Psalm 50:23

Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(23) Offereth praise.—Better, sacrificeth thanksgiving, as in Psalm 50:14; the poet here sums up what he has previously said. This clause must therefore be considered as addressed to the sincere formalist, the next to the openly wicked.

To him that ordereth . . .—Literally, as the text stands, placeth his way, which is hardly intelligible. The version of Symmachus suggests the reading tam, instead of sam, “to him who walks uprightly.” But being plainly intended for the ungodly, we want in this clause some mention of amendment; and if the poet wrote shab, we get, literally, him who has turned his way, i.e., who has changed his course of life.

Benson Commentary

Psalm 50:23. Whoso offereth praise — Or, thanksgiving, as the word תודה, todah, is often rendered; glorifieth me — He, and he only, gives me the honour which I prize and require; and not he who loads my altar with a multitude of sacrifices. And to him, that ordereth his conversation aright — Hebrew, ושׁם דרךְ, vesham derech, that disposeth his way, namely, the way, or manner of his life: that is, that lives orderly, and according to rule: for sinners are said to walk disorderly, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-11, and by chance, as it is in the Hebrew, Leviticus 26:21; Leviticus 26:23, which is opposed to order; and the Scriptures own no order but what God prescribes and approves; and, therefore, this word, aright, is properly added in our translation: Will I show — Hebrew, אראנו, arennu, I will make him to see, that is, to enjoy, as that verb is often used; the salvation of God, my salvation, that true and everlasting happiness, which I have prepared for all my true and faithful servants, and for them only: so false is that position of some of the Jewish rabbis, that every Israelite hath a portion in the world to come.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

50:16-23 Hypocrisy is wickedness, which God will judge. And it is too common, for those who declare the Lord's statutes to others, to live in disobedience to them themselves. This delusion arises from the abuse of God's long-suffering, and a wilful mistake of his character and the intention of his gospel. The sins of sinners will be fully proved on them in the judgment of the great day. The day is coming when God will set their sins in order, sins of childhood and youth, of riper age and old age, to their everlasting shame and terror. Let those hitherto forgetful of God, given up to wickedness, or in any way negligent of salvation, consider their urgent danger. The patience of the Lord is very great. It is the more wonderful, because sinners make such ill use of it; but if they turn not, they shall be made to see their error when it is too late. Those that forget God, forget themselves; and it will never be right with them till they consider. Man's chief end is to glorify God: whoso offers praise, glorifies him, and his spiritual sacrifices shall be accepted. We must praise God, sacrifice praise, put it into the hands of the Priest, our Lord Jesus, who is also the altar: we must be fervent in spirit, praising the Lord. Let us thankfully accept God's mercy, and endeavour to glorify him in word and deed.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me - That is, he truly honors me; he is a true worshipper; he meets with my approbation. The word here rendered ""offereth"" is the same which is used in Psalm 50:14, and means "he that sacrifices:" here meaning, he that presents the sacrifice of praise. So the Septuagint: "the sacrifice of praise glorifies me." So the Vulgate. The idea is, that the worship which God requires is "praise;" it is not the mere external act of homage; it is not the presentation of a bloody sacrifice; it is not the mere bending of the knee; it is not a mere outward form: it is that which proceeds from the heart, and which shows that there is there a spirit of true thankfulness, adoration, and love.

And to him that ordereth his conversation aright - Margin, as in Hebrew, "that disposeth his way." Or, more literally, "To him that "prepares" or "plans" his way;" that is, to him who is attentive to his going; who seeks to walk in the right path; who is anxious to go in the road that leads to a happier world; who is careful that all his conduct shall be in accordance with the rules which God has prescribed.

Will I show the salvation of God - This may mean either, "I, the author of the psalm as a teacher" (compare Psalm 32:8); or, "I" as referring to God - as a promise that "He" would instruct such an one. The latter is the probable meaning, as it is God that has been speaking in the previous verse. The "salvation of God" is the salvation of which God is the author; or, which he alone can give. The "idea" here is, that where there is a true desire to find the way of truth and salvation, God will impart needful instruction. He will not suffer such an one to wander away and be lost. See the notes at Psalm 25:9.

