Bible Strands
Psalms 50:17
For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God addresses the wicked in Psalm 50, confronting those who claim the covenant while actively rejecting His authority. He speaks this to individuals who recite statutes outwardly but live in open rebellion.
The words — The Hebrew שָׂנֵא (sa.Ne.ta) means "you hate" and מוּסָר (mu.Sar) translates to "discipline" or "instruction." The verb תַּשְׁלֵךְ (tash.Lekh) literally means "you have thrown" these words behind.
The thread — This active rejection of divine instruction mirrors Nehemiah 9:26, where Israel flung God's law behind their backs, and parallels the warning in 2 Timothy 4:3 about refusing sound doctrine. It directly opposes Proverbs 12:1, which equates loving correction with loving knowledge.
Why it lands — The text demands immediate alignment between spoken faith and lived obedience, rejecting any separation between religious profession and personal conduct. It requires the reader to examine whether their actions honor or discard God's commands.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.
Cross-references
- Nehemiah 9:26 But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.
- Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
- 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.
- Proverbs 1:28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
- 1 Kings 14:9 You have done more evil than all who came before you. You have proceeded to make for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me, and you have flung Me behind your back.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10 and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.
- Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
- Jeremiah 8:9 The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what wisdom do they really have?
- Romans 1:28 Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
- Romans 2:21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?