Psalm 49 - Wealth and Resurrection
This is the last psalm of the first group of psalms by the sons of Korah (Psalms 42,44-49). There are altogether 11 psalms by the sons of Korah: 7 in this first group, and 4 more almost at the end of Psalms book 3, Psalms 84-85, 87-88.
Outline of this psalm
vv1-4 Intro calling on everyone to hear this wisdom
vv 5-13 The foolishness of trusting in wealth
vv 14-15 Hope for resurrection
vv16-20 Conclusion, lesson from vv5-13
v1 - This message is not just for Israel but for all human beings of all statuses.
It is not a topic which men delight to consider, and therefore he who would instruct them must press them to give ear.
... We must all appear before the judgment seat, and therefore we all should give earnest heed to holy admonition which may help us to prepare for that dread event. - Spurgeon
v2 - The low will be encouraged, the high will be warned, the rich will be sobered, the poor consoled, there will be a useful lesson for each if they are willing to learn it. Our preaching ought to have a voice for all classes, and all should have an ear for it. To suit our word to the rich alone is wicked sycophancy, and to aim only at pleasing the poor is to act the part of a demagogue. Truth may be so spoken as to command the ear of all, and wise men seek to learn that acceptable style. Rich and poor must soon meet together in the grave, they may well be content to meet together now. In the congregation of the dead all differences of rank will be obliterated, they ought not now to be obstructions to united instructions. - Spurgeon
Inspired and therefore lifted beyond himself, the prophet is not praising his own attainments, but extolling the divine Spirit which spoke in him. He knew that the Spirit of truth and wisdom spoke through him. He who is not sure that his matter is good has no right to ask a hearing. - Spurgeon
The same Spirit who made the ancient seers eloquent, also made them thoughtful. The help of the Holy Ghost was never meant to supersede the use of our own mental powers. The Holy Spirit does not make us speak as Balaam's ass, which merely uttered sounds, but never meditated; but He first leads us to consider and reflect, and then He gives us the tongue of fire to speak with power. - Spurgeon
v4 - To understand some passages of the Bible and apply it to our lives, we often need to stretch our hearing. ref. Prov 22:17; etc. Prov 25:2
Always write (and read) with the ear, not the eye. You should hear every sentence you write as if it was being read aloud or spoken. If it does not sound nice, try again. - C. S. Lewis
He who would have others hear, begins by hearing [the Word] himself. ...
The truth came to the psalmist as a parable, and he endeavored to unriddle it for popular use; he would not leave the truth in obscurity, but he listened to its voice till he so well understood it as to be able to interpret and translate it into the common language of the multitude. Still of necessity it would remain a problem, and a dark saying to the unenlightened many, but this would not be the songster's fault, for, saith he, I will open my dark saying upon the harp. The writer was no mystic, delighting in deep and cloudy things, yet he was not afraid of the most profound topics; he tried to open the treasures of darkness, and to uplift pearls from the deep. To win attention he cast his proverbial philosophy into the form of song. - Spurgeon
v7 - The blessing of having more wealth than you need is to be able to help others. If you can't help others with your wealth it is vain. ( 1Tim 6:17-19)
They see that the wise men die, so they do not treasure wisdom as in this psalm ( v3).
v11 - lit. their dwellings to a generation and generation
v12 - This chorus is repeated in v20, the last verse of this psalm.
"their mouth" refers to their superficial sayings, but may also include their consumption. People liked to watch the TV series Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, which ran for 11 years. The TV host ended each show with his signature catchphrase "champagne wishes and caviar dreams".
We must give ear to this psalmists' mouth speaking wisdom ( v3) to keep us from delighting in the world's mouth.
The Selah after this verse says that we need to take this verse to heart.
Selah. Well may the minstrel pause, and bid us muse upon the deep seated madness of the sons of Adam. Take occasion, reader, to reflect upon thine own. - Spurgeon
v 14 "Sheol" is the place where all the dead go, both good and bad ( Gen 37:35). It is translated "Hades" in Greek.
lit. Death will shepherd them.
The verb could be translated "graze on".
"Shepherd" is the more common meaning of the Hebrew verb, especially when it has a direct object.
I chose "shepherd" because then that thought is advanced by the next phrase "and the upright shall rule over them."
Death's is probably what the rich man experienced in Luke 16.
The righteous are led by the Good Shepherd, but the ungodly have death for their shepherd, - Spurgeon
The middle of this verse is the first statement of hope in this psalm, hope beyond the grave.
There will be a morning, the next age, when all the dead will arise. The upright ruling over him is a good thing.
The poor saints were once the tail, but at the day break they shall be the head. Sinners rule till night fall; their honors wither in the evening, and in the morning they find their position utterly reversed. The sweetest reflection to the upright is that "the morning" here intended begins an endless, changeless, day. - Spurgeon
v15 This is a clear word on the hope of resurrection, confirming Dan 12:2.
v16 lit. when the glory of his house grows
This goes back to the beginning of the riddle, v5.
In these last verses the psalmist becomes a preacher, and gives admonitory lessons which he has himself gathered from experience. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich. Let it not give thee any concern to see the godless prosper. Raise no questions as to divine justice; suffer no foreboding to cloud thy mind. Temporal prosperity is too small a matter to be worth fretting about; - Spurgeon
v18 "Take care of Number One, "is the world's proverbial philosophy, ... To do good wins fame in heaven, but to do good to yourself is the prudent thing among men of the world. Yet not a whisper of worldly congratulation can follow the departing millionaire; they say he died worth a mint of money, but what charm has that fact to the dull cold ear of death? - Spurgeon
v 19 "his soul" is literally "she" which I understand as referring back to "his soul" in v18, which is the nearest feminine antecedent.
"group" is literally "generation".
