Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 50:8
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, [to have been] continually before me.
8. Render with R.V.,
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices;
And thy burnt offerings are continually before me.
This rendering is grammatically preferable to that of R.V. marg. Nor for thy burnt offerings, which are &c., which gives substantially the same sense. God’s indictment does not relate to sacrifice: the stated offerings are duly presented. Continually seems to allude to the ‘continual burnt offering,’ which was offered daily, morning and evening. See Num 28:3 ff.
9ff. The owner of the vast herds of animals which roam the forests and range over a thousand mountains is not like some earthly king who comes and takes the choicest of his subjects’ possessions at his will (1Sa 8:16 f.). The phrase rendered upon a thousand hills may mean upon the mountains where thousands are. The construction in either case is peculiar, and it has been conjectured that we should read upon the mountains of God, as in Psa 36:6; but the alteration is hardly necessary.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt-offerings – On the words sacrifices and burnt-offerings here used, see the notes at Isa 1:11. The meaning is, I do not reprove or rebuke you in respect to the withholding of sacrifices. I do not charge you with neglecting the offering of such sacrifices. I do not accuse the nation of indifference in regard to the external rites or duties of religion. It is not on this ground that you are to be blamed or condemned, for that duty is outwardly and publicly performed. I do not say that such offerings are wrong; I do not say that there has been any failure in the external duties of worship. The charge – the reproof – relates to other matters; to the want of a proper spirit, to the withholding of the heart, in connection with such offerings.
To have been continually before me – The words to have been are inserted by the translators, and weaken the sense. The simple idea is, that their offerings were continually before him; that is, they were constantly made. He had no charge of neglect in this respect to bring against them. The insertion of the words to have been would seem to imply that though they had neglected this external rite, it was a matter of no consequence; whereas the simple meaning is, that they were not chargeable with this neglect, or that there was no cause of complaint on this point. It was on other grounds altogether that a charge was brought against them. It was, as the following verses show, because they supposed there was special merit in such offerings; because they supposed that they laid God under obligation by so constant and so expensive offerings, as if they did not already belong to him, or as if he needed them; and because, while they did this, they withheld the very offering which he required, and without which all other sacrifices would be vain and worthless – a sincere, humble, thankful heart.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 50:8-13
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings.
Lessons
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; i.e. for thy neglect of them, but for thy resting in them, sticking in the bark, bringing Me the bare shell without the kernel, not referring to the right end and use, but satisfying thyself in the work done. (John Trapp.)
Lifeless duties
Go out into the woods, where the white oak is, and where the beech is. Their leaves died last November, but they all hang on the trees yet. The trees have not strength to slough them. They always make me think of a great many people. Sap does not run in them any more, but their duties hang on them like dead leaves all over. They would not like to drop their duties: they are not quite in that state yet; but those duties are dry, sapless and enforced. (E. P. Thwing.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 8. I will not reprove thee] I do not mean to find fault with you for not offering sacrifices; you have offered them, they have been continually before me: but you have not offered them in the proper way.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I do not charge thee, or at least this is not the principal matter of my charge, that thou hast neglected sacrifices which thou shouldst have offered; for although thou hast many times omitted thy duty in that kind, yet I have greater things than these to charge thee with.
To have been; or, they have been. I confess thou hast been frequent in that work, and hast laid too great a stress upon it, and satisfied thy conscience with it, as if thereby thou hadst made me amends for the errors of thy life.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8-15. However scrupulous inexternal worship, it was offered as if they conferred an obligationin giving God His own, and with a degrading view of Him as needing it[Ps 50:9-13].Reproving them for such foolish and blasphemous notions, He teachesthem to offer, or literally, “sacrifice,”thanksgiving, and pay, or perform, their vowsthat is, to bring,with the external symbolical service, the homage of the heart, andfaith, penitence, and love. To this is added an invitation to seek,and a promise to afford, all needed help in trouble.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices,…. For the neglect of them; this they were not chargeable with; and had they omitted them, a charge would not have been brought against them on that account, since these were not what God commanded when he brought them out of Egypt, Jer 7:22; and were now abrogated; and when they were in force, acts of mercy, kindness, and beneficence, were preferred unto them, Ho 6:6;
or thy burnt offerings, [to have been] continually before me; or, “for thy burnt offerings [are] continually before me” u; so far were they from being reprovable for not bringing their sacrifices, that they were continually offering up before the Lord even multitudes of them, though to no purpose, being offered up without faith, and in hypocrisy; and could not take away sin, and make atonement for it; and besides, ought now to have ceased to be offered, Christ the great sacrifice being now offered up, as he was in the times to which this psalm belongs; see Isa 1:14; wherefore it follows:
u So Tigurine version, Vatablus, Piscator, Cocceius, and Ainsworth.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices, etc. God now proceeds to state the charge which he adduced against them. He declares, that he attached no value whatsoever to sacrifices in themselves considered. Not that he asserts this rite of the Jews to have been vain and useless, for in that case it never would have been instituted by God; but there is this difference betwixt religious exercises and others, that they can only meet the approbation of God when performed in their true spirit and meaning. On any other supposition they are deservedly rejected. Similar language we will find employed again and again by the prophets, as I have remarked in other places, and particularly in connection with the fortieth psalm. Mere outward ceremonies being therefore possessed of no value, God repudiates the idea that he had ever insisted upon them as the main thing in religion, or designed that they should be viewed in any other light than as helps to spiritual worship. Thus in Jer 7:22, he denies that he had issued any commandment regarding sacrifices; and the prophet Micah says,
