Psalm 49

1 Hear these words, all ye nations, hearken, all ye that dwell upon the earth:

2 both the sons of mean men, and sons of great men; the rich and poor man together.

3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall bring forth understanding.

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my riddle on the harp.

5 Wherefore should I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall compass me.

6 They that trust in their strength, and boast themselves in the multitude of their wealth—

7 A brother does not redeem, shall a man redeem? he shall not give to God a ransom for himself,

8 or the price of the redemption of his soul, though he labour for ever,

9 and live to the end, so that he should not see corruption.

10 When he shall see wise men dying, the fool and the senseless one shall perish together; and they shall leave their wealth to strangers.

11 And their sepulchres are their houses for ever, even their tabernacles to all generations: they have called their lands after their own names.

12 And man being in honour, understands not: he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like to them.

13 This their way is an offence to them: yet afterwards men will commend their sayings. Pause.

14 They have laid them as sheep in Hades; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, and their help shall fail in Hades from their glory.

15 But God shall deliver my soul from the power of Hades, when he shall receive me. Pause.

16 Fear not when a man is enriched, and when the glory of his house is increased.

17 For he shall take nothing when he dies; neither shall his glory descend with him.

18 For his soul shall be blessed in his life: he shall give thanks to thee when thou dost well to him.

19 Yet he shall go in to the generation of his fathers; he shall never see light.

20 Man that is in honour, understands not: he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like them.

Psalm 49 Commentary

Chapter 49

A call for attention. (1-5) Folly of worldlings. (6-14) Against fear of death. (15-20)

Verses 1-5 We seldom meet with a more solemn introduction: there is no truth of greater importance. Let all hear this with application to ourselves. The poor are in danger from undue desire toward the wealth of the world, as rich people from undue delight in it. The psalmist begins with applying it to himself, and that is the right method in which to treat of Divine things. Before he sets down the folly of carnal security, he lays down, from his own experience, the benefit and comfort of a holy, gracious security, which they enjoy who trust in God, and not in their worldly wealth. In the day of judgment, the iniquity of our heels, or of our steps, our past sins, will compass us. In those days, worldly, wicked people will be afraid; but wherefore should a man fear death who has God with him?

Verses 6-14 Here is a description of the spirit and way of worldly people. A man may have wealth, and may have his heart enlarged in love, thankfulness, and obedience, and may do good with it. Therefore it is not men's having riches that proves them to be worldly, but their setting their hearts upon them as the best things. Worldly men have only some floating thoughts of the things of God, while their fixed thoughts, their inward thoughts, are about the world; that lies nearest the heart. But with all their wealth they cannot save the life of the dearest friend they have. This looks further, to the eternal redemption to be wrought out by the Messiah. The redemption of the soul shall cost very dear; but, being once wrought, it shall never need to be repeated. And he, the Redeemer, shall rise again before he sees corruption, and then shall live for evermore, Re. 1:18 . This likewise shows the folly of worldly people, who sell their souls for that which will never buy them. With all their wealth they cannot secure themselves from the stroke of death. Yet one generation after another applaud their maxims; and the character of a fool, as drawn by heavenly Wisdom itself, Lu. 12:16-21 , continues to be followed even among professed Christians. Death will ask the proud sinner, Where is thy wealth, thy pomp? And in the morning of the resurrection, when all that sleep in the dust shall awake, the upright shall be advanced to the highest honour, when the wicked shall be filled with everlasting shame and contempt, ( Daniel 12:2 ) . Let us now judge of things as they will appear in that day. The beauty of holiness is that alone which the grave cannot touch, or damage.

Verses 15-20 Believers should not fear death. The distinction of men's outward conditions, how great soever in life, makes none at death; but the difference of men's spiritual states, though in this life it may seem of small account, yet at and after death is very great. The soul is often put for the life. The God of life, who was its Creator at first, can and will be its Redeemer at last. It includes the salvation of the soul from eternal ruin. Believers will be under strong temptation to envy the prosperity of sinners. Men will praise thee, and cry thee up, as having done well for thyself in raising an estate and family. But what will it avail to be approved of men, if God condemn us? Those that are rich in the graces and comforts of the Spirit, have something of which death cannot strip them, nay, which death will improve; but as for worldly possessions, as we brought nothing into the world, so it is certain that we shall carry nothing out; we must leave all to others. The sum of the whole matter is, that it can profit a man nothing to gain the whole world, to become possessed of all its wealth and all its power, if he lose his own soul, and is cast away for want of that holy and heavenly wisdom which distinguishes man from the brutes, in his life and at his death. And are there men who can prefer the lot of the rich sinner to that of poor Lazarus, in life and death, and to eternity? Assuredly there are. What need then we have of the teaching of the Holy Ghost; when, with all our boasted powers, we are prone to such folly in the most important of all concerns!

Chapter Summary

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Aben Ezra says this psalm is a very excellent one, since in it is explained the Light of the world to come, and of the rational and immortal soul; and Kimchi is of opinion that it respects both this world and that which is to come: and indeed it treats of the vanity of trusting in riches: of the insufficiency of them for the redemption of the soul; of the short continuance of worldly honour and substance; of the certainty of death, and of the resurrection of the dead. And the design of it is to expose the folly of trusting in uncertain riches, and to comfort the people of God under the want of them.