The general ideas in the psalm, therefore, are

(1) that there is to be a solemn judgment of mankind;

(2) that the issues of that judgment will not be determined by the observance of the external forms of religion;

(3) that God will judge people impartially for their sins, though they observe those forms of religion; and

(4) that no worship of God can be acceptable which does not spring from the heart.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

23. offereth praise—(Ps 50:14), so that the external worship is a true index of the heart.

ordereth … aright—acts in a straight, right manner, opposed to turning aside (Ps 25:5). In such, pure worship and a pure life evince their true piety, and they will enjoy God's presence and favor.

The Treasury of David

23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

"Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me." Praise is the best sacrifice; true, hearty, gracious thanksgiving from a renewed mind. Not the lowing of bullocks bound to the altar, but the songs of redeemed men are the music which the ear of Jehovah delights in. Sacrifice your loving gratitude, and God is honoured thereby. "And to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God." Holy living is a choice evidence of salvation. He who submits his whole way to divine guidance, and is careful to honour God in his life, brings an offering which the Lord accepts through his dear Son; and such a one shall be more and more instructed, and made experimentally to know the Lord's salvation. He needs salvation, for the best ordering of the life cannot save us, but that salvation he shall have. Not to ceremonies, not to unpurified lips, is the blessing promised, but to grateful hearts and holy lives.

O Lord, give us to stand in the judgment with those who have worshipped thee aright and have seen thy salvation.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Praise; or, thanksgiving as this word is rendered, Psalm 50:14. See Poole "Psalm 50:14".

Glorifieth me; he and he only gives me the honour that I require and prize, and not he who loads my altar with a multitude of sacrifices; whereby you vainly and falsely conceit that you please and glorify me, although in the mean time you live in the gross neglect of the more important duties of piety, and justice, and charity; whereas in truth you greatly dishonour me, and my worship and service, by your infamous lives.

That ordereth his conversation aright, Heb. that composeth or disposeth the way or manner of his (which pronoun is frequently understood) life, i.e. that lives orderly, and according to rule; for sinners are said to walk disorderly, 2 Thessalonians 3:6,7,11, and by chance, as it is in the Hebrew text, Leviticus 26:21,23, which is opposed to order; and the Scripture owns no order but what God prescribes or approves; and therefore this word

aright is justly added in our translation.

Will I show, Heb. I will make him to see, i.e. to enjoy, as that verb is oft used, as we have showed again and again.

The salvation of God, i.e. my salvation; that true and everlasting happiness which I have prepared for all my faithful friends and servants, and for them only. So false is that position of some of the Jewish rabbins, that every Israelite hath a portion in the world to come.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Whoso offereth praise,...., Which is exhorted to; See Gill on Psalm 50:14;

glorifieth me; celebrates the divine perfections, gives God the glory of all mercies; which honours him, and is more grateful and well pleasing to him than all burnt offerings and sacrifices;

and to him that ordereth his conversation aright; according to the rule of God's word, and as becomes the Gospel of Christ; who walks inoffensively to all, circumspectly and wisely in the world, and in love to the saints; in wisdom towards them that are without, and in peace with them that are within; who is a follower of God, of Christ, and of his people; and who lives so as to glorify God, and cause others to glorify him likewise: or that chooses for himself the right way, as Aben Ezra, the right way to eternal life; and the sense is, he that puts or sets his heart upon it, and is in pursuit after the evangelical way of life. To him

will I show the salvation of God; or, "cause to see" or "enjoy it" (b); not only temporal salvation from time to time, but spiritual and eternal salvation; to see interest in it, and to possess it; and particularly Christ, the author of it, who is the salvation of God's providing, appointing, and sending, and whose glory is greatly concerned therein; see Isaiah 52:10.

