is okay with God, that you have done what you are expected to do, so all is fine. But it is not fine. In fact, we said earlier that God s charges are no small matter. And indeed they are not, for, speaking in human terms, ritualism is the death of the church. Routine and rituals can cut the heart out of the church, leaving only a display and show of piety, long after God himself has left. Then what does God demand instead? That brings us to our next step. 3. God wants heartfelt thanksgiving If you truly want to glorify God, brs and srs, you have to give him your heart. This is expressed in vss 14-15. God asks for thanksgiving sacrifices, for performing of vows and for prayer in the day of trouble. I summarise these three elements in the one, giving God your heart, because God says this in, for instance, Hos. 6:6 where we read: For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. God wants us to love him, and to know him. This knowing of God is always an intimate knowing of God, having a close and living relationship with him. That is what God is after. This is also demonstrated in God s demand for a thanksgiving offering in vs 14. Allow me to explain. Why would we offer God our thanksgiving? Well, from Lev. 7:11ff we learn that thanksgiving sacrifices were a kind of peace offerings. And these peace offerings were exceptional. Most if not all of the other kinds of sacrifices, like the sin offering or the burnt offering, were there to make atonement for the sinner. A person would have to offer a sacrifice like that so that the animal would pay for his sins, in his place. However, the peace offering was a celebrating kind of sacrifice. It celebrated the peace with God. There was also a community meal connected to it. So not all of the sacrifice would be burnt up, but some would be put aside and prepared to be eaten at that meal. In other words, the thanksgiving offering was sacrificed to celebrate the peace, the restored relationship with God. So that is what God wants: that we offer to him our hearts as thanksgiving for the restored relationship with him. In the time of the NT this means that our thanksgiving offering to God is to celebrate Jesus Christ! He is the One who restored our relationship with God. Our worship in church is a celebration of the love of God for his people through Jesus Christ his Son. That is what God wants, that we see what he has done for us, that we realise that we have been saved from everlasting death, that we understand that Jesus gave his life in the place of ours, just like the sacrificial animals of the OT, and that we then thank God for that from the bottom of our hearts. Do you see, brs and srs, boys and girls? That is why you come out of bed every Sunday morning, that is why you sing your Psalms and Hymns. Not out of heartless routine, but because you have a celebration to attend! There is a celebration going on Sundays, and we re all invited! So it does not help much to say that the consistory calls you to church and that you 3

have to go, like we said earlier, although it is true. It is much better to say that God is inviting us to celebrate his love and to give him thanks for Jesus Christ. And who would pass on an invitation from the almighty God? The children will understand as well. Kids, have you ever been asked to go to a birthday party, but you don t really want to go? Perhaps you just don t feel like going to a birthday party, but your Mum says that you have to go, that it s not very nice to stay away for no good reason. So you go, but are you having a lot of fun? Perhaps, because when you get there it s usually a lot nicer than you thought. But isn t it better to go because your really, really want to, because you can t wait? Of course is it! If your heart is in it, it will surely be a true celebration, even if it rains or if the cake collapsed. Who cares? - because your friends are there and it is a celebration anyway! That is also how you may go to church. It doesn t always look or sound like a celebration, but it still is! God is inviting you all to celebrate his love. If we realise this, brs and srs, then we will give God our heartfelt thanksgiving. And then our LORD God will truly be enthroned on the praises of his people. 4. God does not want lip service But the Judge is not finished with Israel yet. He lays another charge before them. This brings us to vss 16-20. God addresses another group of people in Israel. Up till this point he addressed people who basically meant well. They offered their sacrifices, but had forgotten why. But now the LORD accuses the wicked (16). These are people who knowingly and willingly disobey God, but give the impression that they are good Christians. They are the hypocrites. Now, when we think hypocrites, we think Pharisees. And rightly so. Just as empty worship is something of all ages, so is hypocrisy. In Lk. 11 the Lord Jesus addresses them in telling words: You Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. Woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Clearly, if you thought that the words about empty worship were harsh, these against hypocrisy are just as serious. Why would the Lord take so serious issue with hypocrisy? Well, because, again speaking in human terms, hypocrisy too is the death of the church. If the Christian church does not practice what she preaches, she dishonours God. The people inside the church will fall victim to those who abuse their power or who intimidate them. The people outside the church will despise the church for her insincerity and will have no part of it. The church will lose the members who are inside, and not gain any from the outside. This will happen when the heart is cut out of the obedience to the LORD. Vs 17 of Psalm 50 mentions people who do not want to listen to the admonitions and corrections of the LORD. Vs 18 mentions those who take pleasure in the crimes of others, and who like to be in the company of sinners so that they can enjoy their stories and adventures. Vs 19 mentions those who like to spread lies and gossip and who wreak people s reputations just for the fun of it. These verses actually mention the seventh, eighth, and ninth commandment, to represent the second table of the law of God. These are people inside the people of God, who do not listen to God, but give in to sin whenever they can. They listen to the reading of the Ten Commandments, but turn around and do whatever they like. They care not about God, but only about themselves. Now, brs and srs, don t think, I m not like that, I m not a hypocrite. Because these things have written down as a warning for us all. These verses call for serious self examination. These verses are not about others, they are about you. Do you really try to live according to all the commandments of God? Or are there parts of your life where you do not allow God in? Are there parts of your life that you shield from God? The LORD warns us and admonishes us 4

