What does it mean that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills?

Answer

A well-known song by John W. Peterson begins with the lyrics, “He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, / The wealth in every mine.” These lyrics are inspired by Psalm 50, which states, “Every animal of the forest is mine, / and the cattle on a thousand hills. / I know every bird in the mountains, / and the insects in the fields are mine” (Psalm 50:10-11). Describing God as the owner of the cattle on a thousand hills is a way of expressing that everything belongs to God.

The context of Psalm 50 provides insight into the significance of God’s ownership of cattle. Starting from verse 7, God is “testifying” against Israel. He declares, “I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices,” indicating that the Israelites were fulfilling their sacrificial duties as prescribed by the Law; they were externally compliant. However, God then puts the sacrifices into perspective by stating, “I have no need of a bull from your stall / or of goats from your pens” (verse 9), and reminds them that “every animal of the forest is mine, / and the cattle on a thousand hills” (verse 10). God can acquire animals from anywhere as they already belong to Him. There is no necessity for humans to offer them to Him. Why does God convey to the people that He does not require their animals?

The answer lies in the message of this psalm, which highlights the following:

1) God expects more than mere outward obedience to commands; He seeks genuine righteousness from within. Despite the people being faultless in their sacrificial practices, they lacked true worship. In Psalm 50:14–15, God instructs, “Sacrifice thank offerings to God, / fulfill your vows to the Most High, / and call on me in the day of trouble; / I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

2) God does not require sacrifices as sustenance. He is self-sufficient and lacks nothing. He isThe Creator and Sustainer; nothing creates or sustains Him. This is in direct contrast to the pagan gods, whose mythologies taught their need to eat. Sacrifices brought to the idols were considered the food of the gods. The One True God of Israel makes a clear distinction between Himself and the false deities (Psalm 50:12-13).

God rebukes “worship” based solely on obligation; thanksgiving is an important part of true worship «Offer unto God thanksgiving; And pay thy vows unto the most High: », (Psalm 50:14), as is a relationship grounded in salvation: “I will deliver you, and you will honor me” (verse 15).

God defies the notion that what people give to Him is “theirs” and that they are being magnanimous in parting with their property for God’s sake. Many people today harbor the false perception that they own stuff and then give some of it to God. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills— is it really generous of us to give God a cow every now and then? If everything we have is the Lord’s, how magnanimous is it to give God ten percent?

God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He owns every animal and every bird and every beast. He owns us. For His greatness and goodness, we “continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise— the fruit of lips that openly profess his name” «By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. », (Hebrews 13:15).