Psalm 50 is a great comfort ... even in 2021

"My Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills!"

Have you heard someone glibly use that statement? Perhaps you have used it yourself. To let you know immediately that I'm not being judgmental, I want to let you know that I have used it too!

I thought about this a little over a week ago as Millie and I took one of our usual trips on our day off. Many times, we have seen cattle in one of the fields along Route 13 going to Marion. But on this day, there were so many more cattle in the field that one of us made a remark about it. That's when I thought of the statement above.

The question is, how do we use it? It's a great statement found in Psalm 50:10 as God speaks through the Psalmist. And, it is a true one if you are a believer. But have we searched to see where it comes from? And, have we used it properly?

Perhaps we use it for our own benefit like my 5-year-old grandson. He, his dad, Nana and I were discussing his feelings about preschool. His dad said to Nana: "Micah loves school!" Micah's reply: "No! I don't!" Dad: "He says he doesn't, but he doesn't mean it. He's made all kinds of friends." Micah: "Well, I've made friends all around the world everywhere I go!"

Micah was using his "making friends all around the world" to back up his argument about school.

We do the same with the statement about our "Father" owning the cattle on a thousand hills. And, it's true for every believer (Micah's statement about "making friends" is true also). But when we look at its context in Psalm 50:10, it's meaning for the believer's eternal assurance in our "Mighty God" is even greater.

In fact, the Psalm starts: "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 (Ps. 50:1)."

The Psalm continues in verses 2 through 5 to speak of God's glorious radiance and that He is not silent. "He calls on the heavens above and the earth below to witness the judgment of His people." Then God says, "Bring my faithful people to me - those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices (v. 6)."

Beginning in verse 7, we work toward the meaning of our statement. God calls for His people to listen: "I am God, your God!" He has no complaints about the sacrifices Israel offers. But says, "I do not need the bulls from your barns (v. 9)." The reason? He owns "all the animals ... and I own the cattle on a thousand hills (v. 10)." In verses 11-13, God said He owns all animals and birds and doesn't need to eat bulls, or goats!

Now, read carefully verses 14 and 15. "Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call on Me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor Me." WOW! Are those not words of great comfort and assurance for those of us who are believers even in 2021? But, that's not the end!

After a warning of judgment upon the unbelieving and wicked in vv. 16-21, He ended His psalm of wonderful assurance: "Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors me, and whoever orders his conduct, I will show him the salvation of God (vv. 23)."

Matthew Henry said in his commentary: "This psalm is a psalm of instruction. It tells of the coming of Christ and the day of judgment, in which God will call men to account; and the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of judgment."

And later, "Man's chief end is to glorify God: who so offers praise, glorifies him, and his spiritual sacrifices shall be accepted. We must praise God, sacrifice praise, put it into the hands of the Priest, our Lord Jesus, who is also the altar: we must be fervent in spirit, praising the Lord. Let us thankfully accept God's mercy, and endeavor to glorify him in word and deed."

Psalm 50 is a wonderful psalm that should bring us to gratitude as we begin the uncertain days ahead in 2021. Remember that the next time you say, "My Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills!"

Thank God that He does! But Thank God even more that He provided His Son, Jesus Christ, as the sacrifice for our eternal salvation. Let's live in gratitude for this in 2021.

• Jack Hall is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Shawneetown.