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Psalm 50:16
But to the wicked God says, “What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips,
14Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High.
15Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
16But to the wicked God says, “What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips,
17since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you?
18When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers.
Notice
God’s challenge to covenant words on wicked lips exposes the gap that can exist between speaking Scripture and accepting its authority over your life.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
1 Corinthians 9:27but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.Both passages challenge confidence in religious speech: declaring God’s statutes or preaching to others does not exempt the speaker from judgment.
Isaiah 29:13The Lord said, “Because this people draws near with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of …Both passages expose speech about God that conflicts with the speaker’s allegiance to him.
Psalm 78:36–38But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.Both passages describe mouths speaking to or about God while the speakers act falsely toward him.
Psalm 25:14The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant.God’s covenant appears in both: one passage links it with reverence, while the other challenges its presence on wicked lips.
Psalm 94:20Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute?Both passages question whether wickedness can claim a relationship with God, whether through covenant speech or a throne’s authority.
Isaiah 55:6–7Seek the LORD while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.Both address a response to God, though Isaiah urges seeking him and the psalm challenges the wicked who declare his statutes.
Romans 2:17–24Indeed you bear the name of a Jew, rest on the law, glory in God,Both mention an expressed connection to God and his law; the supplied Romans line states that claim without yet examining conduct.
Jeremiah 44:26“Therefore hear the LORD’s word, all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: ‘Behold, I have sworn by my great name,’ says the LORD, ‘that my name will no more …Both passages show God challenging people’s use of religious speech, concerning his covenant in the psalm and his name in Jeremiah.
Hebrews 8:9not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they didn’t …Both passages show God confronting people over his covenant: wicked speakers in the psalm and those who abandoned it in Hebrews.
Isaiah 48:1–2“Hear this, house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, and have come out of the waters of Judah. You swear by the LORD’s name, and make mention …Both passages confront people who speak of God while their conduct contradicts the allegiance their words express.
Psalm 119:43Don’t snatch the word of truth out of my mouth, for I put my hope in your ordinances.Both connect the mouth with God’s instruction: one challenges wicked speech, while the other prays to retain truthful speech.
2 Peter 2:15Forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing;Both concern wrongdoing in relation to God’s way; Peter names departure from it, while the psalm confronts wicked people declaring God’s statutes.
Where this verse fits
Guilt and confession. sermon or Bible study notes.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
This warning deserves a careful hearing, even when Scripture is familiar to you. God’s covenant words remain his; speaking them does not place anyone beyond his judgment.
Now put it in your words.
Start an entry on Psalm 50:16. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).