What does Psalm 50:7 mean?

The introduction of this psalm depicted God arriving in profound glory, to render a verdict in front of the entire earth (Psalm 50:1–6). In this verse, God, the Judge, addresses the people of Israel directly (Exodus 6:7). He tells them He is God, their God, and He commands them to hear what He has to say. Later comments show this is a pointed remark: the people have been ignoring much of God's will (Psalm 50:16–21). They know what God says, but they barely cooperate by going through some of the motions.

The key is not merely "that" a person hears God, in that they are aware of His words. It matters "how" a person hears God—do they take sincere interest in His message? Are they willing to submit to His will? He always speaks the truth and has something life-changing to say. Jesus said, "Take care then how you hear" (Luke 8:18). He gave this instruction after relating a parable about seeds and soils (Luke 8:4–8). In that analogy, the same message has vastly different effects depending on "how" people receive it. The parable taught the importance of preparing the heart to welcome the Word (Luke 8:9–15).