Psalm 50 Devotional

Thanks Instead of Bulls

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.””Psalm 50:15 (BSB)

Psalm 50 is a courtroom scene. God shines out from Zion with fire before him and summons heaven and earth as he judges his own people (50:1-6). He has no complaint about the number of their sacrifices (50:8). But he does not need their bulls or goats. Every animal of the forest is his, along with the herds on every hill, and if he were hungry he would not need to tell them (50:9-12).

What he wants instead is thanksgiving, kept promises, and trust. He invites his people to call on him in the day of trouble, promising to rescue them so that they will honor him (50:14-15). Then he turns to those who recite his covenant while living in theft, deceit, and slander, and warns them that his silence was not approval (50:16-21). The psalm ends with both warning and promise: the one who offers thanks honors God and will see his salvation (50:23). God does not need anything from you. He invites you to receive from him, and to thank him.

To think about: What trouble could you call on God about today, and how could you begin thanking him even before you see his answer?