Psalm 50 – God Will Condemn Merely Formal and Hypocritical Worship

Jan 11, 2026 | Pastor's Blog, Psalms

Timeless Biblical Truth.

Only praise from those who truly trust and obey God will avoid offering a merely formal and hypocritical worship.

  1. The courtroom: The LORD judges the worship of His people (1-6).
    1. The judge is the mighty LORD of glory (1-3).
    2. The witnesses are summoned to appear (4).
    3. The defendants (i.e., believers) are gathered (5).
    4. God Himself is judge (6).
  2. Indictment #1: God demands genuine praise, not the merely outward form of it (7-15).
    1. Believers should not think that God needs sacrifices (7-13).
    2. Believers must offer sacrifices from sincere faith (14-15).
  3. Indictment #2: God rejects hypocritical worship, i.e., worship devoid of a life of trust and obedience) (16-23).
    1. Those who offer hypocritical worship (by living sinful lives) will be condemned (19-21).
    2. Only those who both trust and obey God will be saved from His judgment (22-23).

Questions for Second Milers

  1. What is the solemn setting in the psalm?
  2. Who is being indicted in verses 7-13? In 16-21? For what reasons?
  3. What is wrong with the worship of these believers? Why are their sacrifices unacceptable to God?
  4. What is the difference between being merely formal in worship and being righteous in worship?
  5. What type of worship does God desire?
  6. How does this psalm add to/correct your concept of worship that is acceptable to God?
  7. How can you worship God acceptably now?
  8. Give your own short title to this psalm.

“Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God. It is the quick-ening of the conscience by his holiness; the nourishment of mind with his truth; the purifying of imagination by his beauty; the open-ing of the heart to his love; the surrender of the will to his purpose—all this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable.” William Temple.

The Bible Church of the Lakes