Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
Psalm 50 opens like a court of heaven. “The mighty God, even the LORD,” calls the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof (v.1). Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines (v.2). Then comes the solemn announcement: “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence.” The issue in this psalm is not whether men can perform religion, offer sacrifices, or speak God’s statutes with their mouths. The issue is whether they can stand when Jehovah comes to judge His people. He calls the heavens and the earth to witness as He judges His people (v.4). He gathers His saints who made covenant with Him by sacrifice (v.5). He then declares the righteousness of His own judgment, for “God is judge himself” (v.6). Verse 3 is the dreadful arrival of the Judge.
“Our God.” The words are warm, but they are not soft. Jehovah is the God of His people, but this does not make Him careless about their worship or conduct. Israel could say “our God,” yet He still rebuked them for empty sacrifice and disobedient lives (vv.7-15). The wicked could take His covenant in their mouth, yet God asked what they had to do to declare His statutes while they hated instruction and cast His words behind them (vv.16-17). Nearness to God increases accountability. Judgment must begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). Therefore “our God” is comfort to the obedient and terror to hypocrites.
“Shall come.” This is the language of divine manifestation in judgment. God is not confined to a place as men are, for the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Him (1 Kings 8:27). God is a Spirit (John 4:24). Yet Scripture speaks of God coming when He makes His presence known by power, judgment, deliverance, or visitation. He came down upon mount Sinai when the mountain burned with fire and the people trembled (Exodus 19:16-20). He came down to see the city and tower of Babel before confounding the language of proud men (Genesis 11:5-8). He came to judge Sodom after the cry of its sin was great before Him (Genesis 18:20-21; 19:24-25). Such language does not make God local or limited. It declares that God, who always sees, chooses a time to act openly.
“And shall not keep silence.” This is one of the most important lines in the psalm, for later God says to the wicked, “These things hast thou done, and I kept silence” (v.21). Men mistake God’s silence for approval. They sin, worship falsely, speak evil, slander their brother, and imagine God is altogether such an one as themselves (vv.19-21). But His silence is not consent. His patience is not weakness. His delay is not forgetfulness. When God breaks silence, He reproves and sets sin in order before the eyes of the wicked (v.21). The God who keeps silence for a season will not keep silence forever.
This should sober every worshipper. The psalm is not first directed to atheists outside the camp, but to those who knew sacrifices, covenant language, vows, statutes, and worship (vv.5,8,14,16). God was not rebuking them because He needed their bulls or goats, for every beast of the forest was His and the cattle upon a thousand hills were His (vv.8-13). He rebuked worship without the heart, sacrifice without thanksgiving, and profession without obedience (vv.14-17). Therefore, verse 3 is not mere poetic intensity, but a solemn warning that the God men approach in worship is also the God who comes to judge worshippers.
“A fire shall devour before him.” Fire is the fitting sign of God’s consuming holiness and judgment. Moses wrote, “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24). Psalm 97 uses similar language: “A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about” (Psalm 97:3). At Sinai the LORD descended upon the mountain in fire, and the whole mount quaked greatly (Exodus 19:18). The point is plain. God does not come as a harmless spectator. He comes with holiness that consumes rebellion, hypocrisy, and wickedness. Men may handle religion lightly, but they cannot handle God lightly.
This fire also warns against false confidence in outward worship. Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the LORD, which He commanded them not, and there went out fire from the LORD and devoured them (Leviticus 10:1-2). That history agrees with Psalm 50. God is not impressed by religious action He did not command or by worship divorced from obedience. He will be sanctified in them that come nigh Him (Leviticus 10:3). The same God who commands thanksgiving and vow-paying in verse 14 comes with devouring fire in verse 3. True worship must be reverent.
