Psalms 50:16
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?
God gives the wicked no right to speak His statutes or take His covenant on their lips while they hate instruction, cast His words behind them, and continue in sin and transgression, for merely speaking the covenant does not make anyone true to it. To profess to keep His commandments and obey His law while breaking it does not make the course righteous, because profession and obedience cannot be separated. Those whose hearts remain impure, conceited, unsanctified and unconverted are unfit to declare His statutes and teach His truth, for speaking the truth must be joined to cleansing and a life changed by faith through Christ's Spirit. Deeds reveal character, so evil conduct and unfit speech by one who professes truth bring reproach upon God's cause and mar His work. Instead of preaching or talking the truth to others, such a one should become quiet and set the heart right before God, whose judgment searches character and calls for humble repentance and confession.
Meaning of the Rebuke
The rebuke denies the wicked any right to declare God's statutes or to take His covenant in the mouth while rejecting His instruction, casting His words behind them, and continuing in sin and transgression. Merely speaking the covenant does not make a person faithful to it, and a life that contradicts the profession exposes the claim as empty. Teaching the Sabbath or appearing holy does not prove the heart right with God when the conduct denies what the lips assert. Professing obedience to God's law while violating it, promoting sin, and using religious influence to draw others into transgression is a grave offense against heaven. Outward claims of belonging to God do not excuse disobedience by those who use what they possess for self-glory rather than for God's purposes. Professing love and fear of God while cherishing hatred, injuring the reputation of others, and speaking wickedly exposes the same contradiction between profession and character, and calls for humble repentance and confession under God's searching judgment of character.
A claim to keep God's commandments does not make unrighteous conduct righteous. Profession and obedience cannot be separated, so that to declare His law while living in transgression is itself condemned. Those who make a display of serving God while departing from His counsel fall under the same rebuke.
Deeds reveal character. Evil conduct by a professor brings reproach upon God's cause. Unfitting talk from a conceited and unsanctified heart mars His work.
Unfit to Teach Truth
Those whose hearts are impure and who have not been converted are unfit to declare God's statutes and to teach His truth. The same unfitness rests on one whose heart and life are conceited and unsanctified, for whom speaking forth the statutes is not fitting. Declaring His truth must be joined to cleansing and to a life changed by faith. Those who teach the truth must themselves be clean and sanctified by Christ's Spirit.
Such a person should not preach or talk the truth to others but should become quiet and set the heart right before God. Loose talk from an unsanctified heart mars God's work and brings reproach upon His cause. God's judgment examines character, exposing the contradiction when profession is joined to a life that rejects His instruction. The only right response is humble repentance and confession before Him.
Forms of False Profession
Teaching the Sabbath or appearing holy does not prove the heart right with God when the life contradicts the profession, for deeds reveal character and evil conduct brings reproach on His cause. Professing sanctification and speaking God's truth while rejecting His instruction and casting His words aside only exposes the contradiction between profession and deeds. Professing obedience to God's law while living in sin, promoting sin, and using religious influence to draw others into transgression is a grave offense against heaven, and a claim to keep His commandments does not make such conduct righteous.
Outward claims of belonging to God do not excuse disobedience by those who reject His instruction and cast His words aside to use what they possess for self-glory rather than for His purposes. Professing love and fear of God while cherishing hatred, damaging others' reputations, and speaking wickedly exposes the contradiction between profession and character, which God's judgment examines, calling for humble repentance and confession. Cherishing an unforgiving spirit toward a brother who has done all in his power to confess and remove the difficulty breaks covenant with God and casts His words behind. Even after hearts have been subdued and broken, unity restored, and God's blessing received, holding the offense grieves God. Such refusal is no longer against the brother but rejection of the Holy Spirit who worked to remove the impression, giving place to satanic influences, pursuing an unchristlike course, and marking the doer as wicked.
The rebuke will be spoken to all who profess to serve God while making a display, departing from His counsel, living in transgression, following human nature, and manifesting a love for supremacy. The Lord has abased kings, and those on that course will be found on the losing side as the rapidly developing spirit of antichrist culminates. The psalm reveals the greatness of God and the fearful loss of those working on Satan's side, applying to those who give themselves to anarchy, war and strife and fail to stand under Christ's rule, who at the last great day will see how many souls were lost through their course.