Psalms 50:21

When you did these things, I was silent, ¹  so you thought I was exactly like you. ²  But now I will condemn ³  you and state my case against you! ⁴ 

These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face.

"These things you have done and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.

While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didn’t care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you.

I kept a quiet patience while you did these things; you thought I went along with your game. I'm calling you on the carpet, [now], laying your wickedness out in plain sight.

These things have you done, and I said nothing; it seemed to you that I was such a one as yourself; but I will make a protest against you, and put them in order before your eyes.

These things you have done and I have been silent; you thought that I was one just like yourself. But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before you.

These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before your eyes.

When you did these things, I was silent, ¹  so you thought I was exactly like you. ²  But now I will condemn ³  you and state my case against you! ⁴ 

¹ tn Heb “these things you did and I was silent.” Some interpret the second clause (“and I was silent”) as a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer, “[When you do these things], should I keep silent?” (cf. NEB). See GKC 335 §112.cc.

sn The Lord was silent in the sense that he delayed punishment. Of course, God’s patience toward sinners eventually runs out. The divine “silence” is only temporary (see v. 3, where the psalmist, having described God’s arrival, observes that “he is not silent”).

² tn The Hebrew infinitive construct (הֱיוֹת, heyot) appears to function like the infinitive absolute here, adding emphasis to the following finite verbal form (אֶהְיֶה, ’ehyeh). See GKC 339-40 §113.a. Some prefer to emend הֱיוֹת (heyot) to the infinitive absolute form הָיוֹ (hayo).

³ tn Or “rebuke” (see v. 8).

⁴ tn Heb “and I will set in order [my case against you] to your eyes.” The cohortative form expresses the Lord’s resolve to accuse and judge the wicked.