Psalm 50:7 kjv
Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.
Psalm 50:7 nkjv
"Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you; I am God, your God!
Psalm 50:7 niv
"Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel: I am God, your God.
Psalm 50:7 esv
"Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.
Psalm 50:7 nlt
"O my people, listen as I speak.
Here are my charges against you, O Israel:
I am God, your God!
Psalm 50 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 6:4 | "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." | Shema - Call to hear and obey |
| Isa 1:2 | "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; For the Lord has spoken..." | God calling creation to witness |
| Jer 7:23 | "But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God...’" | God demands obedience to covenant |
| Mic 6:8 | "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require..." | Focus on obedience over ritual |
| Exod 15:26 | "If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right... | Condition for God's blessings |
| Deut 31:19 | "Now therefore write this song for yourselves and teach it to the people...it may be a witness..." | Song of witness against Israel |
| Isa 1:4 | "Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity...They have forsaken the Lord..." | Rebellious state of the people |
| Jer 2:12-13 | "Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate,’ declares the Lord, ‘for my people have committed two evils...'" | God's charges against Israel's apostasy |
| Hos 4:1 | "Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants..." | God's lawsuit (rib) with Israel |
| Mal 3:5 | "Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness..." | God as Judge and swift witness |
| John 16:8 | "And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment..." | Spirit's work of conviction |
| Rom 3:19 | "Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God." | All under judgment, God's witness confirmed |
| Exod 19:5 | "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession..." | Covenant relationship established |
| Rom 9:4 | "They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises." | Privileges and responsibilities of Israel |
| Exod 20:2 | "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt..." | First Commandment - God's self-revelation |
| Deut 5:6 | "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt..." | Reiterated identity, foundation of law |
| Jer 24:7 | "I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God..." | New Covenant promise, internal change |
| Ezek 37:27 | "My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." | Restoration, God's presence among them |
| Hos 2:23 | "And I will sow her for myself in the land. And I will have mercy on No Mercy. And I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’; and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’" | Future restoration and reversal of judgment |
| Zech 8:8 | "And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in Jerusalem, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, in steadfast love and faithfulness." | Future blessing and covenant faithfulness |
| Heb 8:10 | "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel... I will be their God, and they shall be my people..." | New Covenant fulfillment, intimate relationship |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God." | Ultimate fulfillment, God dwelling with His people |
Psalm 50 verses
Psalm 50 7 Meaning
Psalm 50:7 is a solemn declaration by God, presented as a judicial pronouncement to His covenant people, Israel. God calls for their attention, not as an appeal for input, but to announce His forthcoming testimony against them. He establishes His unquestionable authority and unique relationship with them by emphatically declaring, "I am God, your God," setting the stage for a divine lawsuit.
Psalm 50 7 Context
Psalm 50 is a dramatic prophetic oracle, often described as a "covenant lawsuit" or "divine court scene" where God is both the judge and the prosecuting attorney. It departs from typical lament or praise psalms. The chapter opens with God summoning all of creation as witnesses (vv. 1-6) before addressing His own people, Israel, directly in verse 7. The core issue of the psalm is Israel's misunderstanding of true worship and covenant relationship. They were meticulously offering sacrifices (v. 8) but failing in the heart of the law—obedience, thanksgiving, and righteousness (vv. 9-15). God rejects their superficial ritualism, emphasizing that He doesn't need their sacrifices (He owns everything), but desires genuine praise, fulfillment of vows, and calling upon Him in times of trouble. The Psalm contrasts outer performance with inner spiritual reality, concluding with a warning against forgetting God (v. 22) and an affirmation that true salvation comes through genuine thanksgiving and obedient living (v. 23).
Psalm 50 7 Word analysis
- "Hear" (שְׁמַע - Sh'ma): An imperative verb, profoundly significant in Hebrew. It means not just to perceive sound, but to listen attentively, comprehend, and obey. This command echoes the famous Shema Yisrael ("Hear, O Israel") from Deut 6:4, foundational to Jewish faith, linking this verse to the covenant's demand for full allegiance and responsiveness from the people. Its placement at the beginning is a direct, urgent call for attention in a courtroom setting.
