I have worked for non-profits most of my life and been a member of several different churches as we moved where God sent us. Whenever a non-profit is in dire need of finances, I hear Psalm 50:10b “I own the cattle on a thousand hills.” And it is used to assure ourselves by saying that God will provide. I’ve been in a different frame of mind on my reading through the Bible this year. And it struck me that this verse has been abused and taken out of context quite a bit through the years. Indeed, God will provide and indeed He owns more than the cattle on a thousand hills! But maybe that is not what He had in mind in Psalm 50!
Here is the context of this Scripture.
“The Lord, the Mighty One, is God, and He has spoken; He has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets… Our God approaches, and He is not silent… He calls on the heavens above and the earth below to witness the judgment of His people… O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine… Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.” From Psalm 50:1-15 NLT
It is really the same message that is in Isaiah 58. God wants our faces turned toward Him and our hearts fully engaged with Him. He doesn’t need anything from us! He already owns everything. He desires relationship with us. The sacrifices in the Old Testament and the final sacrifice of Jesus himself are all about reconciliation between a holy God and a sinful people. He constantly pursues us because He loves us and wants what is best for us.
The next time I hear that phrase about God owning the cattle on a thousand hills, I am going to choose to remember what He did for me, be thankful, and share the good news!
