Psalm 50:1 kjv
The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
Psalm 50:1 nkjv
A Psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God the LORD, Has spoken and called the earth From the rising of the sun to its going down.
Psalm 50:1 niv
A psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
Psalm 50:1 esv
The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Psalm 50:1 nlt
The LORD, the Mighty One, is God,
and he has spoken;
he has summoned all humanity
from where the sun rises to where it sets.
Psalm 50 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 14:18-20 | ...Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine... blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth..." | God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth |
| Deut 4:19 | ...beware lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun... and all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and worship them... the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples... | God's universal distribution, contrasts sun worship |
| Josh 22:22 | “The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows..." | Triple divine title, emphasis on knowing all |
| Psa 9:8 | He judges the world with righteousness; He executes judgment for the peoples with uprightness. | God as universal righteous judge |
| Psa 19:1-6 | The heavens declare the glory of God... Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. | Creation's universal witness to God |
| Psa 75:7 | ...it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. | God's sovereign judicial power |
| Psa 96:13 | ...for He comes, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness. | God's coming for universal righteous judgment |
| Psa 98:9 | ...for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. | God's judgment, bringing justice and equity |
| Psa 113:3 | From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised! | God's praise from dawn to dusk, universality of His renown |
| Isa 1:2 | Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against Me.” | God summons creation to witness judgment against His people |
| Isa 45:22 | “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” | Universal call to salvation by the only God |
| Jer 2:12 | Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for My people have committed two evils... | God's summons to heaven and earth to witness Israel's sin |
| Mal 1:11 | “For from the rising of the sun to its setting My name will be great among the nations... and in every place incense will be offered to My name..." | Universal worship of God among all nations |
| Mal 3:5 | “Then I will draw near to you for judgment... and against those who oppress the hired worker, the widow, and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear Me..." | God's specific approach for judgment on unrighteous acts |
| Matt 24:30-31 | ...they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. | Son of Man's future universal gathering and judgment |
| Matt 28:18-20 | “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." | Christ's universal authority and command for global mission |
| Acts 17:31 | ...He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed... | God's appointed day for world judgment by Jesus |
| Rom 2:16 | ...on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. | God's judgment of inner motives through Christ |
| Eph 1:21-22 | ...far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named... and He put all things under His feet... | Christ's supreme and universal authority |
| Phil 2:9-11 | Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth... | Christ's universal worship and authority over all creation |
| Heb 1:1-2 | Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son... through Whom also He created the world. | God speaking with ultimate authority through His Son |
| Heb 12:25 | See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking... | Warns against rejecting God's divine word |
| 1 Pet 4:17 | For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God... | Judgment starts with God's own people |
| Rev 20:11-13 | Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it... and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. | Future final universal judgment |
Psalm 50 verses
Psalm 50 1 Meaning
Psalm 50:1 introduces the Sovereign Judge of all creation. It declares that God, in His full divine authority and universal power, speaks and issues a summons to the entire world, extending His call from the extreme east to the extreme west. This opening sets the stage for a dramatic divine pronouncement and judgment upon His people, underscoring God's absolute dominion over all things and all peoples.
Psalm 50 1 Context
Psalm 50 is one of the "Asaph psalms" (Psalms 50, 73-83), which are known for their prophetic, ethical, and liturgical teachings, often presented as divine oracles. The broader context of Psalm 50 is a dramatic, legal, or courtroom scene. God is depicted as a majestic judge assembling the entire cosmos—heaven and earth—as witnesses and then prosecuting His own people, Israel. The subsequent verses reveal that God's indictment is not against their ceremonial sacrifices themselves (which they performed outwardly), but against their internal corruption, hypocrisy, and misunderstanding of true worship and obedience. This opening verse, therefore, establishes the supreme and universal authority of the one true God who is about to pronounce judgment on those who claimed to know Him but failed to live according to His covenant. Historically, this setting might echo the covenant renewal ceremonies at Sinai or Shechem, where God’s authority was unequivocally established before His people.