“And it shall be very tempestuous round about him.” The tempest shows the terror, majesty, and irresistible force of God’s judgment. The LORD has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet (Nahum 1:3). When David described the LORD arising to deliver him, the earth shook, the foundations trembled, smoke went out of His nostrils, fire out of His mouth devoured, and thick clouds, hail stones, and coals of fire surrounded the scene (Psalm 18:7-13). This is the language of divine majesty in judgment. God does not enter the court as a weak magistrate asking permission to rule. He comes with fire before Him and tempest round about Him.
The tempest also exposes the folly of resisting God. Men can manage appearances before other men. They can arrange sacrifices, quote statutes, speak religiously, and hide motives for a time (vv.8,16-21). But they cannot control the day God speaks. They cannot calm the storm around His throne. They cannot silence the Judge who will not keep silence. If He calls to the heavens above and to the earth that He may judge His people, no creature can refuse the summons (v.4). “God is judge himself” (v.6).
This verse has direct force for the church. God still rejects worship that is all form and no obedience. He still requires thanksgiving and faithful vows (v.14). He still rejects the man who speaks His statutes but hates instruction (vv.16-17). He still condemns the tongue given to evil and deceit (v.19). The God of Psalm 50 has not changed, for He says, “I am the LORD, I change not” (Malachi 3:6). Therefore, believers must not treat worship as performance, habit, family tradition, or outward correctness while the heart is unthankful and the life disobedient. “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints” (Psalm 89:7).
The New Testament gives this verse still more weight. The Father has committed all judgment unto the Son (John 5:22). The Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). He will judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom (2 Timothy 4:1). Therefore Psalm 50:3 is no dead thunder from a former age. It agrees with the final glory of Christ the Judge. Our God shall come, and He shall not keep silence.
Psalm 50:3 should make the worshipper tremble and hope. Tremble, because God will not forever be silent toward hypocrisy, empty religion, evil speech, and disobedience. Hope, because the Judge is our God, and He judges righteously (v.6). Let no man mistake patience for permission. Let no man offer the shell of worship without thanksgiving, obedience, and fear. The God who calls His people to offer thanksgiving and pay their vows is the God who comes with devouring fire and tempestuous majesty. When He speaks, every mouth must stop before Him.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
Psalm 50 opens like a court of heaven. “The mighty God, even the LORD,” calls the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof (v.1). Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines (v.2). Then comes the solemn announcement: “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence.” The issue in this psalm is not whether men can perform religion, offer sacrifices, or speak God’s statutes with their mouths. The issue is whether they can stand when Jehovah comes to judge His people. He calls the heavens and the earth to witness as He judges His people (v.4). He gathers His saints who made covenant with Him by sacrifice (v.5). He then declares the righteousness of His own judgment, for “God is judge himself” (v.6). Verse 3 is the dreadful arrival of the Judge.
“Our God.” The words are warm, but they are not soft. Jehovah is the God of His people, but this does not make Him careless about their worship or conduct. Israel could say “our God,” yet He still rebuked them for empty sacrifice and disobedient lives (vv.7-15). The wicked could take His covenant in their mouth, yet God asked what they had to do to declare His statutes while they hated instruction and cast His words behind them (vv.16-17). Nearness to God increases accountability. Judgment must begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). Therefore “our God” is comfort to the obedient and terror to hypocrites.
“Shall come.” This is the language of divine manifestation in judgment. God is not confined to a place as men are, for the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Him (1 Kings 8:27). God is a Spirit (John 4:24). Yet Scripture speaks of God coming when He makes His presence known by power, judgment, deliverance, or visitation. He came down upon mount Sinai when the mountain burned with fire and the people trembled (Exodus 19:16-20). He came down to see the city and tower of Babel before confounding the language of proud men (Genesis 11:5-8). He came to judge Sodom after the cry of its sin was great before Him (Genesis 18:20-21; 19:24-25). Such language does not make God local or limited. It declares that God, who always sees, chooses a time to act openly.
