Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 50:23

"Whoso offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifieth me; And to him that ordereth his way [aright] Will I show the salvation of God." — Psalms 50:23 (ASV)

Whoever offers praise glorifies me – That is, he truly honors me; he is a true worshipper; he meets with my approval.

The word here rendered “offereth” is the same as that used in Psalms 50:14, and means “he who sacrifices”; here meaning, he who presents the sacrifice of praise. The Septuagint similarly states, “The sacrifice of praise glorifies me,” and so does the Vulgate.

The idea is that the worship God requires is “praise.” It is not the mere external act of homage, not the presentation of a bloody sacrifice, not the mere bending of the knee, nor a mere outward form. Instead, it is worship that proceeds from the heart, showing that a spirit of true thankfulness, adoration, and love is present there.

And to him who orders his conversation aright – The margin, as in Hebrew, reads, “who disposes his way.” Or, more literally, it means “To him who ‘prepares’ or ‘plans’ his way.”

This refers to the person who is attentive to his going, who seeks to walk in the right path, who is anxious to go on the road that leads to a happier world, and who is careful that all his conduct is in accordance with the rules God has prescribed.

I will show the salvation of God – This may mean either, “I, the author of the psalm, as a teacher” , or “I” as referring to God – as a promise that “He” would instruct such a one.

The latter is the probable meaning, as it is God who has been speaking in the previous verse. The “salvation of God” is the salvation of which God is the author, or which he alone can give.

The idea here is that where there is a true desire to find the way of truth and salvation, God will impart necessary instruction. He will not allow such a one to wander away and be lost. See the notes at Psalms 25:9.

The general ideas in the psalm, therefore, are:

1. that there is to be a solemn judgment of mankind;
2. that the issues of that judgment will not be determined by the observance of the external forms of religion;
3. that God will judge people impartially for their sins, though they observe those forms of religion; and
4. that no worship of God can be acceptable which does not spring from the heart.