8.16.26 Sunday Drive to Church

We'll start with the psalm, the insert psalm of Psalm 50, starting at verse 7 and going to the end.

Verse 7 is conveniently located at the top of the page of your hymnal.

Psalm 50, when Luther talks about the Lord's promise to answer prayer, he really goes to two places.

He goes to the Sermon on the Mount, Ask, seek, knock, to the one who asks is answered, receives, to the one who seeks he finds, to the one who knocks the doors open.

And then Luther, his second, or maybe even his primary verse that he goes to for the promise of answered prayer is Psalm 50, verse 15.

Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.

That's the key praise there.

And it's right in the middle of this little sentence, offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and perform your vows to the most high.

Now that sacrifice of thanksgiving that's discussed in verse 14 is contrasted with the other sacrifices that they're offering.

So in Israel at this time, there's all sorts of sacrifices being offered in the temple and the Lord is not impressed.

Here's what it says, starting with verse 7.

Hear, O my people, and I'll speak.

O Israel, I'll testify against you.

I'm God your God.

And this is funny.

I think this is one of the funniest passages, one of the funniest things that the Lord says in the whole Bible.

I am your God.

Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you.

Your burnt offerings are continually before me.

I will not accept a bull from your house.

or goats from your folds.

For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.

I know all the birds of the air.

I know all the birds of the hills and all that moves in the field is mine.

If I were hungry, I wouldn't tell you.