to involve him in every aspect of our lives. To the Pharisees the Lord Jesus said (Lk. 12:1ff): Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. Remember that God is the Judge, and he will come on the last day, and you will find that your whole life has always been an open book to God. And you will have to give account of every careless word. These are serious words and they may make you feel very uncomfortable. But listen also to God s promises and to what he demands instead of hypocrisy. 5. God wants heartfelt obedience God demands heartfelt obedience. This obedience specifically serves the benefit of the neighbour first of all. The admonition about hypocrisy was about the second table of the law, about seeking the good for the neighbour, and so the obedience also serves the good of the neighbour. This can also be shown from the thanksgiving offering. Remember that the thanksgiving sacrifice was usually followed by a community meal? This meal to celebrate the restored relationship with God was enjoyed by others in the community who were poor and needy. So those who gave their hearts to God in the thanksgiving sacrifice, also took care of the poor and needy. You will notice the line to the NT Lord s Supper. In 1 Cor. 11 you find the description of Paul of the love meals. They too were meant to provide food and drink for the poor and needy in the congregation. And so also our Lord s Supper, a celebration of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, should result in taking care of the poor and needy in- and outside the church, as were the widow and the orphan and the sojourner in the time of the OT. You see, brs and srs, up till now we spoke mostly of our heartfelt worship of God in the church and on Sundays, but our worship of God extends to our everyday life, not just on Sundays, and to all people, not just to our own brs and srs. In Rom. 12:1 we read that we must present our bodies to God because that is our reasonable sacrifice. Our worship and thanksgiving sacrifice to God is the sacrifice of our lives. And the first ones to benefit from that, are our neighbours. We see this for instance in the letter of James. He writes in Js. 1:27: Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction. And also in the OT, in Isa 1:11ff where the LORD God says: What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. Bring no more vain offerings; wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow s cause. Our worship and sacrifice to God is a heartfelt obedience to his commands which seeks the benefit of our neighbour. Indeed, when a church truly wants to be a Christian church, it must demonstrate the love of Christ. Jesus came to give his life for many. He looked up the poor and lonely, the sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes, he healed the sick and comforted the afflicted. If we want to be true church of Jesus Christ, then we must do the same. The ministry of mercy is given to all believers, not just to the deacons. And the ministry of mercy, the obedience to God for the benefit of our neighbours, begins next door, with that old lady who needs some company, with the divorced single mum who needs some support, with the handicapped man across the street who needs some gardening done. This may sound small and insignificant to you, but this is where the church of Christ can make a difference in our society, where she can show her thankfulness for the love of God in Jesus Christ in heartfelt obedience to his law of love. 6. God grants salvation to those who give him their hearts 5

Up to this point we have said a lot about what God wants us to do, we must give him our hearts to glorify him. But now we will see what God wants to do for us. I find this in vss 15b and 23b. This is what God wants: he want to deliver his people. Especially vs 15 reads like an assurance: Call upon me when you are in trouble, I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. It reads as if God is telling his people: Please call on me, that s what I m there for! I am ready to deliver you. Only call on me, and I shall help you and save you. That is why God made a covenant with his people, and that is why he has made a covenant with each of us. He wants to show his salvation to us. He has committed himself to us, so that he would be there for us. You may notice that this sounds like a circular argument, a bit confusing perhaps. First we said that we offer God our thanksgiving for our salvation, our restored relationship with him. But then we are told that God will save those who give him thanks from the heart for that salvation. The point is that we may distinguish between salvation in this life, and salvation after this life. We give thanks to God from the heart that in this life we may live with him in peace and joy, thanks to our Saviour Jesus Christ who restored our relationship. But there is also final salvation after this life when we may live with God in perfection! Remember the format of the Psalm, the format of judgment. We live in this life with God, and after our Lord and King comes back to judge, we are saved and redeemed for everlasting perfection. So we have all the more reason to thank our God, all the more reason to give him our heart! We may live with him, both now and forever! God is our Keeper and Helper right here and now. He is there for us, always. And with this climax of the love of God, Psalm 50 concludes. We are left to examine ourselves and to rejoice in the love of God. So, are you ready for God s judgment brs and srs? Do you love God with all your heart? Pray God that he make his Holy Spirit work in your hearts, for we know that our love for him can only come from him. And then rejoice. Celebrate the love of Jesus Christ and worship him, in church and in your whole life. Because if you do that, you will truly glorify him! Amen. 6

Liturgy: Ps. 105:1,3 Ps. 112:1,2 Ps. 69:11,12 Text reading: Psalm 50 Ps. 50:7,11 Ps. 116:5,7,10 7