Rich and Wise
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1 Hear this, all ye people;
Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:
2 Both low and high,
Rich and poor, together.
3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom;
And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
4 I will incline mine ear to a parable:
I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil,
When the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?
6 They that trust in their wealth,
And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
Nor give to God a ransom for him:
8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious,
And it ceaseth for ever:)
9 That he should still live for ever,
And not see corruption.
10 For he seeth that wise men die,
Likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever,
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They call their lands after their own names.
12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not:
He is like the beasts that perish.
13 This their way is their folly:
Yet their posterity approve their sayings.
Selah.
14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them;
And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning;
And their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave:
For he shall receive me.
Selah.
16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich,
When the glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away:
His glory shall not descend after him.
18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul,
And men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.
19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
They shall never see light.
20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not,
Is like the beasts that perish.
Rich and Wise
There are two anthems that ring loudly throughout the verses of Psalm 49. They are: 1) you can’t take it with you, and 2) money can’t redeem your soul. These words of wisdom caution everyone to understand that only God can give you eternal life and that is something that the riches of this world can never purchase. The Psalm begins with a cry to everyone, “All ye people.” The multitude of listeners around the world was diverse, including both low and high, rich and poor, together. The crier, David, tells them he is going to share wise words and reveal mysteries to them as he plays his harp. He begins by laying the framework of exactly what type of people he hopes to learn from his message. They that trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them by any means can redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him.
Here, David criticizes men who arrogantly gloat about their wealthy status. These men and their riches have no power above God’s power and control of the soul. For the redemption of their soul is precious and it ceaseth forever. The soul which belongs to God will live forever and not see corruption. The fleshly body sees decay in the grave, but the soul lives on eternally. All men die, the wise as well as the foolish and brutish. They think to themselves that they can pass on their riches as an inheritance so their honor will live on through generations. They call their lands after their own names. David appears to scoff at their folly. He reminds them that they will die just like the beasts of the field. Like sheep, they are laid in the grave. Death shall feed on them. The upright, those who are still standing alive and well above the grave, shall have dominion over them in the morning. No longer clothed in their riches, their beauty will be consumed in the grave.
Now, David speaks these final words he wants them to understand. “But God will consume my soul from the power of the grave. For He shall receive me.” One does not have to be afraid of losing one’s riches. For when he dieth, he will carry nothing away. His glory shall not descend after him. Although men honored him even if he did well with his wealth, he will still die and go to the generations of his fathers. They shall never see light. “Man that is in honor but understandeth not is like the beast that perish”. David ends with this solemn message to anyone who foolishly trusts in earthly treasures, believing these have values beyond the grave, but does not believe in God, who has the ultimate power over their souls for eternity.
So many people in this world are consumed with the desire to amass this world’s riches. They compare their economic status to others, constantly weighing if their car, home and material things have more value than others. Some get anxious and depressed as they daily check the stock market, fretting that their future wealth might be slipping away. Jesus warned that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. Like David in Psalm 49, Jesus is not speaking disparagingly of riches themselves. No, He is focusing on the attitude of the man who lives with his trust in his wealth rather than focusing on his spiritual trust in God for his soul’s salvation. What good is it to gain the whole world but lose your soul? I pray daily that I set my affections on things above, not on things of this earth. God, help me to have the right perspective, knowing I can’t take any of my earthly treasures with me when I die.
I would love to hear what this Psalm brings to mind for you! Write back to me in Facebook comment or blog reply.
Disclaimer: The intention of this project is not to teach, but rather to share. Please use due diligence in studying the word of God, and seek guidance from your local religious leaders for any questions or concerns.
Debra Hill
Debra Hill is an independent inspirational singer, author, songwriter, and writer. As a blind performer, she adds a personal story of God’s faithfulness. Her life exemplifies that Christ’s power will work to lift all regardless of circumstances.
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