Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. (vv 3-5)
According to 1 Peter 4:17, judgement begins in the house of the Lord, and in this psalm (addressed to those who call Him Lord and offer Him regular sacrifices), God sets the record straight: He is not looking for ritualistic worship, neither do insincere offerings bring Him pleasure.
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
The Israelites regularly brought suitable sacrifices before God but, as far as He is concerned, their religion is false. God's charge against His elect falls into two categories:
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matt 5:16)
According to 1 Peter 4:17, judgement begins in the house of the Lord, and in this psalm (addressed to those who call Him Lord and offer Him regular sacrifices), God sets the record straight: He is not looking for ritualistic worship, neither do insincere offerings bring Him pleasure.
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
The Israelites regularly brought suitable sacrifices before God but, as far as He is concerned, their religion is false. God's charge against His elect falls into two categories:
- Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: and call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (vv 14-15)
On the one hand, there are those who worship God as though they're doing Him a favour. They bring sacrifices, but exclude Him from every other area of their lives.
How would you categorise your relationship with God? Do you pay a routine, token visit to a church building on a Sunday, sit at the back, drop your weekly offering into the basket, and then live as though God has no part in the rest of your business? God accuses the Israelites of thinking they can compartmentalise their lives. They bring Him offerings, but trust in themselves for their existence. They pay Him no homage, but He is not at the centre of their day to day activities.
God wants to be first and last in your life. Anything short of this is unacceptable to Him. Instead He expects us to:
...be filled with the Spirit... making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ... (Eph 5: 18-20)
God expects you to commune with Him daily. As the source of all that is good in your life, you should give thanks to Him at all times, trust Him fully, and give glory to Him for all He does. It's worth noting that as you give God the honour He deserves, He promises you deliverance. - The second indictment is against those who believe that if they bribe God, He will overlook their wickedness (vv 16-21). He accuses them of regularly spouting His word from their lips , while turning their backs on His commandments. They consort with thieves and adulterers, are full of lies and deceit, gossip and slander. These are among the things the Lord hates (see Prov 6:16-19), and He informs them that His silence should not be take for approval of their lifestyle.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matt 5:16)
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