TRV
Translation
King James Version
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.
KJV (with Strong's)
Whoso offereth H2076 H8802 praise H8426 glorifieth H3513 H8762 me: and to him that ordereth H7760 H8804 his conversation H1870 aright will I shew H7200 H8686 the salvation H3468 of God H430.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Whoever offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice honors me; and to him who goes the right way I will show the salvation of God."
Berean Standard Bible
He who sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, and to him who rights his way, I will show the salvation of God.”
American Standard Version
Whoso offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifieth me; And to him that ordereth his way aright Will I show the salvation of God.
World English Bible Messianic
Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me, and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”
Geneva Bible (1599)
He that offereth praise, shall glorifie mee: and to him, that disposeth his way aright, will I shew the saluation of God.
Young's Literal Translation
He who is sacrificing praise honoureth Me, As to him who maketh a way, I cause him to look on the salvation of God!
In the KJVVerse 14,692 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 50 verses 16–23
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?
17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.
18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.
21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.
God, by the psalmist, having instructed his people in the right way of worshipping him and keeping up their communion with him, here directs his speech to the wicked, to hypocrites, whether they were such as professed the Jewish or the Christian religion: hypocrisy is wickedness for which God will judge. Observe here,
I. The charge drawn up against them. 1. They are charged with invading and usurping the honours and privileges of religion (Psa 50:16): What has thou to do, O wicked man! to declare my statutes? This is a challenge to those that rare really profane, but seemingly godly, to show what title they have to the cloak of religion, and by what authority they wear it, when they use it only to cover and conceal the abominable impieties of their hearts and lives. Let them make out their claim to it if they can. Some think it points prophetically at the scribes and Pharisees that were the teachers and leaders of the Jewish church at the time when the kingdom of the Messiah, and that evangelical way of worship spoken of in the foregoing verses, were to be set up. They violently opposed that great revolution, and used all the power and interest which they had by siting in Moses's seat to hinder it; but the account which our blessed Saviour gives of them (Mt. 23), and St. Paul (Rom 2:21, Rom 2:22), makes this expostulation here agree very well to them. They took on them to declare God's statues, but they hated Christ's instruction; and therefore what had they to do to expound the law, when they rejected the gospel? But it is applicable to all those that are practicers of iniquity, and yet professors of piety, especially if withal they be preachers of it. Note, It is very absurd in itself, and a great affront to the God of heaven, for those that are wicked and ungodly to declare his statutes and to take his covenant in their mouths. It is very possible, and too common, for those that declare God's statutes to others to live in disobedience to them themselves, and for those that take God's covenant in their mouths yet in their hearts to continue their covenant with sin and death; but they are guilty of a usurpation, they take to themselves an honour which they have no title to, and there is a day coming when they will be thrust out as intruders. Friend, how camest thou in hither? 2. They are charged with transgressing and violating the laws and precepts of religion. (1.) They are charged with a daring contempt of the word of God (Psa 50:17): Thou hatest instruction. They loved to give instruction, and to tell others what they should do, for this fed their pride and made them look great, and by this craft they got their living; but they hated to receive instruction from God himself, for that would be a check upon them and a mortification to them. "Thou hatest discipline, the reproofs of the word and the rebukes of Providence." No wonder that those who hate to be reformed hate the means of reformation. Thou castest my words behind thee. They seemed to set God's words before them, when they sat in Moses's seat, and undertook to teach others out of the law (Rom 2:19); but in their conversations they cast God's word behind them, and did not care for seeing that rule which they were resolved not to be ruled by. This is despising the commandment of the Lord. (2.) A close confederacy with the worst of sinners (Psa 50:18): "When thou sawest a thief, instead of reproving him and witnessing against him, as those should do that declare God's statutes, thou consentedst with him, didst approve of his practices, and desire to be a partner with him and to share in the profits