“And shall not keep silence.” This is one of the most important lines in the psalm, for later God says to the wicked, “These things hast thou done, and I kept silence” (v.21). Men mistake God’s silence for approval. They sin, worship falsely, speak evil, slander their brother, and imagine God is altogether such an one as themselves (vv.19-21). But His silence is not consent. His patience is not weakness. His delay is not forgetfulness. When God breaks silence, He reproves and sets sin in order before the eyes of the wicked (v.21). The God who keeps silence for a season will not keep silence forever.
This should sober every worshipper. The psalm is not first directed to atheists outside the camp, but to those who knew sacrifices, covenant language, vows, statutes, and worship (vv.5,8,14,16). God was not rebuking them because He needed their bulls or goats, for every beast of the forest was His and the cattle upon a thousand hills were His (vv.8-13). He rebuked worship without the heart, sacrifice without thanksgiving, and profession without obedience (vv.14-17). Therefore, verse 3 is not mere poetic intensity, but a solemn warning that the God men approach in worship is also the God who comes to judge worshippers.
“A fire shall devour before him.” Fire is the fitting sign of God’s consuming holiness and judgment. Moses wrote, “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24). Psalm 97 uses similar language: “A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about” (Psalm 97:3). At Sinai the LORD descended upon the mountain in fire, and the whole mount quaked greatly (Exodus 19:18). The point is plain. God does not come as a harmless spectator. He comes with holiness that consumes rebellion, hypocrisy, and wickedness. Men may handle religion lightly, but they cannot handle God lightly.
This fire also warns against false confidence in outward worship. Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the LORD, which He commanded them not, and there went out fire from the LORD and devoured them (Leviticus 10:1-2). That history agrees with Psalm 50. God is not impressed by religious action He did not command or by worship divorced from obedience. He will be sanctified in them that come nigh Him (Leviticus 10:3). The same God who commands thanksgiving and vow-paying in verse 14 comes with devouring fire in verse 3. True worship must be reverent.
“And it shall be very tempestuous round about him.” The tempest shows the terror, majesty, and irresistible force of God’s judgment. The LORD has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet (Nahum 1:3). When David described the LORD arising to deliver him, the earth shook, the foundations trembled, smoke went out of His nostrils, fire out of His mouth devoured, and thick clouds, hail stones, and coals of fire surrounded the scene (Psalm 18:7-13). This is the language of divine majesty in judgment. God does not enter the court as a weak magistrate asking permission to rule. He comes with fire before Him and tempest round about Him.
The tempest also exposes the folly of resisting God. Men can manage appearances before other men. They can arrange sacrifices, quote statutes, speak religiously, and hide motives for a time (vv.8,16-21). But they cannot control the day God speaks. They cannot calm the storm around His throne. They cannot silence the Judge who will not keep silence. If He calls to the heavens above and to the earth that He may judge His people, no creature can refuse the summons (v.4). “God is judge himself” (v.6).
This verse has direct force for the church. God still rejects worship that is all form and no obedience. He still requires thanksgiving and faithful vows (v.14). He still rejects the man who speaks His statutes but hates instruction (vv.16-17). He still condemns the tongue given to evil and deceit (v.19). The God of Psalm 50 has not changed, for He says, “I am the LORD, I change not” (Malachi 3:6). Therefore, believers must not treat worship as performance, habit, family tradition, or outward correctness while the heart is unthankful and the life disobedient. “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints” (Psalm 89:7).
The New Testament gives this verse still more weight. The Father has committed all judgment unto the Son (John 5:22). The Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). He will judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom (2 Timothy 4:1). Therefore Psalm 50:3 is no dead thunder from a former age. It agrees with the final glory of Christ the Judge. Our God shall come, and He shall not keep silence.
Psalm 50:3 should make the worshipper tremble and hope. Tremble, because God will not forever be silent toward hypocrisy, empty religion, evil speech, and disobedience. Hope, because the Judge is our God, and He judges righteously (v.6). Let no man mistake patience for permission. Let no man offer the shell of worship without thanksgiving, obedience, and fear. The God who calls His people to offer thanksgiving and pay their vows is the God who comes with devouring fire and tempestuous majesty. When He speaks, every mouth must stop before Him.