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No.8.
Psalms 50: and 89:
pp. 181 - 185
Psalm 50:
This Psalm opens with God in all His majesty--El, Elohim, Jehovah, the God of gods,
even Jehovah. He is presented as the almighty One, the awe-inspiring and covenant God.
It is the only Psalm of Asaph in this second Book, the others occurring in Book three.
There is an introduction (verses 1-6), a conclusion (verses 22 and 23). In between we
find two divisions, first of all rebuking formalism (7-15) and the other rebuking
hypocrisy and unfaithfulness in His people Israel (16-21).
This Psalm could apply to Israel many times during their history, but we believe it
goes further than this and can be regarded as a prophecy of the end time which comes to
its climax with the Second Advent of Christ in power and great glory.
It will be to the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem that the Lord Jesus will return
(Zechariah 14: 1-4):
"Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. Our God shall come, and
shall not keep silence" (Psa. 50: 2, 3).
He comes first of all to save and judge His earthly people Israel and then to judge the
world that has rejected 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. And the heavens shall declare His righteousness: for God is Judge Himself.
Selah" (50: 4-6).
In His revelation of the tremendous events of the end of this age culminating in His
coming the second time to this earth; the Lord Jesus said:
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days (see verses 21 and 22) shall the sun be
darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and
the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of
man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth (or land) mourn, and they shall
see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He
shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His
elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (that is, dispersed Israel all
over the earth)" (Matt. 24: 29-31).
Many are the Scriptures which foretell this great re-gathering of Israel to the land
that God promised unconditionally and permanently to Abraham and his posterity
(Genesis 13: 14-17; 15: 18; 17: 7, 8).