Where the former generations lie, the present shall also slumber. - Spurgeon
At the end, they will see light, but it will be too late. This also is a serious warning to act now and not delay.
v 20 Sober ending, repeating v12.
I do not believe that animals were not made to live forever ( Eccl 3:21). The word translated "are no more" or "perish" in v12 means to cease to exist ( Hos 4:5-6). Of all life on earth, only man, who is made in the image of God, is created to live forever, and that is also in man's heart ( Eccl 3:11). To not consider our future state beyond the grave is to be like a beast who is just made to live for a while on earth and then die and be no more.
So ends the minstrel's song. Comforting as the theme is to the righteous, it is full of warning to the worldly. Hear ye it, O ye rich and poor. Give ear to it, ye nations of the earth. - Spurgeon
"My rich brother, trust not in uncertain riches; but use thy wealth wisely, and it shall prove a blessing to thyself and to others:
My poor brother, do thou neither envy nor fear the power of wealthy worldlings; but rejoice in thine own, inalienable and blessed portion." - Scroggie, W. Graham.
-copyright Steve Miller
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Psalm 49 for the overcomer, through the sons of Korah, a psalm
(tune: One Tin Soldier, 8.7.8.7.D 8.7.8.9 9.5.8.7)
1 1 Hear this, all ye peoples give ear,
all ye in the world dwelling.
2 Both men of high and low degree,
alike the rich and needy.
3 My mouth shall speak things of wisdom,
and what my heart considers
shall be understanding. 4 I stretch
my ear unto a proverb.
I will open up my riddle
on the harp. 5 Why should I fear
in evil days when lawlessness
of my supplanters to me draws near?
6 They that trust upon their wealth, their strength,
and boast themselves in
the abundance of their riches.
7 There's none can redeem a kin
2 or give God a ransom for him,
 8 and their soul's redemption is
costly and is gone forever
 9 that to the end he should live,
that he never should see the pit
10 for the wise men die he sees.
Alike the fool and brute perish
and their wealth to others leave.
11 Their inward thought is that their own
houses will be ever the same,
their dwellings to generations.
They call the grounds after their own names.
12 But a man in honor discerns not.
He is like the beasts
that perish. 13 This, their way for them
is stupidity, you see.
3 Yet those who will come after them
delight in their mouth. Selah.
14 Like sheep they're ordained for Sheol.
Death will be their shepherd there.
And the upright shall rule o'er them
when the morning comes to dawn.
Their facade is to be consumed
by Sheol, their glory gone.
15 Surely God will redeem my soul
because He will take me from
the hand, the power, of Sheol.
Selah. Pause, and this thnk upon.
16 Do not fear when a man becomes rich,
when his glory grows
17 for when he's dead he'll take nothing.
His glory won't with him go.
4 18 Though in his life he blessed his soul,
and men praise you when you do
well for yourself, 19 his soul still will
go unto his fathers' group.
Until the end, they'll not see light.
20 A man that is in honor
and he does not understand this,
is like beasts that are no more.
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Proverbs 22:2 The rich and poor meet together; the LORD is the maker of them all.
Proverbs 22:16 He who oppresses the poor to make much for himself Or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
17 Stretch your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge;
18 For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, That they may be ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the LORD, I have taught you today, even you.
20 Have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge,
21 To make you know the certainty of the words of truth That you may correctly answer to him who sent you?
22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Or crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 For the LORD will plead their case, And take the life of those who rob them.
Matthew 11:11 "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
14 And if you care to accept it, he himself is Elijah, who was to come.
15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
12:42 "The Queen of the South shall rise up with this generation at the judgment and shall condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
13:8 And others fell on the good soil, and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
9 He who has ears, let him hear.
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
11 And He answered and said to them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.
12 For whoever has, to him shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
13 Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; And you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
15 For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes Lest they should see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I should heal them.'
16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
17 For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
...41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,
42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Mark 4:8 "And other seeds fell into the good soil and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
9 And He was saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
...21 And He was saying to them, "A lamp is not brought to be put under a peck-measure, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand?
22 For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it should come to light.
23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear."
24 And He was saying to them, "Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it shall be measured to you; and more shall be given you besides.
25 For whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him."
7:14 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand:
15 There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.
16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!
8:17 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?
18 "Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?
Luke 8:8 "But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold." When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
14:33 "So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
34 "Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
35 "It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
Revelation 2:7 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."'
11 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'
17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."'
29 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
3:5 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
12 "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
21 "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
13:7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
Proverbs 8:11 for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not equal to it.
Ecclesiastes 2:14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both.
15 Then I said to myself, "As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?" So I said to myself, "This too is vanity."
16 For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die!
17 So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.
Luke 12:18 And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry."'
20 But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?'
21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."
Genesis 37:35 Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him [Jacob], but he refused to be comforted. And he said, "Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son." So his father wept for him.
Deuteronomy 32:22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, And it shall burn into the lowest Sheol, And shall consume the earth and its produce, And set fire to the foundations of the mountains.
Luke 16:23 "And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.'
Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame, to everlasting contempt.
3 And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse; and they that turn the many to righteousness as the stars, for ever and ever.
Job 1:21 And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD."
Luke 16:15 And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God. ...
19 Now there was a rich man and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, making good cheer in splendour every day. ...
25 But Abraham said, Child, recollect that thou hast fully received thy good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is comforted here, and thou art in suffering.
Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?
Hosea 4:5 And thou shalt stumble by day; and the prophet also shall stumble with thee by night: and I will destroy thy mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; for thou hast rejected knowledge, and I will reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.
("Your mother" above refers to the apostate northern kingdom of Israel, which is no more.)
Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has given eternity into their heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
1Timothy 6:17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
-copyright Steve Miller
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