True Faith and HIS World Psalm 50

Psalm 50

"The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. 2 From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth..... 4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: 5 "Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice." 6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge. "Selah" 7 "Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God....10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. ... 14 Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.... 22 Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue: 23 He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."

This devotion is a continuation of the last one. God states that every animal in the forest is his and that he knows the birds of the mountains. In verse 12, He states that the world and all that is in it IS HIS. God states that He is God, our God!!
This passage is about being faithful to God... later in the passage, Asaph (a musician of David) discusses what God says to the wicked and how he treats them. But I am talking about the sacrifice that we have to make for God. My bible is a study bible and it notes that verses 5-9 of this passage (5 "Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice." 6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge. "Selah" 7 "Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testifyagainst you: I am God, your God. 8 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings,which are ever before me. 9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens) correspond with what people do now. It states that God's perfect moral nature demands the nature for sin be death; but that people could offer animal instead of themselves; symbolizing their faith in God. But the people would just offer sacrifices and forget the significance. People today are like that ( I know that I am). Too many times we just go through the motions by going to church, participating in tithe, and religious activities out of habit, rather than doing these things wholeheartedly out of love and obedience. We have to remember that God want righteousness, not just empty motions. 
If we worship wholeheartedly, our God will deliver us into salvation. 
I have to know that everything in the universe IS GOD'S; NOT MINE, and that He does not want just empty motions of worship... he wants us to get down on our knees and worship him entirely constantly everyday. NOT JUST WHEN WE NEED IT THE MOST!!!! And I have been doing that way too much lately. 
This Psalm expresses one of the clearest examples of repentance in the Bible. Countless broken sinners, have found this passage to be an exquisite expression of their need for God's mercy and forgiveness. This Psalm is a great starting point for those (me) who are feeling distant or have guilt that is affecting his/her relationship with God. It has helped me to identify the sin in my life through confession and repentance. It has helped me to realize that I am only worshiping God half-heartily and need to worship Him with my whole heart everyday.