of his cursed trade; and thou hast been partaker with adulterers, hast done as they did, and encouraged them to go on in their wicked courses, hast done these things and hast had pleasure in those that do them," Rom 1:32. (3.) A constant persisting in the worst of tongue-sins (Psa 50:19): "Thou givest thy mouth to evil, not only allowest thyself in, but addictest thyself wholly to, all manner of evil-speaking." [1.] Lying: Thy tongue frames deceit, which denotes contrivance and deliberation in lying. It knits or links deceit, so some. One lie begets another, and one fraud requires another to cover it. [2.] Slandering (Psa 50:20): "Thou sittest, and speakest against thy brother, dost basely abuse and misrepresent him, magisterially judge and censure him, and pass sentence upon him, as if you wert his master to whom he must stand or fall, whereas he is thy brother, as good as thou art, and upon the level with thee, for he is thy own mother's son. He is thy near relation, whom thou oughtest to love, to vindicate, and stand up for, if others abused him; yet thou dost thyself abuse him, whose faults thou oughtest to cover and make the best of; if really he had done amiss, yet thou dost most falsely and unjustly charge him with that which he is innocent of; thou sittest and doest this, as a judge upon the bench, with authority; thou sittest in the seat of the scornful, to deride and backbite those whom thou oughtest to respect and be kind to." Those that do ill themselves commonly delight in speaking ill of others.
II. The proof of this charge (Psa 50:21): "These things thou hast done; the fact is too plain to be denied, the fault too bad to be excused; these things God knows, and thy own heart knows, thou hast done." The sins of sinners will be proved upon them, beyond contradiction, in the judgment of the great day: "I will reprove thee, or convince thee, so that thou shalt have not one word to say for thyself." The day is coming when impenitent sinners will have their mouths for ever stopped and be struck speechless. What confusion will they be filled with when God shall set their sins in order before their eyes! They would not see their sins to their humiliation, but cast them behind their backs, covered them, and endeavoured to forget them, nor would they suffer their own consciences to put them in mind of them; but the day is coming when God will make them see their sins to their everlasting shame and terror; he will set them in order, original sin, actual sins, sins against the law, sins against the gospel, against the first table, against the second table, sins of childhood and youth, of riper age, and old age. He will set them in order, as the witnesses are set in order, and called in order, against the criminal, and asked what they have to say against him.
III. The Judge's patience, and the sinner's abuse of that patience: "I kept silence, did not give thee any disturbance in thy sinful way, but let thee alone to take thy course; sentence against thy evil works was respited, and not executed speedily." Note, The patience of God is very great towards provoking sinners. He sees their sins and hates them; it would be neither difficulty nor damage to him to punish them, and yet he waits to be gracious and gives them space to repent, that he may render them inexcusable if they repent not. His patience is the more wonderful because the sinner makes such an ill use of it: "Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself, as weak and forgetful as thyself, as false to my word as thyself, nay, as much a friend to sin as thyself." Sinners take God's silence for consent and his patience for connivance; and therefore the longer they are reprieved the more are their hearts hardened; but, if they turn not, they shall be made to see their error when it is too late, and that the God they provoke is just, and holy, and terrible, and not such a one as themselves.
IV. The fair warning given of the dreadful doom of hypocrites (Psa 50:22): "Now consider this, you that forget God, consider that God knows and keeps account of all your sins, that he will call you to an account for them, that patience abused will turn into the greater wrath, that though you forget God and your duty to him he will not forget you and your rebellions against him: consider this in time, before it be too late; for if these things be not considered, and the consideration of them improved, he will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver." It is the doom of hypocrites to be cut asunder, Mat 24:51. Note, 1. Forgetfulness of God is at the bottom of all the wickedness of the wicked. Those that know God, and yet do not obey him, do certainly forget him. 2. Those that forget God forget themselves; and it will never be right with them till they consider, and so recover themselves. Consideration is the first step towards conversion. 3. Those that will not consider the warnings of God's word will certainly be torn in pieces by the executions of his wrath. 4. When God comes to tear sinners in pieces, there is no delivering them out of his hand. They cannot deliver themselves, nor can any friend they have in the world deliver them.
