Psalms 50:23, commentary and pictures

To offer praise is to glorify God, honoring Him rather than merely performing outward worship, and to order one's way of life rightly before Him is to be shown His salvation. Praise is grateful thanksgiving from heart and lips for His power, goodness, mercy, redemption through Christ, pardon, care and daily blessings. Ordering conduct rightly means turning from wrongdoing to live obediently, humbly and holy, with speech kept from complaint, harshness and fault-finding and given instead to true, encouraging and hopeful words. To such as live in this right relation God reveals His salvation in help, deliverance, pardon, guidance through trial and power to save others. This is lived daily by being cheerful, singing praise even in discouragement, speaking faith to refresh others, and refusing desponding talk.

Words and Historical Setting

True worship is not merely outward sacrifice, for offering praise is what glorifies God, while claiming His covenant while rejecting instruction and doing evil stands in contrast to ordering conduct rightly before Him. The psalm belongs with Psalms 24 and 25 in showing the greatness of God and the rule of Christ. It warns those working on Satan's side in anarchy, war, and strife of the fearful loss they incur by failing to stand under Christ, a loss fully seen at the last great day when souls are found lost through their failure.

Israel's song of deliverance exemplifies offering praise, giving glory to God for defeating the enemies of righteousness. That song points forward to the final victory of God's people, making praise the fitting response to God and salvation the hope of those who live rightly. The thankful response of the healed woman to her deliverance likewise glorified God, while the indignation of the synagogue leaders showed no gratitude for her healing. "Conversation" in the verse means conduct, way, life, and daily ways, calling for turning from wrongdoing and living rightly before God as firm personal determination. This ordering is the living principle of discipleship beyond Sabbath religion alone, showing unmistakable evidence of belonging to Christ through daily individual responsibility, watchfulness, spirituality, faith and the Holy Spirit.

Praise Glorifies God

Whoso offereth praise glorifieth God, honoring Him and bringing glory to His name. Right conduct that orders life aright stands in contrast to claiming His covenant while rejecting instruction and doing evil, for worship is not merely outward sacrifice. Remembering blessings and gratefully acknowledging them honors Him, and seeking to serve Him when pressed by temptation means singing praises instead of speaking discouragingly of experience. Praise includes thanking Him and acknowledging Christ's grace and God's goodness and blessings with heart and soul and voice, and it is also a help to others through words of praise and timely encouragement. The heart and voice are to be educated to praise Him and to receive His blessings, and true willing obedience bears fruit in praise and thanksgiving expressed with heart and voice in gratitude for His power, love, mercy, and favors.

Praise is thanksgiving and gratitude flowing from the heart and expressed with lips and voice, magnifying His name in continual thankfulness for all there is to be thankful for. It acknowledges His power, goodness, love, mercy, compassion, favors, and daily blessings, and is the fitting response to His love, compassion, redemption, and wonderful works. It may be offered with heart, soul, and voice both in the congregation and in worship with all heaven, by a bright, cheerful, happy people who carry light to the world.

Praise is fitting in response to His mercy and exceeding love, to redemption and wonderful works, to the joy of pardoned transgression and forgiven sin, and to the greatness of the sacrifice Christ made in bearing sins on the cross which opens the lips in testimony. No sorrowful tone is to be brought into meetings but continual praise, coming from having the light of Christ in the heart and knowing pardon. Praise should rise from remembering great mercies and daily gifts, especially deliverance from sin through Jesus' death, the hope of redemption and heaven, God's promises, and Jesus' intercession. Praise is also due for care and provision including rain, harvests, fruits, and grains, to be expressed in households and fields, for deliberate thanksgiving acknowledges His goodness and blessings, He takes notice, and He lets blessing rest on those who do so.