Psalm 50 1 Word analysis
The Mighty One: (אֵל, El) – This Hebrew term refers to God as the strong, powerful, and preeminent one. It emphasizes God's omnipotence and absolute might, often in a transcendent or primal sense. It suggests the raw, untamed power of the divine.
God: (אֱלֹהִים, Elohim) – This is a plural noun (majesty, intensity, or fulness) used with a singular verb, emphasizing the supreme Deity. It refers to God as the Creator, the divine sovereign over all. This term highlights His majesty, deity, and inherent power as the one true God, distinct from any other gods.
the LORD: (יְהֹוָה, YHWH or Yahweh, rendered Adonai when read aloud by Jews) – This is God's covenant, personal name revealed to Israel, signifying His unchanging, self-existent nature, His faithfulness, and His redemptive relationship with His people. The use of all three names (El Elohim YHWH) together in this opening, also seen in Josh 22:22, creates an emphatic, triple-barreled designation, conveying the fullest possible understanding of God's being: mighty, supreme, and intimately covenantal. This trifecta proclaims His unrivaled identity and universal dominion.
speaks: (דִּבֶּר, dibber) – Implies a powerful, authoritative utterance. It suggests a declarative act, a divine decree. God is not simply muttering; He is formally making a pronouncement.
and summons: (קָרָא, qara') – Meaning "to call" or "to summon." In this context, it has a legal or official connotation, like a summons to a court or a formal assembly. This sets up the judicial drama that unfolds throughout Psalm 50. It’s an authoritative, compelling call.
the earth: (אָרֶץ, eretz) – Refers to the physical land, the inhabited world, all humanity. This signifies the universal scope of God's authority and the global reach of His summons.
from the rising of the sun to its setting: (מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁמֶשׁ עַד־מְבֹאוֹ, mimizraḥ-shemesh ʿad-mĕbōʾô) – This is a merism, a literary device where two opposite parts represent the whole. It means "from east to west," signifying everywhere, every corner of the world, all-inclusively. This phrase emphasizes the totality and universality of the summons.
"The Mighty One, God, the LORD": This is an extraordinary combination of divine titles, unique in its force and emphasis. It presents God as not merely one deity among others, but as the supreme, omnipotent, and relational God of all creation. It’s a complete self-revelation of His identity, both His universal power (
El Elohim) and His particular covenantal relationship (YHWH)."speaks and summons": These two verbs indicate a deliberate, authoritative action. God isn't merely observing; He is actively initiating a divine court, underscoring His role as the ultimate arbiter.
Psalm 50 1 Bonus section
The profound composite naming of God in Psalm 50:1 directly counters the pagan worldview prevalent in the ancient Near East, where deities were often considered localized, limited in power, or subject to higher cosmic forces. By asserting El Elohim YHWH, the psalmist proclaims a God who is both transcending and immanent, all-powerful over everything and personally involved with His creation. This opening establishes an uncompromising monotheism and an all-encompassing divine authority, declaring that the God of Israel is not merely one god among many, nor limited by geographical boundaries, but is the single, supreme Ruler of the cosmos who has the right and power to summon all nations and creation to account. The act of God speaking and summoning the earth highlights His personhood and direct engagement with the world He governs, not as a silent or distant deity, but as an active, vocal, and imminent judge.
Psalm 50 1 Commentary
Psalm 50:1 acts as a grand overture to a divine court session. The combined use of "El Elohim YHWH" is a powerful and definitive declaration of God's full identity and authority: He is the supreme, powerful God of creation (El Elohim) and the covenant-keeping, personal God of Israel (YHWH). This majestic triune naming elevates Him beyond all other claimants to deity, unequivocally establishing His unique and absolute sovereignty. His "speaking" and "summoning" indicate a deliberate, authoritative, and formal legal action. The summons is issued not only to Israel, but "the earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting," which encompasses all of humanity and indeed, all creation, emphasizing that His dominion is cosmic and His judgment is universal. This sets a cosmic stage for what follows—an indictment not only for a local or tribal issue but for the deepest spiritual failure against a universally sovereign God. It communicates that His impending judgment is not based on tribal custom or national preference, but on absolute divine standards and ultimate truth, valid for all creation He has brought into existence and maintains.