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?
• New International Version (NIV)But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips?
• 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,

Context of Psalms 50:16

14Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. 15Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.” But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant? 17For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash. 18When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time 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“But there is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord.
• Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
• Ezekiel 18:27And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives.
• Proverbs 26:7A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg.
• Isaiah 1:11“What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?” says the Lord. “I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
• Isaiah 48:1“Listen to me, O family of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and born into the family of Judah. Listen, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and call on the God of Israel. You don’t keep your promises,
• Isaiah 58:1“Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don’t be timid. Tell my people Israel of their sins!
• Jeremiah 7:4But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the Lord’s Temple is here. They chant, “The Lord’s Temple is here! The Lord’s Temple is here!”
• Matthew 7:3“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
• John 4:24For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
• Acts 19:13A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!”
• Romans 2:17You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him.
• 1 Corinthians 9:27I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
• 2 Peter 2:15They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong.
• Psalms 25:14The Lord is a friend to those who fear him. He teaches them his covenant.
• Psalms 78:36But all they gave him was lip service; they lied 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