- "O My people" (עַמִּי - ‘ammi): The possessive suffix "My" highlights God’s deep, proprietary claim and covenantal relationship with Israel. They are His chosen people, bound to Him through divine election and covenant, underscoring both their privilege and their profound responsibility. This affectionate yet firm address indicates that the upcoming judgment is from their own sovereign God, who has a vested interest in them.
- "and I will speak" (וַאֲדַבֵּרָה - va'adaberah): This introduces the divine monologue that follows. The Cohortative form signifies God's firm resolve and intention to speak authoritatively and with specific purpose. It’s not an offer for dialogue, but an announcement of an unyielding divine declaration, marking the commencement of His charges.
- "O Israel" (יִשְׂרָאֵל - Yisrael): The double address, first "My people" and then "Israel," intensifies the summons. "Israel" refers to the entire covenant community, the people who strive with God, emphasizing their national identity and their history as recipients of God's law and promises. This reinforces the universality of the summons to the entire nation.
- "I will testify against you" (וְאָעִידָה בָּךְ - ve'a‘idah bakh): From the root ‘ud (עוּד), meaning "to bear witness, testify." In a legal context, it implies giving evidence. This is a crucial declaration, shifting God's role from simply "speaker" to "witness" and prosecutor against His own people. This denotes a serious legal proceeding where God Himself will lay out the charges, suggesting that their actions warrant divine indictment. The "against you" (בָּךְ - bakh) underscores the adversarial nature of the upcoming revelation.
- "I am God, your God" (אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֶיךָ - Anokhi Elohim Eloheykha): A powerful double affirmation of divine identity and covenant ownership. "I am" (אָנֹכִי - Anokhi): An emphatic first-person pronoun, resonating with the self-identification in the Ten Commandments ("I am the Lord your God...") (Exod 20:2). It conveys ultimate authority and unwavering presence. "God" (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim): The generic Hebrew word for God, often used to refer to the supreme God. Its usage here asserts His absolute deity and power over all things. "your God" (אֱלֹהֶיךָ - Eloheykha*): The possessive pronoun reiterates the personal and covenantal bond. It reminds Israel of the special relationship God established with them, implying both blessings and the expectation of exclusive allegiance. This strong affirmation establishes God's unique authority to judge His people because He is their very own covenant Lord, who redeemed them and has a rightful claim over them.
Psalm 50 7 Bonus section
- Covenant Lawsuit Genre (ריב - Rîb): Psalm 50 belongs to a prophetic literary genre known as the rib or "covenant lawsuit." In these texts, God brings a legal case against Israel, outlining charges of covenant infidelity. The format often includes a summons (vv. 1-6), the indictment (v. 7 onwards), the accusation, the evidence, and the verdict. This helps the reader understand the judicial gravity of the passage.
- Contrast to Paganism: In contrast to surrounding pagan beliefs where gods supposedly needed human offerings to sustain themselves or be appeased through material goods, Psalm 50 radically asserts God's self-sufficiency. This verse begins the challenge to such a misconception by emphasizing God's intrinsic authority rather than His needing anything from Israel. He testifies against them from a position of absolute power and independence.
- Significance of God's Name: While the personal name YHWH (the Lord) is often used in the Exodus account with "your God," the use of "Elohim" (God) here along with "your God" emphasizes both God's universal sovereignty and His specific covenant relationship, giving the judgment an even broader, authoritative scope.
Psalm 50 7 Commentary
Psalm 50:7 acts as the divine indictment within God's self-initiated "covenant lawsuit" against Israel. It underscores that God, who brought them into existence and made a covenant with them, has every right to call them to account. The solemn opening, "Hear, O My people," establishes His enduring bond with them, while the declaration "I will testify against you" reveals the depth of their spiritual misalignment. Their worship and obedience were formal and external, neglecting the internal transformation and heart righteousness God truly desired. By stating, "I am God, your God," the Almighty Judge reminds Israel of His unique identity and covenant claim, setting the unwavering basis for the judgment that follows, revealing that superficial rituals cannot mask genuine disobedience and lack of true devotion. This verse serves as a potent reminder that divine ownership comes with divine expectations.