In trying to decide what to talk about this morning. I thought that maybe the best thing to share with you was one of the passages I have read recently in my private study time. So, I've taken Psalm 50 and looked at it a bit more closely - and that's what I'm sharing with you this morning.

Now…..I do have a confession to make…….

I've been watching some daytime TV lately! Well, I haven't got as far as the soapies yet. Because in my new house, the TV can be seen from the kitchen, I've been turning it on around lunch time and watching some of the talk shows with Bert Newton and Kerrie-Anne What's'ername, and they are followed on one channel by American stuff - Jessie? (someone?) and then "Judge Judy".

Have you watched Judge Judy? This isn't meant to be an advertisement for the show. She comes in with her black dress and little white lace collar and presides over her courtroom as if she owns it. And I gather, in American law, she virtually does. She's boss! She questions, lectures people, tells them off and passes judgement. Sometimes she's not at all polite -she's a pithy, straight down the line lady. And no-one can argue with her. They have to take whatever she metes out. At the moment, I've been enjoying seeing the way she handles people's problems. But I can imagine I'd probably get bored with it if I watched every day.

What's all that got to do with Psalm 50?

Well, Psalm 50 begins with a description of God, the judge - and he's nothing like Judge Judy!

The psalm was written by Asaph, the/a worship leader of the Temple. So it was written to be used as part of the Temple worship.

It starts off right from verse 1 by using three names for God, one after the other to hit us with the might and power and majesty of God. Now, Judge Judy has power in her courtroom, but that's where it stops. And I wouldn't describe her as majestic or mighty!

But God is mighty and powerful - he speaks and summons the earth all day - or from the beginning to the end of time. He's in charge of the whole creation. We know that, don't we, from the beginning of the Book of Genesis where we read that God created it all in the first place according to his own design. And we know from the rest of the Bible that he didn't just create it on a whim as a toy to play with for a little while, then to drop it, forget about it, and go away. He has been involved with his created world and it's people ever since.

The psalm says God shines, perfect in beauty. What do you think of when you hear the words perfect in beauty? - a beautiful flower? A peaceful landscape? Mountains? Seascape? Or what?

Look at how Psalm 50 describes God! He comes with a storm raging around him and a fire which devours things in front of him, and he doesn't come quietly. He comes with a bang! God cannot be ignored. We try sometimes, don't we? But that's a picture of God who is mighty, powerful and awe inspiring - awesome! We read in Exodus 19: 16 - 19 that the Israelites witnessed the glory of the Lord on Mt. Sinai just like that. And they were terrified. Then in Exodus 24: 17, when Moses was on the mountain receiving the 10 Commandments, they saw it again.

The psalmist wants to impress us with this picture of a powerful God because he's talking about God who is a judge.

In Verse 4, God summons the whole of the earth and heavens to be witness to his judgement. This is no closed court where things are done in secret. God's judgements are absolutely fair and just and can be open to any scrutiny.

Who is God going to judge? Who would we think? Evil people? People who've done wrong things or broken God's laws? Idol worshippers? But look at what the psalm says: (NIV)"….that he may judge his people. Gather to me my consecrated ones (loyal servants <NEB>), who made a covenant with me by sacrifice. V.4,5"

God judges his own people - those who are consecrated to him, who make sacrifices to him and worship him, who are in a covenant relationship with him.

OK…the psalm is talking about the Israelites who were God's chosen people, set apart for his purposes. He had made a covenant with Abraham for them to be his people - if they would worship him and keep his laws he would be their God. He would care for them and make them a mighty nation. They would be his special people and would do his work.

That was a long time ago. What about now? Well - who are the people who are set apart for God's purposes these days? Who are the people who have entered into an agreement or covenant with God? What's that covenant? That if we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we are all, each one of us, able to be forgiven and to enter into a close personal relationship with God.

We read in Hebrews (Hebrews 8: 10(b) - 12, NEB) For the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord, is this: I will set my laws in their understanding and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach one another, saying to brother and fellow citizen, "Know the Lord!" For all of them, high and low, shall know me; I will be merciful to their wicked deeds, and I will remember their sins no more.