Praise is to be directed to God rather than to self. It requires putting away every thread of selfishness so benevolence and the love of God may possess the heart, putting away pretense, self-exaltation, self-interest, and self-depreciation, guarding words, cultivating a humble thankful spirit, and having more confidence in God. Believers are the Lord's property bought with a price and must glorify Him in body and spirit, giving few words to self-exaltation and many words of praise to the Lord Jehovah, with hearts overflowing with thankfulness for truth possessed. To order conduct aright is to take God's standard, walk in the shadow of the cross of Calvary, trust Christ's sufficient grace in weakness, reflect the Redeemer's character, and show forth the praises of Him who called sinners out of darkness into marvelous light through redemption in Christ.

Praise in song draws the soul nearer to heaven and brings worship into harmony with the worship of the heavenly hosts. Praise belongs in daily conversation, music, and song because of all God has done, and praising Him here prepares people to join the heavenly choir and praise Him forever. Singing His praises with sanctified lips and tongues even when discouraged, telling uplifting stories of what it means to be an overcomer that bring cheer and courage, and putting away sorry stories, fretting, complaining, quarreling, and differences glorifies Him with the voice. When praise is offered in discouragement, angels shed their light around and drive back the evil angels that are near, discouragement gives way to hope and courage in the Lord, more of God's salvation is seen, and His rich blessing rests.

Praise is a duty like prayer, coming from a full and sincere heart in gratitude for love and redemption, for access to grace, care in every concern, hope of salvation, and Christ's righteousness, and recounting His goodness and works increases joy in Him and effectiveness in service. The heart and voice are to be educated to praise Him, praise is the tribute due to Him to be expressed with gratitude and rejoicing including in songs shared with one another, and it gives voice in gathered worship to understanding of His word and participation in worship. Believers are called to praise the Lord much more and much more often, for praising more often makes spiritual sight keener to discern His blessings as the author of all blessings, leading to grateful praise with good courage and rest and peace in Christ.

Ordering Conduct Aright

To order the conversation aright is to turn from wrongdoing and set conduct right and live rightly before God in obedience to His will. It is to live humbly, holy, harmless and separate from sinners, with dress, conversation and actions showing Christ formed within as pilgrims looking toward His appearing. Depending fully on the Saviour rather than trusting one's own understanding as if one knows the whole story belongs to this right ordering of life.

Ordering the conversation aright shapes character through speech, uttering no foolishness, boasting, self-praise or demeriting of brethren. It puts away harsh and sharp words that sadden and discourage hearers, and complaint, censure, murmuring, fault-finding, mourning and groaning, replacing them with wise, true, encouraging, faithful and hopeful words. Such words do good to brethren, express confidence in them, bring happiness, light and gladness to worship, let precious truth sanctify the soul, lift up the Saviour against the enemy who then flees, and will stand the test of judgment. This is learned by reading psalms full of praise, getting God's praises in mind and on the lips, remembering His mercies and love even when wronged or insulted, forgetting dark chapters and insults behind, storing the mind with precious promises, thinking only of mercy, loving-kindness and the inexpressible love of Jesus, and making melody to God in the heart with joy and gratitude as the language of the soul.

Right ordering is daily consecration and not Sabbath religion alone, a firm personal determination to order daily conduct and all ways rightly before God. It centers the affections on God, remembers His goodness and love, and lets praise flow back to Him, for when affections are elsewhere that praise is withheld, while praise itself strengthens the soul in spiritual power. It takes God's standard as the standard, puts away self-exaltation and self-interest, walks in the shadow of the cross of Calvary, trusts Christ's sufficient grace in human weakness, and reflects the Redeemer's character. It lives by faith rather than feeling, resting in God's love, relying firmly on a Thus saith the Lord, keeping the mind stayed upon God, working on the faith side by believing and trusting and talking faith, hope and courage. In this way discipleship shows unmistakable evidence of belonging to Christ through daily individual responsibility, watchfulness, spirituality, faith and the Holy Spirit, with urgent influence to arouse and save perishing souls.