“
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy?” — (Mic 6:7)
“
I desire mercy,” he says in another place, (Hos 6:6,) “and not sacrifice.” The same doctrine is every where declared by the prophets. I might refer especially to the prophecies of Isaiah, chapter Isa 1:12. The sacrifices of the ungodly are not only represented as worthless and rejected by the Lord, but as peculiarly calculated to provoke his anger. Where a right use has been made of the institution, and they have been observed merely as ceremonies for the confirmation and increase of faith, then they are described as being essentially connected with true religion; but when offered without faith, or, what is still worse, under the impression of their meriting the favor of God for such as continue in their sins, they are reprobated as a mere profanation of divine worship. It is evident, then, what God means when he says, I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; he looked to something beyond these. The last clause of the verse may be understood as asserting that their burnt-offerings were before the eyes of the Lord to the producing even of satiety and disgust, as we find him saying, (Isa 1:13,) that they were “an abomination unto him.” There are some, however, who consider the negative in the beginning of the verse as applying to both clauses, and that God here declares that he did not design to reckon with them for any want of regularity in the observance of their sacrifices. It has been well suggested by some, that the relative may be understood, Thy burnt-offerings which are continually before me; as if he had said, According to the Law these are imperative; but I will bring no accusation against you at this time for omitting your sacrifices. (247)
(247) “I do not well see how it (verse 8) can be translated otherwise than Leusden has done it.” — Dr Lowth. Leusden translates it thus: — “ Non super sacrificia tua arguam te, et holocausta tua coram me sunt semper.” — Merrick ’ s Annotations. Dr Adam Clarke explains the verse as follows: — “I do not mean to find fault with you for not offering sacrifices; you have offered them; they have been continually before me; but you have not offered them in the proper way.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) I will not . . .Better, Not on account of thy sacrifices do I reprove thee, nor thy burnt offerings, which are always before me. This part of the nation is judged not for neglect of ritual, but for mistaken regard for it. (See Introduction to this psalm.)
As usual in such visions of judgment (comp. Mat. 25:32) the arraigned nation is separated into two classes when brought before the bar of the judge, and the better part is first reproved.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 50:8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, [to have been] continually before me.
Ver. 8. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices ] i.e. For thy neglect of them, but for thy resting in them, sticking in the bark, bringing me the bare shell without the kernel, not referring thy sacrifices to the right end and use; but satisfying thyself in the work done. This was afterwards the sin of the Pharisees, is still of the Papists, and of too many carnal gospellers, who think they have served God, for they have been at church, done their devoir, for they have said their prayers, &c. Yea, many of the better sort among us hold only a certain stint of daily duties, as malt horses their pace, or mill horses their round, that move much, remove little, out of custom or form. Yea, the best find it hard enough to be in duty in respect of performance, and out of duty in respect of dependence; to do all righteousness, and yet to rest in none but Christ’s.
Or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 40:6-8, Psa 51:16, Isa 1:11-31, Jer 7:21-23, Hos 6:6, Heb 10:4-10
Reciprocal: Exo 29:18 – a burnt offering Num 7:27 – General Num 23:1 – seven altars Num 28:6 – a continual Num 29:17 – General 1Sa 13:13 – hast not kept 1Sa 15:22 – Hath the Lord Psa 37:7 – fret Psa 50:21 – will Pro 21:3 – General Pro 21:27 – sacrifice Ecc 5:1 – give Jer 7:22 – nor Amo 5:22 – offer Mar 12:33 – is more Act 17:25 – is Heb 10:5 – Sacrifice Heb 10:11 – which
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 50:8-13. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices, &c. This is not the principal matter of my charge against thee, that thou hast neglected sacrifices, which thou shouldest have offered; for, although thou hast often omitted thy duty even in that respect, yet I have greater things than these to charge thee with. I will take no bullock, &c. Be not so foolish as to imagine that thou dost lay any obligations upon me by thy sacrifices, or that I required them because I had need of them, or took any pleasure or satisfaction in them for their own sakes. Every beast of the forest is mine I could command or dispose of them at my pleasure, without thy leave or assistance; and the cattle, &c. Which feed upon innumerable hills, or in valleys and fields. I know all the fowls, &c. Where they are, and whence I could easily fetch them when I please; and not only tame and domestic fowls, but even such as are wild and fly up and down upon mountains; which, though out of mans reach, are at my command. If I were hungry If I wanted or desired any thing, which I do not, being the all-sufficient God; I would not tell thee That thou mightest supply my wants. For the world is mine, &c. And all those creatures wherewith it is replenished. Will I eat the flesh of bulls? If I did want any thing, hast thou such gross and carnal conceptions of me as to suppose that I need or delight in the blood of brute creatures?
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
50:8 I will not {h} reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, [to have been] continually before me.
(h) For I pass not for sacrifices unless the true use is there, which is to confirm your faith.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
He was not charging them with failure to offer the sacrifices He had prescribed. They had done that. They erred in thinking that offering sacrifices was all He expected. He reminded them that He did not need their offerings. He already owned everything they presented to Him. The pagans believed they maintained their gods by offering them food, but Yahweh reminded His people that He did not need their sacrifices.
"There is a note of sarcasm in the use of the pronoun ’your’ in ’your stall’ and in ’your pens’ (Psa 50:9). It is as if God has heard them proudly say, ’This is my bull/goat from my stall/pen!’ To this boastful claim God responds solemnly with an emphatic ’mine’ (Psa 50:10 . . .) and concludes his claim with a restatement of his ownership that would linger in the hearts of the hearers: ’mine’ (Psa 50:11). His rule extends to all creation." [Note: Ibid., p. 375.]