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what God will not do

Psalm 50:7-15 (JDV)

Psalm 50:7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel. I am God, your God.
Psalm 50:8 I do not rebuke you because of your sacrifices or because of your burnt offerings, which are continually before me.
Psalm 50:9 I will not take a bull from your household or male goats from your pens,
Psalm 50:10 because every animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
Psalm 50:11 I know every bird of the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.
Psalm 50:12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, because the world and everything in it is mine.
Psalm 50:13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
Psalm 50:14 Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and pay your vows to the Most High.
Psalm 50:15 Call on me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will appreciate me.”

what God will not do

The psalmist sounds like a prophet here, echoing the voice of God and reacting to something going on in the lives of his people. He is not discouraging the sacrificial system here as much as he is answering an excuse that seems to be prevalent at his time. The excuse probably went like this: “We have starved God by not giving him enough sacrifices, so now he ignores us. We might as well seek religion elsewhere.”

But the voice of God thunders from the psalm: “That is not the case!” He challenges his people to test him by staying true to their covenant vows, and then they will see his rescue. They will experience his presence.

But God will not force himself on a people who reject his counsel. If they refuse to cooperate with his purpose, he’s not going to raid their barns for bulls and goats. If they want to rest on their excuses instead of trusting in him, he will let them do just that.

Christian, you and I made vows to the Lord when he saved us from sin by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. His word to us today is the same. He wants us to pay our vows and we will see his rescue.

Lord, we will do as Christ commands. We trust you to do what we cannot.