Psalm 50 12

Psalm 50:12 kjv

If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

Psalm 50:12 nkjv

"If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.

Psalm 50:12 niv

If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

Psalm 50:12 esv

"If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.

Psalm 50:12 nlt

If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for all the world is mine and everything in it.

Psalm 50 verses

Psalm 50 12 Meaning

Psalm 50:12 proclaims God's absolute self-sufficiency and proprietorship over all creation. It reveals that the Almighty Creator is not dependent on human offerings, provisions, or any material thing for His well-being or existence. Through anthropomorphic language (speaking of hunger), God challenges the misguided notion that sacrifices are given to fulfill a need within Him. He emphasizes that the entire world and everything within it already belong to Him by virtue of His being its Maker. Therefore, if He were hypothetically "hungry"—a human limitation—He would not require humanity to provide for Him, as all resources are already inherently His.

Psalm 50 12 Context

Psalm 50 is a dramatic, prophetic psalm (a Mizmor Asaph), portraying God as a divine judge summoning Israel to account. Unlike many psalms that are prayers or laments to God, this is largely God speaking to His people. The central theme is the rejection of superficial ritualism and external performance without genuine inner righteousness.

God's indictment begins by asserting His unparalleled glory and sovereignty. In verses 7-13, He addresses the "pious" who meticulously perform sacrifices. Verse 12 comes as part of God's rhetorical questions, highlighting the absurdity of their understanding. He isn't condemning the sacrifices themselves, as He instituted them (vv. 8). Rather, He critiques the Israelites' misconception that God somehow needs these offerings for His sustenance or benefit, like pagan deities were thought to require human provisions.

The historical and cultural backdrop includes the widespread Ancient Near Eastern belief that gods were dependent on humans for food and sustenance, provided through sacrifices. Even within Israel, there was a growing legalism and misconception that sacrifices could earn favor or serve as a substitute for true devotion and obedience. Psalm 50, and particularly verse 12, stands as a direct polemic against both pagan anthropomorphic views of God needing sustenance, and Israel's internal failure to grasp God's absolute sovereignty and self-sufficiency, challenging their perverted understanding of worship.

Psalm 50 12 Word analysis

• If I were hungry (אִם אֶרְעָב, 'im 'er'av):
  • אִם ('im): "If." A conditional particle introducing a hypothetical or contrary-to-fact situation. It underscores that God is not hungry in any real sense.
  • אֶרְעָב ('er'av): "I would be hungry." First common singular imperfect of the verb רָעֵב (ra'ev), meaning "to be hungry" or "to famish." This is anthropomorphic language, attributing a human physical need to God to make a point comprehensible to humans. Its use highlights that even under such an impossible condition, God's nature remains unchanged.
• I would not tell you (לֹא־אֹמַר לָךְ, lo'-'omar lakh):
  • לֹא (lo'): "Not." A strong negative particle.
  • אֹמַר ('omar): "I would say/tell." First common singular imperfect of אָמַר ('amar), "to say, speak, command." This phrase strongly emphasizes God's complete independence and self-sufficiency. He does not need to ask for what is already His or what He provides Himself.
  • לָךְ (lakh): "To you (singular, masculine)." Refers to humanity, specifically Israel in this context. It implies God's statement is a direct address, asserting His majestic self-reliance.
• for (כִּי, ki): "For," "because," "indeed." A strong conjunction indicating the reason or justification for the preceding statement. It introduces the fundamental theological truth supporting God's self-sufficiency.
• the world (תֵּבֵל, tevel):
  • Means "world" or "earth." Often refers specifically to the habitable earth, where humanity dwells. It is distinct from אֶרֶץ ('eretz), which can mean land, ground, or the general earth. Here, "tevel" evokes a sense of ordered and inhabited creation.
• and its fullness (וּמְלֹאָהּ, u'mlo'ah):
  • וּ (u-): "And."
  • מְלֹאָהּ (mlo'ah): "Its fullness," "its abundance," "all that fills it." Derived from the root מָלֵא (male'), meaning "to be full" or "to fill." This comprehensively includes all living beings (animals, humanity), all natural resources, and all the inherent wealth and abundance found within creation. It leaves no part of creation outside God's dominion.
• are mine (לִי הִיא, li hi'):
  • לִי (li): "To me," "for me," "mine." The preposition לְ (le) with the first person singular suffix. Expresses strong possession.
  • הִיא (hi'): "It is." A feminine singular pronoun, agreeing with תֵּבֵל (tevel), "world." This emphatic statement declares direct, intrinsic, and undisputed divine ownership.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "If I were hungry, I would not tell you": This phrase functions as a striking rhetorical device (anthropomorphism). It exposes the absurdity of humans thinking God needs anything from them, much less to be informed of a "need." It underscores God's total independence and challenges the transaction-based understanding of sacrifice prevalent at the time.
• "for the world and its fullness are mine": This is the divine assertion of universal ownership, the foundational reason for His self-sufficiency. "The world" (תֵּבֵל) encompasses all organized and inhabited creation, and "its fullness" (וּמְלֹאָהּ) signifies every single detail, resource, and creature within it. This dual expression provides a complete scope of God's dominion, meaning there is absolutely nothing God doesn't already own or have access to.

Psalm 50 12 Bonus section

This verse not only addresses a misconstrued understanding of sacrifice but also serves as a potent theological statement against any anthropomorphic reduction of God. It firmly establishes God's ontological distinctness from humanity and from created order itself. God is not a bigger version of man, susceptible to the same needs or limitations. His being is infinite, transcendent, and completely self-existent (aseity). This declaration thus reinforces the proper fear of the Lord and profound reverence for His majestic nature, rejecting the idea that human actions could either benefit or hinder God in His being. It reorients the worshiper from focusing on what they give to what God inherently is.

Psalm 50 12 Commentary

Psalm 50:12 provides a powerful corrective to a distorted understanding of God and worship. It fundamentally asserts God's ultimate sovereignty and absolute self-sufficiency. By stating He would not inform humanity even if hypothetically hungry, God dismisses any notion of dependence on created beings. The subsequent declaration, "for the world and its fullness are mine," establishes the basis for this independence: as the Creator and Owner of all things, God possesses an inherent, inexhaustible storehouse from which He needs no human contribution.

This verse strips away the commercialism from religious practices, highlighting that sacrifices are not transactions to benefit or sustain God, but rather expressions of thanksgiving, obedience, and recognition of His unmatched glory by humanity. True worship flows from understanding God's inherent greatness, not from perceiving His need. The emphasis shifts from outward ritual to inward recognition of divine truth. Practically, it encourages a mindset of stewardship—we offer back to God what is already His, in humble gratitude, acknowledging that all we have and all we are comes from Him.