So, if God judges his own people, as the psalm says - who is under scrutiny here? Us!

Why would God judge his own people? Let's just think for a moment about what happens in life.

(Story of 2 year-old Bradley fiddling with the controls and 'fixing' the TV and me losing a file on my computer) Who was to blame for those things happening? Can Bradley be blamed when he didn't know he shouldn't touch the TV buttons? No. Can I be blamed for clicking on something in my computer that I know very well I shouldn't if I want to keep that information safe? Yes. Bradley is too young and can't be held accountable for what he hasn't enough knowledge about. I can be held accountable because I had the knowledge and didn't take care.

In the same way, God calls to account those people who are accountable - those who should know him and who should be expected to be obedient. Of course, people who have not accepted Jesus and who do not live according to God's laws must face the consequences of that. That's fair and right, isn't it? But, when we look at this psalm, we realise that people who have not accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour are not called to be accountable in the same way as we are to be accountable. We have the opportunity to know God intimately: they don't.

And, if we have any sense, we'll take up that opportunity and use it - because God judges us as if we have. The Hebrews passage says that he speaks to each one individually - we can't excuse ourselves for not being obedient to God by saying that the Minister didn't tell us about that!

Verse 7 says that God himself will testify against us - He is our Redeeming God , and he has that right.

What is God accusing his people of?

The psalm says that God's people are his consecrated people - set apart - special.

They have a covenant agreement with God, they worship him and bring him sacrifices.

So…what's wrong?

The Israelites had a number of different sacrifices and offerings proscribed in the Books of the Law - in their Bible. These were grain offerings from their crops or blood offerings from the sacrifice of animals. Some were meant as a cleansing from sin and guilt. Others were expressions of thanksgiving and devotion to God. God doesn't criticise them for these any more than he criticises us for offering him our money, time and talents for his work. He, himself, established these offerings as a means for his people to express their worship, devotion and obedience to him.

What he criticises is that the Israelites thought those sacrifices were all they had to do. They thought that, in some way, God depended on those sacrifices; that he needed them.

In Verses 9 - 13, the psalm makes it quite clear that God didn't need those sacrifices. God asks, "Do I get hungry? No. And even if I did, would I need your animals when I have a whole world of animals to choose from?"

God didn't need their sacrifices and he doesn't need our offerings of money, time and talents. He rejoices when we give them because it's for our good, not his, when we do. He established the practice of bringing sacrificial offerings to him because that benefits us, not because he needs them!

The most important sacrifices he asked of the Israelites and of us are in verses 14 and 15. These are the sacrifices he finds most acceptable - and are those that the Israelites were neglecting:

v 14 : thanksgiving

commitment

Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving

and pay your vows to the Most High. (NEB)

v 15 : prayer and petition

honour - worship and obedience

If you call upon me in time of trouble,

I will come to your rescue, and you shall honour me. (NEB)

The other thing the Israelites were accused of was reciting God's laws, but then going out and living differently - mixing with undesirable people, using bad language, gossiping, lying, being disloyal to their families.

These were people who paid lip service to God. They thought that, as long as they went to the Temple, recited their prayers, read their Scriptures, that was all that God cared about. They thought that they could then go out and do what they liked for the rest of the week and that God really wasn't interested in what they did.

I'm sure that there is no-one here who thinks that, as long as we come to church and are involved in church work, we're OK and we can ignore God himself for the rest of the time. …………. Is there?

Verse 22 tells us that this is the 'crime' that God is judging: forgetting about God and not allowing him to be a real part of our everyday lives.

The psalm closes with a wonderful promise that has been fulfilled for us through Jesus Christ. V. 23 He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving

does me due honour,

and to him who follows my way

I will show the salvation of God. (NEB)

The awe-inspiring, powerful, mighty God of judgement is also a God of love and salvation for those who honour and follow him.