This ordering reflects the Redeemer through worship of God in spirit and truth and in holiness, and through obedience to His law revealing love, compassion, patience and holiness. It labors through deeds of charity and love to bless mankind, letting divine fullness flow from the lips in grateful praise as channels through whom heavenly oil is poured to refresh needy souls. It refuses doleful words about trials, thanks God that speech is possible, resolves to honor His name on earth, refuses anything dishonest or shameful in all business transactions, keeps His praise in the heart, carries a cheerful countenance showing freedom rather than bondage, and constantly looks to Jesus weaving His grace and love into words and actions in harmony with truth. As people receive the Holy Spirit and cooperate with God in obedience, they bear fruit in holiness unto everlasting life.

In school and family life the same ordering keeps faith pure and strong and steadfast and brings all possible pleasantness into school life. It begins each morning kneeling at the bedside on rising to ask God for strength to fulfill the day's duties and meet its temptations, for Christ's sweetness of character in work, and for words that draw those around nearer to Christ and bring happiness while living together peaceably. Parents are to teach children to do the same. So ordered, a person comes into right relation and right position where God can speak, with a religion that is life and light and power moving others, and with hindrances to Christian growth removed in preparation for service in the power of the Holy Spirit to become fishers of people carrying God's light to others.

Salvation God Reveals

To the one who orders conduct and life rightly God will show His salvation, and it is seen by those who come into right relation with God, make Him their trust, wait patiently, and remain faithful through difficulty. Right conduct here stands against claiming God's covenant while rejecting His instruction and doing evil, for worship is not merely outward sacrifice, and it calls for guarding words, putting away pretense, cultivating a humble thankful spirit, and having more confidence in God with hearts overflowing with thankfulness for truth possessed. Asking for grace, power, and salvation so as to bless others belongs to this right relation, for God's power alone is help and strength. Seeing that salvation requires depending fully on the Saviour rather than trusting too much in one's own understanding as if one knows the whole story, trusting Jesus without fear or doubt, praying believingly that He hears, and putting whole trust in God. This whole trust and praise for His goodness, mercy, longsuffering, and compassion is urgently needed because time is very short and His Spirit is being withdrawn, so that without His restraint dangers and sufferings come, even to violent acts such as attempts to kill in court trial halls.

God's salvation includes the help and recovery sought in prayer, deliverance to a place of advantage, pardon, the lifting up of the humble, and saving to the uttermost through Christ as Advocate and High Priest. It is shown forth through redemption by Christ who called sinners out of darkness into marvelous light, received by putting away self-exaltation and self-interest, taking God's standard, walking in the shadow of the cross, trusting Christ's sufficient grace in weakness, and reflecting the Redeemer's character. He makes His salvation known by leading in a plain path through needs and difficulties and by bringing through trials those who have received much light and preached the truth, when they meet difficulties humbly and trust Him to bring them through so His name is glorified through them.

Salvation fully experienced among God's chosen people, so they can share with others what He has given them, comes through lives of self-sacrifice and full surrender to God. It is seen when God works to turn hearts and transform affections and character so souls are saved as the result of gospel effort, and this showing of His salvation is to be hoped and prayed for. Those who keep working without fainting, in faith and cooperation with God, will see souls saved as the reward of their labor. More of God's salvation is seen when praise is offered with sanctified lips and voice even in discouragement, telling uplifting stories of overcoming that bring cheer and courage, putting away sorry stories, fretting, complaining, quarreling, and differences, so that angels shed light around, evil angels are driven back, discouragement gives way to hope and courage, and rich blessing rests. His great salvation, in not leaving His people in ignorance, is to be expected, prayed for, waited for, and rejoiced in as a privilege, and coming into a right position where God can speak brings a religion that is life and light and power and moves others.

