Psalm 49

Psalm 49:1-20 English Standard Version

Psalm 49:title

1. To the choirmaster.

2. A Psalm

a. It is possible that על־מות(“on death”) should be added to the title from Ps 48:15 (see the note on that verse); if inserted after מזמור“psalm,” it could be translated: “a psalm concerning death,” which would be appropriate to the subject matter.[1]

3. of the Sons of Korah.

a. Psalms of the Sons of Korah (Psalms 42-49; Psalms 84; 85; 87; 88)

b. According to 1 Chronicles, the Korahites were temple keepers and temple singers during the reigns of David and Solomon (1 Chr. 6:31–37; 9:19).5The Korahites are listed in Num. 26:58 as one of the five major levitical families, but in the book of Chronicles, they generally appear as a subgroup of the Kohathites (1 Chr. 6:22, 31–37; 9:19).[2]

c. In Pss 42–43 the psalmist was cast down in soul, taunted by the wicked and unjust about where his God had gone. That individual plea was extended to the believing remnant in Ps 44, and their relief came in the celebration of the king in Ps 45, followed by the establishment of the eschatological city in Ps 46. The peoples were called to celebrate in Ps 47, and Ps 48 sang the glory of God in the beauty of the city. Ps 49 now compares the worthless wealth of the nations, wealth that cannot redeem them or continue with them after death, with the lasting treasures of those who know God.[3]

Introduction (Psalm 49:1-2)

Psalm 49:1-2

1. (v.1) Hear this, all peoples!

2. Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,

3. (v.2) both low and high,

4. rich and poor together!

a. Note the parallelism.

b. World - duration of life, time span of one’s life, i.e., an indefinite length of time, with a focus on the life lived in that time frame (Job 11:17; Ps 39:6[EB 5]; 89:48[EB 47]+); 2. LN 1.39–1.45 this world, i.e., this present world in contrast, with a focus as a temporary thing (Ps 17:14; 49:2[EB 1][4]

Psalm 49:3-4

1. (v.3) My mouth shall speak wisdom;

2. the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

3. (v.4) I will incline my ear to a proverb;

4. I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.

a. The mention of the lyre may indicate a prophetic utterance.

i. 2 Kings 3:15 But now bring me a musician.” And when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him [Elisha].

b. This is a wisdom psalm.

i. Proverbs 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

ii. Proverbs 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight,

iii. Proverbs 1:3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;

iv. Proverbs 1:4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth—

v. Proverbs 1:5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

vi. Proverbs 1:6 to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.

c. The riddle in this psalm is not like one of the riddles of Samson (Judges 14:14), but is larger in scope than that, and may have the connotation of a difficult or enigmatic question (VanGemeren, ‘Psalms,’ 5:368).[5]

d. This psalm is going to communicate wisdom to us.

i. What wisdom, understanding, proverb, or riddle is this psalm helping us understand?

Stanza One (Psalm 49:5-11)

The Riddle of the Wicked Wealthy (Psalm 49:5-6).

Psalm 49:5-6

1. (v.5) Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,

2. (v.6) those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?

a. The feature that especially characterizes this group is that they trust in and boast of (the same Hb. root meaning “praise”) wealth. Throughout the Psalter, these are verbs that have God as their object. In this light, we learn that these are people whose ultimate security and values lie in their possessions—this is their god. The issue here is not wealth per se but trusting in that wealth.[6]

b. It talks about their *trust and their exulting (*praise). These are verbs that deserve to have Yhwh as their object (e.g., 22:4–5 [5–6]; 34:2 [3]), but here their object is resources and wealth. [7]

c. He will deal with an issue that plagued wisdom: Why do the wicked prosper more than the righteous (see Pss 37; 73; Eccl. 7:15–18; cf. Jer. 12:1)?[8]

Lesson One: We cannot redeem ourselves from death (Psalm 49:7-9).