V. Full instructions given to us all how to prevent this fearful doom. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; we have it, Psa 50:23, which directs us what to do that we may attain our chief end. 1. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and we are here told that whoso offers praise glorifies him; whether he be Jew or Gentile, those spiritual sacrifices shall be accepted from him. We must praise God, and we must sacrifice praise, direct it to God, as every sacrifice was directed; put it into the hands of the priest, our Lord Jesus, who is also the altar; see that it be made by fire, sacred fire, that it be kindled with the flame of holy and devout affection; we must be fervent in spirit, praising the Lord. This he is pleased, in infinite condescension, to interpret as glorifying him. Hereby we give him the glory due to his name and do what we can to advance the interests of his kingdom among men. 2. Man's chief end, in conjunction with this, is to enjoy God; and we are here told that those who order their conversation aright shall see his salvation. (1.) It is not enough for us to offer praise, but we must withal order our conversation aright. Thanksgiving is good, but thanks-living is better. (2.) Those that would have their conversation right must take care and pains to order it, to dispose it according to rule, to understand their way and to direct it. (3.) Those that take care of their conversation make sure their salvation; them God will make to see his salvation, for it is a salvation ready to be revealed; he will make them to see it and enjoy it, to see it, and to see themselves happy for ever in it. Note, The right ordering of the conversation is the only way, and it is a sure way, to obtain the great salvation.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 16–23. Public domain.
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Clement of RomeAD 99
1 CLEMENT 35
Let us … earnestly strive to be found in the number of those that wait for him, in order that we may share in his promised gifts. But how, beloved, shall this be done? If our understanding is fixed by faith toward God; if we earnestly seek the things that are pleasing and acceptable to him; if we do the things that are in harmony with his blameless will; and if we follow the way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, along with all covetousness, strife, evil practices, deceit, whispering and evil speaking, all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, vainglory and ambition. For they that do such things are hateful to God; and not only they that do them, but also those that take pleasure in them that do them.
Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
HOMILIES ON LEVITICUS 5:7.2
Who among us is of such measure and kind to offer to God “salutary sacrifices” and a “sacrifice of praise”? I believe that one to be a person who praises God in all his actions and fulfills through him what our Lord and Savior says: “That people may see your good works and praise your Father who is in heaven.” Therefore, this one offered “a sacrifice of praise” for whose deeds, doctrine, word, habits and discipline, God is praised and blessed. Just as, on the contrary, there are those of whom it is said, “Through you my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles.”
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 50
"Sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me" [Psalm 50:23]. How shall "sacrifice of praise glorify Me"? Assuredly sacrifice of praise does no wise profit evil men, because they take Your Covenant in their mouth, and do damnable things that displease Your eyes. Straightway, he says, even to them this I say, "Sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me." For if you live ill and speakest good words, not yet do you praise: but again, if, when you begin to live well, to your merits thou dost ascribe your living well, not yet do you praise....Therefore the Publican went down justified, rather than that Pharisee. Therefore hear ye that live well, hear ye that live ill: "Sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me." No one offers Me this sacrifice, and is evil. I say not, Let there not offer Me this any one that is evil; but no one does offer Me this, that is evil. For he that praises, is good: because if he praises, he does also live well, because if he praises, not only with tongue he praises, but life also with tongue does agree.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 50:23 encapsulates the core message of the entire psalm, asserting that true worship of God is not found in mere external rituals or animal sacrifices, but in a heartfelt offering of praise and a life lived in integrity and obedience. For those who honor God with both their lips and their conduct, the divine promise is a profound revelation and experiential understanding of God's comprehensive salvation, encompassing His deliverance, blessing, and transforming presence.