Psalm 49 Study
Introduction
This is an anonymous psalm. Sometimes the anonymous psalms are called “orphan psalms” because they stand alone on the page of Scripture without their human parentage being known.
This is a psalm about rich people.
When Barbara Hutton, the wealthy heiress of the Woolworth fortune died, Time magazine in an obituary noted her numerous unhappy marriages to the rich, the powerful, the popular of the world; noted her chronic illnesses; recalled that she had been characterized as “the poor little rich girl.” She had everything, but she had nothing.
This psalm is about poor rich people—people who have money, but that is all they have. Family, fortune, friends, and future—nothing matters but money. These people are the orphans of eternity
All we know about this psalm is that it was “for the sons of Korah.” It is one of ten such psalms. The sons of Korah descended from a father who perished under the wrath and curse of God because of his arrogance and pride. The fact that he was a Levite, the grandson of Kohath, great-grandson of Levi, and kin to Moses and Aaron, only aggravated his fault.
The psalm does not make being rich a sin. The sin lies in trusting in riches. It is not money that is the root of all evil, but the love of it.
1) An Intro Proclamation
The power of wealth to make men proud, careless of God, and heedless of eternity is one which all men must face.