In The Word
Read: Psalms 49
The Folly of Trusting in Riches.
For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
49 Hear this, all peoples;
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 Both low and high,
Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth will speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart will be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will express my riddle on the harp.
5 Why should I fear in days of adversity,
When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me,
6 Even those who trust in their wealth
And boast in the abundance of their riches?
7 No man can by any means redeem his brother
Or give to God a ransom for him—
8 For the redemption of his soul is costly,
And he should cease trying forever—
9 That he should live on eternally,
That he should not undergo decay.
10 For he sees that even wise men die;
The stupid and the senseless alike perish
And leave their wealth to others.
11 Their inner thought is that their houses are forever
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have called their lands after their own names.
12 But man in his pomp will not endure;
He is like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the way of those who are foolish,
And of those after them who approve their words. Selah.
14 As sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
And the upright shall rule over them in the morning,
And their form shall be for Sheol to consume
So that they have no habitation.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,
For He will receive me. Selah.
16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich,
When the glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
His glory will not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives he congratulates himself—
And though men praise you when you do well for yourself—
19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
They will never see the light.
20 Man in his pomp, yet without understanding,
Is like the beasts that perish.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
The writer is letting us know right up front that what he is about to share is very important. This Psalm instructs and consoles. It teaches that earthly advantages are not reliable for permanent happiness, and that however prosperous worldly men may be for a time, their ultimate destiny is ruin. All the while, the pious are safe in God’s care. He speaks of how man tries to build material things that will last forever, but in reality, it will all be destroyed.
One cannot buy their way into heaven with earthly wealth, no matter how much they have. “No man can, by any means, redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him, for the redemption of his soul is costly (7-8)”. Many times it is hard for a rich person to understand this. That is why Yahshua said, “it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven… it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle” (Matthew 19:23-24).
We are reminded here to never put our trust in wealth, but in God for our eternal being. The blood of Yahshua is the only wealth that can redeem our soul or any person’s soul. Redemption is found in faith in Christ alone, who has paid the price for you and me. This should comfort us when we are poor, and remind us to not trust in our riches when we have them.