Living Praise Daily

Living praise daily means always striving to be cheerful, for a cheerful countenance acts as healing balm and brightens the way for self and others. Praise is to flow continually from heart and lips with rejoicing in the Lord, never leaving the heart cold and dull and unimpressive. God wants His people to be bright, cheerful, happy, gladsome light-bearers who carry precious light to the world as the cheerfulness and happiness reflected to others. This requires talking faith and not doubt, looking up in hopeful confidence to Christ who saves from sin, taking comfort in His promises, and learning gratitude for His condescension and love while becoming a blessing through His kindness, patience, and tenderness.

It means singing His praises with sanctified lips and tongues even when discouraged, making melody in the heart, and telling uplifting stories of overcoming that bring cheer and courage. Continual singing turns attention to Christ and displaces murmuring, mistrust, criticism, mourning, and groaning, and is both privilege and duty from a pure heart filled with love and devotion. Music and instruments have their place to add interest in worship, and every day should include a simple praise meeting of thanksgiving, for more praise brings more power. When praise is offered in discouragement, sorry stories, fretting, complaining, quarreling, and differences are put away, angels shed light around and drive back evil angels, discouragement gives way to hope and courage, more of salvation is seen, and rich blessing rests.

It means speaking cheering words to fellow believers to encourage gratitude of soul in them and praising the Lord much more than before. Knowing His blessing rests upon us should fill heart and mind with praise as an offering to present to Him and to share with others, sharpening spiritual sight to discern His blessings as Author of them all, with good courage and rest and peace in Christ. Divine fullness is to flow from the lips in grateful praise while deeds of charity and love bless mankind, making believers channels through whom heavenly oil refreshes needy souls. Faithful witnesses who praise both with lips and works give evidence before believers and unbelievers that the Lord is in the midst of His people in the short closing work, speaking His praise daily with sincere thanksgiving for special advantages given.

Inward praise is to be manifested outwardly, with goodness in the heart made known so others are called to behold the Redeemer and to become faithful representatives of the Father and of the Son who made infinite sacrifice that they might live forever in His kingdom. This life rests in God's love by faith rather than feeling, relying on Thus saith the Lord and working on the faith side by believing, trusting, and talking faith, hope, and courage with the mind stayed upon God. Gratitude for saving grace is also expressed in liberal offerings and active effort to bring others to saving truth. Speaking of God's power and glory lifts up the Saviour and stands against the enemy, who flees.

Such praise brings greater enjoyment of His presence, drawing believers nearer into closer relation with Him in whom hope centers, filling the soul with peace and joy and giving courage, confidence, and readiness to perform duty cheerfully. When selfishness is put away and benevolence and love possess the heart, especially as believers assemble to glorify Him, He honors them with His presence in rich measure in wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification. Shouting His high praises for wonderful works, healing power giving spiritual and physical strength, and deliverance from discouragement and darkness brings freedom to walk in the light of life with feet in a large place, under God's resting blessing with angels around and His awful glorious presence filling the place with streams of light. Those who thus praise and labor to bless others are protected and guided as consecrated agents for God.

Refusing doleful, desponding, unbelieving talk about trials and afflictions means thanking God that speech is possible and resolving to honor His name in words and in all honest business, keeping His praise in the heart, carrying a cheerful countenance showing freedom not bondage, and weaving His grace into words and actions. Praise replaces complaint, censure, fretting, murmuring, and fault-finding, and is cultivated by remembering mercies and love even when wronged or insulted. Dark chapters are to be forgotten rather than kept fresh by repetition, with forgetting of wrongs and insults, pressing to things before, thinking only of mercy, loving-kindness, and the inexpressible love of Jesus, and storing the mind with precious promises and every cause for thankfulness. Believers are to praise more and complain less, speaking as freely of blessings as of doubts and discouragements and talking much of the love and wondrous power of Jesus, which brings them nearer the Saviour. Believing means refusing self-exaltation and self-depreciation as His purchased property called to glorify Him in body and spirit, giving few words to self and many words of praise to Jehovah, talking of Jesus as living Advocate who saves to the uttermost and speaking faith to help those in the shadow of death.