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices that enhance its meaning and impact. Parallelism is prominently featured, specifically a form of synthetic or constructive parallelism, where the second line expands upon or completes the thought of the first. While not strictly synonymous, the two conditions ("offereth praise" and "ordereth his conversation aright") are presented as complementary and inseparable aspects of true devotion, both leading to the divine promise. The phrase "ordereth his conversation aright" uses Metaphor, portraying life as a "way" or "path" (derek) that can be made "straight" or "blameless," implying intentional moral alignment and disciplined conduct. The entire psalm, including this verse, functions as a Divine Oracle, with God Himself speaking in the first person ("Me," "I"), lending immense authority, solemnity, and personal engagement to the pronouncement regarding His people's worship and conduct.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 50:23 profoundly articulates a foundational biblical truth: God desires a holistic worship that integrates heartfelt praise with righteous living. This verse moves beyond the Old Testament sacrificial system's potential for ritualism, emphasizing that external acts are meaningless without internal devotion and ethical conduct. It highlights that true glorification of God is not merely an emotional experience or a perfunctory religious duty but a comprehensive lifestyle that reflects His character and commands. This integrated approach to faith—where devotion to God is inseparable from one's daily walk—is a consistent theme throughout Scripture, challenging believers to live out their faith authentically in every sphere of life, recognizing that their entire existence is an act of worship.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 50:23 provides a timeless blueprint for authentic faith and a vibrant relationship with God, challenging us to examine the nature of our worship. Is it merely external ritual, or does it flow from a heart of genuine gratitude and manifest in a life of integrity? The verse reminds us that our praise is most potent and truly glorifying to God when it is accompanied by a consistent, righteous walk. God is not impressed by empty words or perfunctory religious acts; He seeks a people who honor Him with both their lips and their lives, demonstrating their devotion through their character and conduct. Embracing this truth leads to a deeper, more profound experience of God's comprehensive salvation—not just as a future hope but as a present reality of His deliverance, blessing, and transforming presence. It calls us to live intentionally, allowing our faith to shape every decision and interaction, thereby becoming a living testament to His glory and a visible expression of His saving power.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "ordereth his conversation aright" mean for us today?
Answer: In modern English, "conversation" primarily refers to talking, but in the King James Version, it means one's conduct, behavior, or way of life. So, "ordereth his conversation aright" means to live a life of integrity, to align one's actions, choices, and entire lifestyle with God's revealed will and moral standards. It implies a disciplined and intentional effort to walk in righteousness, reflecting God's character in daily interactions and decisions. This concept is echoed in the New Testament, where believers are called to "walk worthy of the calling" they have received in Ephesians 4:1 and to "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him" in Colossians 1:10.
Is "salvation of God" only about eternal life?
Answer: While "salvation of God" certainly encompasses eternal life and deliverance from sin's ultimate penalty, in the Old Testament context, the Hebrew word yeshaʻ (salvation, H3468) is broader. It refers to a comprehensive deliverance, well-being, prosperity, and divine help in various aspects of life—spiritual, physical, and relational. It signifies God's intervention to rescue, preserve, and bless His people from all forms of distress and opposition. So, while it includes the ultimate spiritual redemption, it also speaks to God's ongoing work of deliverance and flourishing in the present, revealing His saving power in tangible ways throughout a believer's journey.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 50:23 finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the one who perfectly "offered praise" to God, not merely in words, but in His entire life of perfect obedience and self-giving love, culminating in His sacrificial death on the cross. His life was the epitome of "ordering His conversation aright," walking a blameless and righteous path in absolute conformity to the Father's will, even to the point of death on the cross, as described in Philippians 2:8. Indeed, Jesus Himself is the "salvation of God" made manifest. Through His atoning work, God "showed" His ultimate salvation to humanity, delivering us from sin and death and granting us eternal life and reconciliation with Him, as powerfully declared in John 3:16. In Christ, the demands of praise and righteous living are perfectly met, and the promise of salvation is fully realized, not by our imperfect efforts, but by His perfect obedience and grace, which is now freely offered to all who believe, enabling them to offer true praise and walk in newness of life through the power of the Spirit, as articulated in Ephesians 2:8-9.