Even the wise and the rich die and leave their
wealth to others. Psalm 49 is a warning to the rich to be careful upon what
they place their trust in. It reminds me of a story from my days as a telephone
installer back in the late 70’s.
I worked a strange territory that covered parts of
the worst ghetto to parts of the richest of St. Louis. One night I was running
late on my work and showed up at a house, no not a house, a mansion up near
Forest Park. I was to install another phone jack. The home owner, a very
wealthy man, took me upstairs to this beautiful bedroom in this 30 plus room
mansion and pointed to a spot next to the bed and said he needed a jack
installed right next to the bed. In the bed a woman was sleeping so I advised
him that I was going to be a bit noisy and was afraid I would awaken her. He told
me that it was ok; she was heavily sedated and would sleep right through my
work. I will never forget the look of hopelessness on his face as he proceeded
to tell me that his wife was terminally ill with cancer and in her final days. He
wanted a phone as close to her as possible should she need to call anyone
during the day when he was away at his job. I was not a Christian at the time.
He spoke nothing of hope for eternal life nor did I. Tears accompanied his
sorrow. His heart was broken. I left that night with a complete understanding
that money cannot buy happiness. Money cannot bribe death. Money provides no
hope for life after death.
Psalm 49:1-4
TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together! My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together! My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
The psalmist has great wisdom and he shares it in
this psalm.
We should not envy nor be afraid of the rich.
Psalm 49:5-6
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
To the Christian eternity is what really counts.
Riches nor those who wield their power on this earth can affect our eternal
destination nor their own.
Psalm 49:7-9
Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit.
Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit.
All of us will die and face the judgment of God.
Psalm 49:10-14
For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
Rich or poor, Hell awaits those who reject God’s
Son. But to all who receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, to them eternal riches
await.
Psalm 49:15
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah
Do not envy the rich. Do not fear them. Death will
not pass them by and they will leave this earth with nothing.
Psalm 49:16-19
Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed, —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.
Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed, —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.
Pray for the rich who have placed their trust in
their wealth. Preach to them the Gospel and in your life let them see the truth
in your joy of knowing Jesus, for they do not understand. It does not matter
that they hold a doctorate from Harvard or Yale, or that they wear fancy suits
and drive expensive cars, for without knowledge of the Gospel they will perish
for all eternity into the horrors of hell.
Psalm 49:20
Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Paul said this in Ephesians
3:7-8, “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace
given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of
all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ…”
Christians we, too, are servants of the Gospel. We must go
out into the world and preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. I leave you
with the great Words of Jesus.
Matthew 6:19-21
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
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