Psalms 50:17

"since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you?"

Key Reflection

In first-century Israel, religious instruction was seen as essential for spiritual growth and obedience to God's commands. The psalmist is addressing a community that has become jaded and dismissive of divine guidance, much like the people in the original context who had grown rebellious against Moses' teachings (Exodus 10:2). By saying "since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you," the psalmist highlights how these individuals have not only rejected God's wisdom but have actively disrespected it, treating his commandments as mere afterthoughts or obstacles to be bypassed.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Seeing thou hatest instruction -That is, He is unwilling himself to be taught. He will not learn the true nature of religion, and yet he presumes to instruct others. Compare the notes atRomans 2:21. And castest my words behind thee -He treated them with contempt, or as unworthy of attention. He did not regard them as worthy of being “retained,” but threw them contemptuously away.

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