Psalm 49

Most of you are just beginning life. You are trying to decide how you think about the world, where you want to stand in the world, and what direction you want to go in this world. You’re finally becoming aware of the reality that the world isn’t fair, that things are backwards with the wicked exploiting the vulnerable with what seems like no consequences and you’re finally faced with the decision on how you think about that reality. So, which way are you going to go? Are you going to say, “You know what? The world isn’t fair, but I’m going to do the best I can for myself to make sure it’s as fair as it gets for me!” Or, are you interested in taking another route?

You see, this is the question in mind as we look at Psalm 49 tonight. The Psalmist wants us to ask the question, “If the wicked prosper, what is the point in being righteous?” and his answer to that question is that we need to look at things differently. You see, for those of us at the beginning of this thing called life, we are looking up at the mountain of life and it seems that the wicked get to enjoy the best views. But the Psalmist tells us that we’re looking at it from the wrong perspective and that instead, we should view the beginning of our lives with the end in mind. The ancient saying, “Memento Mori” or “Remember your death” is a good one for you and I to keep in our back pockets because, although the people originally using it may or may not have been believers, we are. And we know that there is something more to this thing than just the here and now.

So, what does this mean for you who are just now deciding on which way you’re heading? Well, as we look at Psalm 49 tonight, we are going to find that the significance of today is tomorrow. What I mean by that is that we can get so caught up in the feelings and flashing lights of today, that we forget that there is anything more than just this one moment, and that’s a dangerous place for the believer to be so let’s use this psalm to help us out.

Going the way of the world gives clouded vision.

Faulty Trust 6 - Notice the foundation of their trust in verse six? It isn’t the unchangeable God, but their wealth and what power does that give them? Well, in the grand scheme of things, nothing when it comes to death. Notice their failed attempts at redeeming their own souls in verse 7-9.

Failed Attempts 7-9 (verse 8 is parenthetical)

Fleeting Prosperity 10-13 - Finally, their prosperity is fleeting. Now, if you are using another translation than me, verse 11 may read something like, “Their graves are their permanent homes.” Now while I’m not sure if that’s the proper translation of that verse, there is something interesting going on their because graves could be contrasting with their dwelling places. It’s almost like the Psalmist is saying, “They act like their going to live forever with these massive mansions they’ve built, but the only place that’s permanently theirs is the grave.” Regardless of which translation is correct, they both have the same meaning which is that these men who have foolishly placed their hopes in wealth cannot redeem their souls with it and because of their wickedness, the only thing that is permanently theirs is death.

So, the way of the world here is that it grants nothing but clouded vision. This guy is putting his trust in a weak and changing god that can’t redeem and can’t deliver. In short, this man is blinded by his idolatry of the here and the now. What I want us to get from this psalm so far is that as you begin to walk the path of your adult lives, the way that is screaming for your attention and is promising you hopes, dreams, and ease is actually throwing up a smoke screen to deceive you.

Going the way of the world leads to condemnation

If both the righteous and wicked die, what is the advantage of righteousness? Well, the eternal position of the once prospering wicked is described as being shepherded by death where they will be consumed by Hell with no place for them to run to dwell. To put it this way, those who once lived by no rules but their own and had the greatest of homes and pleasures will one day be those who will live with death as their ruler and Hell as their home. Not only this, but the righteous who were once oppressed victims are now the victorious rulers. Notice that the text says, “The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.” You see, in our world we think of night coming after morning as the end of the day, but in the ancient world, the day began at night and ended in the day and this is one of the keys to this Psalm and to our lives! It is that we are currently living in darkness, we live among the wicked and they seem to be doing well, but morning is coming. But wait, we just saw that the righteous faced death too, so what’s the difference? The difference is seen in the Deliverer.

Remember earlier the Psalmist said that there is no price that the wicked can pay for their own redemption, but in verse 15 we find that for the righteous, it isn’t that they’ve paid the price, but that God Himself has provided their ransom. And how has that ransom been paid? By the coming of the Light of the world into darkness. In John 1:3-11 we read,

John 1:3–11 NKJV

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

It is this Light, the Lord Jesus Christ who is the resurrection and the life according to John 11:25 which says,

John 11:25 NKJV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

This Jesus has come and conquered sin and death for us and through this work, He has lead us out of death with Him. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23

1 Corinthians 15:20–23 NKJV

20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

So, what does this mean for you as you are at the beginning of your life?

Well, it means that we should be careful about where we look! There is a story about a rich man who was visited by an angel and was told that he could have whatever he wanted so the man said he wanted a copy of the newspaper from a year into the future. So, when the angel handed it to him, the man took it and immediately began looking at the stock market and began making investments. Then, while he was flipping through the pages, his eyes caught a glimpse of his face in the obituary section which caused him to forget all about the stocks. Why? Because the end was in view. Guys, make sure that you are building your life around the One who saves sinners and brings them to be with Him forever. Verse 16-20 reminds us that those who build their lives on prosperity might have fame for a while, but in the end they die and nothing they’ve achieved will go with them. So, be careful where you’re looking and make sure it’s with the end in mind. If you build the biggest business, marry the most beautiful spouse, and have the best known name in town and don’t know Christ, it will all be worthless in the end.

It also means that you have hope in your heartache. This psalm reminds us that while we live in a dark world full of suffering, morning is coming and everything will be made right. So, when your tempted to give up and to walk in the way of the world, keep the end in mind.

Finally, I want to emphasize that prosperity is not evil. As a matter of fact, much of the wisdom books in the Bible says its a blessing. However, the Bible warns us that prosperity can quickly corrupt us and cause us to look away from God and to rely on our wealth. So, I am not saying that you can’t pursue a good living, I’m simply warning you that if you pursue wealth and make that your god, you will be investing your life in nothing more than wood, hay, and stubble that will all burn up in the end. However, if you keep Christ in mind, and He sees fit to bless you in that regard, then He does so so that you might be an instrument for the good of His Kingdom.