QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

Question: Who are the “saints” mentioned in Psalms 50:5?

Psalm 50:1-7: “The Mighty One, God the Lord, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun to its going down. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, And to the earth, that He may judge His people: Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice. Let the heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge. Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you; I am God, your God!”

There have been some who have applied verse 5 to Christians, since in the New Testament Epistles the members of various churches are addressed as “saints.” But does the context in which verse 5 is found support this application? The answer is obviously ‘no!’ The context is one of condemnation and judgment upon God’s people, Israel, because of their unfaithfulness.

The “saints” here addressed were the unfaithful nation of Israel, for it was this nation that God separated unto Himself and who agreed to enter into a covenant of animal sacrifice, which is detailed at length in the book of Leviticus. Until the coming of Jesus and His establishing a New Covenant, only Israel had a relationship with God and this was under the Law Covenant, which included the offering of animal sacrifices for the atonement of their sins.

It is so all-important for the context, in which a verse is found, be considered carefully if the proper understanding is to be seen. If an application is made that is not supported by context, then it is adding to the Word of God. Adding or subtracting from the Word of God, even if it is done unintentionally, is harmful to truth. In fact, in Revelation 22:18, 19, we are told, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” See also Deut. 12:32.

May we always take care in our search of the Scriptures to make sure we are letting the Holy Spirit guide us into the proper understanding which God intended.

E. Weeks