Psalms 50:16

Psalms 50:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?
• English Standard Version (ESV)But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?
• New King James Version (NKJV)But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to declare My statutes, Or take My covenant in your mouth,
• New Living Translation (NLT)But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant?

Context of Psalms 50:16

14“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, 15and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? 17You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. 18When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers.

Psalms 50:16 word by word

וְלָ֤רָשָׁ֨ע׀ אָ֘מַ֤ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים מַה־לְּ֭ךָ לְסַפֵּ֣ר חֻקָּ֑י וַתִּשָּׂ֖א בְרִיתִ֣י עֲלֵי־פִֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But unto the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• What hast thou to do to declareסָפַרsâphar · to recountH5608
• my statutesחֹקchôq · statute: decreeH2706
• thou shouldest takeנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: raiseH5375
• my covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
• in thy mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310

Cross-references for Psalms 50:16

• Isaiah 48:22“There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”
• Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
• Ezekiel 18:27But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life.
• Proverbs 26:7Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
• Isaiah 1:11“The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
• Isaiah 48:1“Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and come from the line of Judah, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel— but not in truth or righteousness—
• Isaiah 58:1“Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
• Jeremiah 7:4Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!”
• Matthew 7:3“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
• John 4:24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
• Acts 19:13Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.”
• Romans 2:17Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;
• 1 Corinthians 9:27No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
• 2 Peter 2:15They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness.
• Psalms 25:14The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.
• Psalms 78:36But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues;

Commentaries on Psalms 50:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16But unto the wicked - The bloodthirsty priests, proud Pharisees, and ignorant scribes of the Jewish people.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16But unto the wicked God saith - This commences a second part of the subject. See the introduction. Thus far the psalm had reference to those who were merely external worshippers, or mere formalists, as showing that such could not be approved and accepted in the day of judgment; that spiritual religion - the offering of the “heart” - was necessary in order to acceptance with God. In this part of the psalm the same principles are applied to those who…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-23Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-21This message is against the wicked, who only pretend to listen to God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-2016-20. the wicked--that is, the formalists, as now exposed, and who lead vicious lives (compare Ro 2:21, 23). They are unworthy to use even the words of God's law. Their hypocrisy and vice are exposed by illustrations from sins against the seventh, eighth, and ninth commandments.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 50:16

• Hypocrisy
• Wicked (People)
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Asaph
• Psalms
• Reprove
• Bible, the
• Korahites; Sons of Korah
• Psalms, Book of
• Sacrifice

Commentaries on Psalms 50

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings