Psalms 49:9

9 And still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit.

Psalms 49:9 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 49:9

That he should still live for ever
Or "though he should live" F23. Though the rich man should live ever so long, a thousand years twice told, as in ( Ecclesiastes 6:6 ) ; yet he could not in all this time, with all his riches, redeem his brother; and at last must die himself, and so must his brother too, as his own experience and observation may assure him, ( Psalms 49:10 ) . Or the meaning is, he cannot so redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him, that he should live a corporeal life for ever, and never die; since all men die, wise men and fools, rich and poor; and much less that he should live and enjoy an "eternal life", as the Targum; a life of happiness and bliss hereafter, which is not to be obtained by gold and silver, but is the pure gift of God;

[and] not see corruption;
the grave, the pit of corruption, the house appointed for all living: or "the judgment of hell", according to the Chaldee paraphrase.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 (yhyw) "etiamsi vivat", Gejerus.

Psalms 49:9 In-Context

7 A brother doth no one at all ransom, He doth not give to God his atonement.
8 And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, And it hath ceased -- to the age.
9 And still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit.
10 For he seeth wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left to others their wealth.
11 Their heart [is]: Their houses [are] to the age, Their tabernacles to all generations. They proclaimed their names over the lands.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.