Psalm 50:10-11
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God isn't just saying He owns the animals; He's subtly pointing out that anything you could offer Him is already His, and thus, your offerings don't obligate Him in the slightest. He's emphasizing His complete self-sufficiency and the vastness of His ownership, which dwarfs any gift you could possibly give.
For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of a divine indictment where God is speaking, calling heaven and earth to witness as He judges His people. He's not reproaching them for the lack of sacrifices, but rather pointing out that He doesn't need their offerings because everything in creation already belongs to Him. Therefore, any attempt to appease or obligate Him with animals, whether wild from the forest or domesticated from the hills, is utterly futile.
When you give a gift, it feels like yours, right? But what if the 'gift' you're giving actually belongs to the recipient already?
This verse isn't just a poetic statement about livestock; it's a profound declaration of God's absolute ownership over everything.
Creation's Owner
God is making a point: the very things people might think they could offer to appease Him, or use to impress Him, are already His property. This highlights the futility of trying to impress God with offerings He already owns and doesn't need.
Imagine trying to give your parents a birthday gift that they actually bought for you. Kind of awkward, right?
The context of Psalm 50 reveals that God is speaking to people who are outwardly religious but inwardly corrupt. They are offering sacrifices, perhaps thinking these offerings will appease God or earn His favor.
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A Futile Attempt
This verse is a powerful reminder that God isn't impressed by external religious acts performed without a right heart. He looks for genuine devotion, not the manipulation of His own possessions.
This verse reminds us that God is the Creator of everything, including all the animals mentioned in Psalm 50:10. His ownership is established from the very beginning of creation.
Job 41:11This verse echoes the same sentiment of divine ownership over all creatures, emphasizing that whatever is under heaven belongs to God and He can deal with it as He pleases.
1 Corinthians 10:26This New Testament passage directly quotes Psalm 50:12 ('for the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it'), reinforcing the idea that God's ownership of creation means He does not need human offerings.
Deuteronomy 10:14This verse explicitly states that 'the heavens, even the heavens of heavens, are the Lord’s your God, and the earth also, with all that therein is.' This highlights the vastness of God's possession, making the offerings of animals seem insignificant in comparison.
gillPsalms 50:10: "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills."
For every beast of the forest is mine,.... By creation and preservation; and therefore he stood in no need of their bullocks and he goats; and the cattle upon a thousand hills; meaning all the cattle in the whole world.
clarkePsalms 50:10: "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills."
Every beast of the forest is mine - Can ye suppose that ye are laying me under obligation to you, when ye present me with a part of my own property?
God isn't just saying He owns the animals; He's subtly pointing out that anything you could offer Him is already His, and thus, your offerings don't obligate Him in the slightest. He's emphasizing His complete self-sufficiency and the vastness of His ownership, which dwarfs any gift you could possibly give.
This passage is part of a divine indictment where God is speaking, calling heaven and earth to witness as He judges His people. He's not reproaching them for the lack of sacrifices, but rather pointing out that He doesn't need their offerings because everything in creation already belongs to Him. Therefore, any attempt to appease or obligate Him with animals, whether wild from the forest or domesticated from the hills, is utterly futile.
This passage is part of a divine indictment where God is speaking, calling heaven and earth to witness as He judges His people. He's not reproaching them for the lack of sacrifices, but rather pointing out that He doesn't need their offerings because everything in creation already belongs to Him. Therefore, any attempt to appease or obligate Him with animals, whether wild from the forest or domesticated from the hills, is utterly futile.
"For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine." — God isn't just saying He owns the animals; He's subtly pointing out that anything you could offer Him is already His, and thus, your offerings don't obligate Him in the slightest. He's emphasizing…
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Last reviewed October 2026