Psalm 49:7-9

1. (v.7) Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,

a. The point is first made with emphasis by repeating the verb (lit. “it cannot redeeming redeem”).[9]

2. (v.8) for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,

a. Exodus 21:28 “When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable.

b. Exodus 21:29 But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.

c. Exodus 21:30 If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed on him.

d. Exodus 21:31 If it gores a man’s son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule.

e. Exodus 21:32 If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

i. The idiom implies that behind the fascination with wealth is a denial of death, the notion that riches can ward it off.[10]

3. (v.9) that he should live on forever and never see the pit.

a. There is not enough money in the world to pay the ransom for a person’s life so they will live on forever and never see death.

b. Psalm 49:7-9 may be the backdrop of Jesus’s saying in Mark 8:36-37:

i. Mark 8:36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

ii. Mark 8:37 For what can a man give in return for his soul?

Lesson Two: We all die (Psalm 49:10).

Psalm 49:10

1. For he sees that even the wise die;

2. the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.

Lesson Three: We all long for an eternal home (Psalm 49:11).

Psalm 49:11

1. Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations,

a. Psalm 49:11 NKJV Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever,

2. though they called lands by their own names.

a. Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Stanza Two (Psalm 49:13-19)

Lesson Four: People are commemorated after their death (Psalm 49:13).

Psalm 49:13

1. This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;

a. Psalm 49:6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?

2. yet after them people approve of their boasts.

3. Selah

Lesson Five: God’s judgment and public opinion are seldom the same (Psalm 49:14).

Psalm 49:14

1. Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;

2. death shall be their shepherd,

3. and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.

a. After the reference to Sheol and Death, this mention of “the morning” would seem to be the dawning of a new day after death: the resurrection morning.[11]

4. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol,

5. with no place to dwell.

Lesson Six: God will ransom the righteous (Psalm 49:15).

Psalm 49:15

1. But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,

2. for he will receive me.

a. The psalmist expresses confidence that what human riches cannot do, God will do, redeeming him from Sheol and taking him into his personal presence, the verb translated “take” being used also of Enoch and Elijah (Gen 5:24; 2 Kgs 2:5).[12]

3. Selah

a. Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

b. 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

c. 1 Timothy 2:6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

d. 1 Peter 1:18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,

e. 1 Peter 1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

f. Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,

Lesson Seven: Don’t be afraid when the wicked prosper (Psalm 49:16).

Psalm 49:16

1. Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,

2. when the glory of his house increases.

a. Psalm 49:5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,

b. Psalm 49:6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?

i. When the wealthy use their riches to take advantage of others, the faithful are tempted to “fear” (vv. 5, 16), which amounts to anxiety about the meaning and end of life, an unsettling reaction to the influence the wealthy wield over the powerless. [13]

Lesson Eight: We can take nothing with us in death (Psalm 49:17).

Psalm 49:17

1. For when he dies he will carry nothing away;

2. his glory will not go down after him.

a. Psalm 49:10 For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.

i. 1 Timothy 6:7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

Lesson Nine: Live for eternity, not the momentary (Psalm 49:18).

Psalm 49:18

1. For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—

a. Psalm 49:6 Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches,

b. Luke 12:15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

c. Luke 12:16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.

d. Luke 12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’

e. Luke 12:18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.

f. Luke 12:19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’

g. Luke 12:20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’

h. Luke 12:21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Lesson Ten: Our eternal destiny is set at death (Psalm 49:19).

