Daily Devotion of Psalm 50

Daily Nugget:
Psalm 50 is a powerful song reminding the hearer of something all fear — judgment. It is this frightful, gnawing thought that has led many to salvation to escape the judging hand of God.

In this Psalm, it is addressing judgment for the Jews in the last days. However, there is a judgment of which all should be wary. Sin and ultimately all people will be judged.

Many are facing judgments for their sin, actions, or lack of doing what they should be doing now. There is a wage for all evil. No one, including nations, will get away with sin.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Gal. 6:7

Many fear judgment after this life, but it can occur today. God’s dissatisfaction on us is not always expressed by lightning flashing out of the sky or “natural” phenomenons. Sometimes His wrath is poured out with failed harvests, hardened hearts, the influx of foreigners, loss of freedoms, lost wars, pestilences, plagues, poverty, and spiritual blindness. Many are facing judgment and are not even aware what God is allowing to happen in their life. The unsaved and saved alike can experience these judgments.

However, the judgment of sin during our lifetime on Earth is not the end of chastisement for those that have rejected Christ as their Saviour. At the end of the Tribulation and after the Millenial (1,000 year) Reign of Christ, the lost will face the most horrifying trials and punishment of all time. They will face God’s judgment, and their sentence will be for an eternity in the Lake of Fire. What a frightening time that will be for so many.
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Rev. 20:11-15

There is also a judgment for the believer. He will not be judged for his sin, as they trusted Christ’s death on the Cross as an acceptable sacrifice for all their sins. They will, however, have to give an account for what they had done for God after their salvation. That time is called the "Judgement Seat of Christ.”
“For we [speaking to Christians] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” II Cor.5:10 
“But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” Rom. 14:10

There is a price tag for all that is done in this life. There can be judgment occurring in your life now, and all will face a time of judgment after they close their eyes to this world. Which future judgment will you face? Will it be for what you have done for Christ or with others that have rejected Christ sacrificial death for their sins? Make the eternally important decision right now while there is still time!

Today’s Thought:
“You may juggle human laws. You may fool human courts, but there is a judgment to come, and from it there is no appeal.” — Gifford

Words to Understand:
Asaph: a song leader in the Temple
Tempestuous: turbulent, violent weather
Zion: Jerusalem

Today’s Reading:
Psalm 50
1 A Psalm of Asaph. The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
5 Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.
6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.
7 ¶ Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.
8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.
9 I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
16 ¶ 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?
17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.
18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.
21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.