(b) "videre faciam eum", Montanus; "faciam ut is fruatur", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Geneva Study Bible

Whoso offereth {r} praise glorifieth me: and to him that {s} ordereth his conversation aright will I {t} shew the salvation of God.

(r) Under which is contained faith and invocation.

(s) As God has appointed.

(t) That is, declare myself to be his Saviour.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

23. Whoso offereth praise] He that offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving, as in Psalm 50:14. This line sums up the teaching of Psalm 50:7-15 on the nature of true worship: and it is natural to expect the second line to sum up the teaching of Psalm 50:16-21 on the obligations of moral duty. This it does if the rendering of A.V. can be retained, ‘to him that ordereth his conversation aright,’ i.e. takes heed to his way of life, or orders it in accordance with My commandments. But aright is not in the Heb., and it is doubtful if this sense can fairly be extracted from the text. Hence the rendering of R.V. marg. has been proposed, and pretareth a way that I may shew him &c., which is grammatically unexceptionable, but does not fit the context. Probably some slight correction of the text is needed, such as, He that keepeth my way (Psalm 18:21; Psalm 37:34), or, my words (Psalm 50:17; Psalm 119:17; Psalm 119:101), to him will I skew the salvation of God. Cp. Psalm 91:16.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 23. - Whose offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God. As the wicked have their parting warning, so the godly have their parting encouragement. God is "glorified" (see ver. 15) by those who offer him praise from a sincere heart; and if a man will lay down for himself a straight path and pursue it, God will "show him his salvation;' i.e. will bring him to peace and blessedness.



Psalm 50:23

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Epilogue of the divine discourse. Under the name שׁכחי אלוהּ are comprehended the decent or honourable whose sanctity relies upon outward works, and those who know better but give way to licentiousness; and they are warned of the final execution of the sentence which they have deserved. In dead works God delighteth not, but whoso offereth thanksgiving (viz., not shelamim-tôda, but the tôda of the heart), he praises Him

(Note: In Vedic jag', old Bactrian jaz (whence jag'jas, the primitive word of ἅγιος), the notions of offering and of praising lie one within the other.)

and שׂם דּרך. It is unnecessary with Luther, following the lxx, Vulgate, and Syriac versions, to read שׁם. The Talmudic remark אל תקרי ושׂם אלא ושׁם [do not read ושׂם, but ושׁם] assumes ושׂם to be the traditional reading. If we take שׂם דּרך as a thought complete in itself, - which is perfectly possible in a certain sense (vid., Isaiah 43:19), - then it is best explained according to the Vulgate (qui ordinat viam), with Bצttcher, Maurer, and Hupfeld: viam h. e. recta incedere (legel agere) parans; but the expression is inadequate to express this ethical sense (cf. Proverbs 4:26), and consequently is also without example. The lxx indicates the correct idea in the rendering καὶ ἐκεῖ ὁδὸς ᾗ δείξω αὐτῷ τὸ σωτήριον Θεοῦ. The ושׂם דוך (designedly not pointed דּרך), which standing entirely by itself has no definite meaning, receives its requisite supplement by means of the attributive clause that follows. Such an one prepares a way along which I will grant to him to see the salvation of Elohim, i.e., along which I will grant him a rapturous vision of the full reality of My salvation. The form יכבּדנני is without example elsewhere. It sounds like the likewise epenthetical יקראנני, Proverbs 1:28, cf. Proverbs 8:17, Hosea 5:15, and may be understood as an imitation of it as regards sound. יכבּדנני ( equals יכבּדני) is in the writer's mind as the form out of pause (Ges. ֗58, 4). With Psalm 50:23 the Psalm recurs to its central point and climax, Psalm 50:14. What Jahve here discourses in a post-Sinaitic appearing, is the very same discourse concerning the worthlessness of dead works and concerning the true will of God that Jesus addresses to the assembled people when He enters upon His ministry. The cycle of the revelation of the Gospel is linked to the cycle of the revelation of the Law by the Sermon on the Mount; this is the point at which both cycles touch.