Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in
pieces, and there be none to deliver (Ps. 50:22).
Here we have more of that severe expostulation which is
absolutely necessary in dealing with hardened hypocrites, who otherwise will
only deride all instruction. While, however, the Psalmist threatens and intends
to alarm them, he would, at the same time, hold out to them the hope of pardon,
upon their hastening to avail themselves of it.
But to prevent them from giving way to delay, he warns them
of the severity, as well as the suddenness, of the divine judgments. He also
charges them with base ingratitude, in having forgotten God. And here what a
remarkable proof have we of the grace of God in extending the hope of mercy to
those corrupt men, who had so impiously profaned his worship, who had so
audaciously and sacrilegiously mocked at his forbearance, and who had abandoned
themselves to such scandalous crimes!
In calling them to repentance, without all doubt he extends
to them the hope of God being reconciled to them, that they may venture to
appear in the presence of his majesty. And can we conceive of greater clemency
than this, thus to invite to himself, and into the bosom of the Church, such
perfidious apostates and violators of his covenant, who had departed from the
doctrine of godliness in which they had been brought up? Great as it is, we
would do well to reflect that it is no greater than what we have ourselves
experienced. We, too, had apostatized from the Lord, and in his singular mercy
has he brought us again into his fold. (Commentaries)
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