Psalm 49:19

1. his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.

a. Psalm 49:14 and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.

i. After the reference to Sheol and Death, this mention of “the morning” would seem to be the dawning of a new day after death: the resurrection morning.[14]

b. Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

The Refrains (Psalm 49:12, 20)

Psalm 49:12

1. Man in his pomp will not remain;

2. he is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 49:20

1. Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

a. Verse 12 uses the Hebrew yālîn(to remain) and verse 20 uses yābîn(to understand); otherwise the two verses are identical.[15]

b. The poet begins, “I will incline my ear to a proverb [māšāl]” (v. 4); the refrain echoes this with a cognate: “they are like [from mšl] the animals that perish” (vv. 12 and 20). Thus, cognates of mšlappear in the beginning, middle and end, and weave together the composition.[16]

c. Psalm 49 is a tightly woven literary unit; in v. 4 the psalmist promises that the listener will hear “a proverb” and “a riddle.” The riddle is found in vv. 5–6 and the proverb is rehearsed in the repeated refrain of vv. 12 and 20.[17]

d. This person, in fact, is like(from the root māšal, from which we derive the word “proverb”) the beasts. [18]

[1]Peter C. Craigie, Psalms 1–50, 2nd ed., vol. 19, Word Biblical Commentary (Nashville, TN: Nelson Reference & Electronic, 2004), 357. 5 For a full discussion of the Korahites, see Michael Goulder, The Psalms of the Sons of Korah(JSOTSup 20; Sheffield: JSOT, 1982). [2]Nancy deClaissé-Walford and Beth Tanner, “Book Two of the Psalter: Psalms 42–72,” in The Book of Psalms, ed. E. J. Young, R. K. Harrison, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr., The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014), 395. [3]James M. Hamilton Jr., Psalms, ed. T. Desmond Alexander, Thomas R. Schreiner, and Andreas J. Köstenberger, vol. 1, Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Academic, 2021), 490. EB English Bible versification EB English Bible versification + I have cited every reference in regard to this lexeme discussed under this definition. LN Louw-Nida Greek-English Lexicon EB English Bible versification [4]James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament)(Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997). [5]Richard P. Belcher Jr., The Messiah and the Psalms: Preaching Christ from All the Psalms (Ross-shire, Scotland: Mentor, 2006). [6]Robert L. Jr. Hubbard and Robert K. Johnston, “Foreword,” in Psalms, ed. W. Ward Gasque, Robert L. Hubbard Jr., and Robert K. Johnston, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012), 221. * indicates that the word appears in the glossary * indicates that the word appears in the glossary [7]John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Psalms 42–89, ed. Tremper Longman III, vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006), 100. [8]Tremper Longman III, Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. David G. Firth, vol. 15–16, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2014), 214. lit. literally (translated) [9]John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Psalms 42–89, ed. Tremper Longman III, vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006), 101. [10]Konrad Schaefer, Psalms, ed. David W. Cotter, Jerome T. Walsh, and Chris Franke, Berit Olam Studies in Hebrew Narrative and Poetry (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2001), 125. [11]James M. Hamilton Jr., Psalms, ed. T. Desmond Alexander, Thomas R. Schreiner, and Andreas J. Köstenberger, vol. 1, Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Academic, 2021), 493. [12]Geoffrey W. Grogan, Psalms, The Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008), 104. [13]Konrad Schaefer, Psalms, ed. David W. Cotter, Jerome T. Walsh, and Chris Franke, Berit Olam Studies in Hebrew Narrative and Poetry (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2001), 125–126. [14]James M. Hamilton Jr., Psalms, ed. T. Desmond Alexander, Thomas R. Schreiner, and Andreas J. Köstenberger, vol. 1, Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Academic, 2021), 493. [15]Richard P. Belcher Jr., The Messiah and the Psalms: Preaching Christ from All the Psalms (Ross-shire, Scotland: Mentor, 2006). [16]Konrad Schaefer, Psalms, ed. David W. Cotter, Jerome T. Walsh, and Chris Franke, Berit Olam Studies in Hebrew Narrative and Poetry (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2001), 124. [17]Nancy deClaissé-Walford and Beth Tanner, “Book Two of the Psalter: Psalms 42–72,” in The Book of Psalms, ed. E. J. Young, R. K. Harrison, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr., The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014), 439. [18]Nancy deClaissé-Walford and Beth Tanner, “Book Two of the Psalter: Psalms 42–72,” in The Book of Psalms, ed. E. J. Young, R. K. Harrison, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr., The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014), 444.