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Scott's Reference Library
Psalm 49:1-11
Sunday Between July 31 and August 6 (Proper 13) C (Psalm) August 2, 1998
Psalm 49:1-12
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,
[2] both low and high,
rich and poor alike:
[3] My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the utterance from my heart will give understanding.
[4] I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle:
[5] Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me--
[6] those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?
[7] No man can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for him--
[8] the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough--
[9] that he should live on forever
and not see decay.
[10] For all can see that wise men die;
the foolish and the senseless alike perish
and leave their wealth to others.
[11] Their tombs will remain their houses forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had named lands after themselves.
[12] But man, despite his riches, does not endure;
he is like the beasts that perish.
(NIV)
Psalm 49:1-5 (A call for attention)
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?
Psalm 49:6-14 (Folly of worldlings)
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, Revelation 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, Luke 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.
(Matthew Henry Concise Commentary)