Psalms 50:16

“But unto the wicked God saith, etc.] By whom are meant, not openly profane sinners; but men under a profession of religion, and indeed who were teachers of others, as appears from the following expostulation with them: the Scribes, Pharisees, and doctors among the Jews, are designed; and so Kimchi interprets it of their wise men, who learnt and taught the law, but did not act according to it. It seems as if the preceding verses respected the truly godly among the Jews, who believed in Christ, and yet were zealous of the law; and retained legal sacrifices; as such there were, (<442120>Acts 21:20); and that these words, and what follow, are spoken to hypocrites among them, who sat in Moses’s…”

“the wicked--that is, the formalists, as now exposed, and who lead vicious lives (compare Rom 2:21, Rom 2:23). They are unworthy to use even the words of God's law. Their hypocrisy and vice are exposed by illustrations from sins against the seventh, eighth, and ninth commandments.”

“But unto the wicked God saith - This commences a second part of the subject. See the introduction. Thus far the psalm had reference to those who were merely external worshippers, or mere formalists, as showing that such could not be approved and accepted in the day of judgment; that spiritual religion - the offering of the “heart” - was necessary in order to acceptance with God. In this part of the psalm the same principles are applied to those who actually “violate” the law which they profess to receive as prescribing the rules of true religion, and which they profess to teach to others. The design of the psalm is not merely to reprove the mass of the people as mere formalists in religion,…”

“But - With what confidence darest thou make mention of my grace and favour, in giving thee such a covenant and statutes. Psalms 50:21”

“50:16-21 This message is against the wicked, who only pretend to listen to God.”

“wicked: Isa 48:22, Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7; Eze 18:27 What: Pro 26:7; Isa 1:11-15, Isa 48:1, Isa 48:2, Isa 58:1-7; Jer 7:4-7; Mat 7:3-5, Mat 7:22, Mat 7:23; Joh 4:24; Act 19:13-16; Rom 2:17-24; Co1 9:27; Pe2 2:15 thou shouldest: Psa 25:14, Psa 78:36-38; Eze 20:37, Eze 20:38; Heb 8:9 Psalms 50:17”

“The accusation of the manifest sinners. It is not those who are addressed in Psa 50:7, as Hengstenberg thinks, who are here addressed. Even the position of the words ולרשׁע אמר clearly shows that the divine discourse is now turned to another class, viz., to the evil-doers, who, in connection with open and manifest sins and vices, take the word of God upon their lips, a distinct class from those who base their sanctity upon outward works of piety, who outwardly fulfil the commands of God, but satisfy and deceive themselves with this outward observance. מה־לּך ל, what hast thou, that thou = it belongs not to thee, it does not behove thee. With ועתּה, in Psa 50:17, an adversative subordinate…”