The title to this psalm is the same essentially as the title to Psalms 42:1; Psalms 44; Psalms 45; Psalms 46:1; Psalms 47:1. On the meaning of the terms occurring in the title, see the notes at the title to Psalms 42:1. The “author” of the psalm is unknown. There is no evidence that it was composed... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR THIS, ALL YE PEOPLE - That is, What I am about; to utter is worthy of universal attention; it pertains equally to all mankind. The psalmist; therefore calls on all the nations to attend to what he is about to say. Compare the notes at Isaiah 1:2. GIVE EAR - Incline your ear; attend. Compare th... [ Continue Reading ]
BOTH LOW AND HIGH - Those alike of humble and those of exalted rank, for it pertains equally to all. On the meaning of the “terms” employed here, see the notes at Isaiah 2:9. These truths pertained to the “low;” that is, to those of humble rank, as teaching them not to envy the rich, and not to fear... [ Continue Reading ]
MY MOUTH SHALL SPEAK OF WISDOM - That is, I will utter sentiments that are wise, or that are of importance to all; sentiments that will enable all to take a just view of the subject on which I speak. This indicates “confidence” in what he was about to utter, as being eminently deserving of attention... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL INCLINE MINE EAR TO A PARABLE - The phrase “I will incline mine ear” means that he would listen or attend to - as we incline our ear toward those whom we are anxious to hear, or in the direction from which a sound seems to come. Compare Psalms 5:1; Psalms 17:1; Psalms 39:12; Isaiah 1:2. On th... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE SHOULD I FEAR IN THE DAYS OF EVIL - This verse is designed evidently to state the main subject of the psalm; the result of the reflections of the author on what had been to him a source of perplexity; on what had seemed to him to be a dark problem. He “had” evidently felt that there was oc... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT TRUST IN THEIR WEALTH - The first reason why there was no cause of alarm is drawn Psalms 49:6 from the “powerlessness” of wealth, as illustrated by the fact that it can do nothing to save life or to prevent death. He refers to those who possess it as “trusting” in their wealth, or “relying... [ Continue Reading ]
NONE OF THEM CAN BID ANY MEANS REDEEM HIS BROTHER - None of those who are rich. This verse might be literally rendered, “a brother cannot by redeeming redeem; a man cannot give to God his own ransom.” The passage, therefore, may mean either, as in our version, that no one, however rich, can redeem a... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE REDEMPTION OF THEIR SOUL IS PRECIOUS - The word “soul” here means “life,” and not the immortal part. The only question which the psalmist here considers is the value of wealth in preserving “life,” or in saving man from the grave. The phrase, ““their” soul,” refers doubtless to the man and h... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HE SHOULD STILL LIVE FOR EVER - That his brother whom he could not redeem - or that he himself - should not die, Psalms 49:8. The idea is, that the price of life is so great that no wealth can rescue it so that a man shall not die. AND NOT SEE CORRUPTION - Should not return to dust, or moulder... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE SEETH THAT WISE MEN DIE - He must see this; he does see it. He perceives that no one can be saved from death. It comes on all alike - the wise and the unwise. Nothing saves from it. The allusion is here especially to the “rich,” whether “they” are wise or whether they are fools and “brutish.”... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR INWARD THOUGHT IS - Their secret expectation and feeling is that they have secured permanency for their wealth in their own families, though they themselves may pass away. The essential thought in this verse is, that the rich people referred to in the foregoing verses imagine that their posses... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, MAN BEING IN HONOR ABIDETH NOT - No matter to what rank he may rise, no matter how much wealth he may accumulate, no matter how fixed and secure he may seem to make his possessions, he cannot make them permanent and enduring. He must pass away and leave all this to others. The word ren... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS THEIR WAY IS THEIR FOLLY - This might be rendered, “This is their way or course of life. It is their folly;” or, such is their folly. On the word “way,” see the notes at Psalms 1:6. The idea is, that it is folly for a man to cherish these hopes; to feel that wealth is of so much importance; to... [ Continue Reading ]
LIKE SHEEP THEY ARE LAID IN THE GRAVE - The allusion here is to a flock as “driven” forward by the shepherd; and the meaning is that they are driven forward to the grave, as it were, in flocks, or as a flock of sheep is driven by a shepherd. The word rendered “are laid” - שׁתוּ _śatû_ - is probabl... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT GOD WILL REDEEM MY SOUL FROM THE POWER OF THE GRAVE - literally, “from the hand of Sheol;” that is, from the dominion of death. The hand is an emblem of power, and it here means that death or Sheol holds the dominion over all those who are in the grave. The control is absolute and unlimited. The... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT THOU AFRAID WHEN ONE IS MADE RICH - Do not dread the power derived from wealth; do not fear anything which a man can do merely because he is rich. The original is, “when a “man” becomes rich.” The allusion is not necessarily to a bad man, though that is implied in the whole passage, since the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHEN HE DIETH - He must die. His wealth cannot save him from the grave. It is always to be “assumed” of rich people, as of all other men, that they “will” have to die. The point is not one which is to be argued; not one about which there can be any doubt. Of all people, whatever else may be said... [ Continue Reading ]
THOUGH WHILE HE LIVED - Margin, as in Hebrew, “in his life.” More literally, “in his lives.” The idea is, as long as he lived. HE BLESSED HIS SOUL - That is, he blessed himself; he congratulated himself; he regarded his condition as desirable and enviable. He “took airs” upon himself; he felt that h... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL GO TO THE GENERATION OF HIS FATHERS - To be gathered to one’s own people, or to his fathers, is a common expression in the Old Testament in speaking of death. See Genesis 25:8, Genesis 25:17; Genesis 35:29; Genesis 49:29, Genesis 49:33, Numbers 20:24, Numbers 20:26;... [ Continue Reading ]
MAN THAT IS IN HONOR - Man that is in possession of wealth, or that occupies an exalted rank. See the notes at Psalms 49:12. AND UNDERSTANDETH NOT - That is, who has no proper appreciation of what it is to be a man; of what is his true rank “as” a man; of his relations to God; of his condition as a... [ Continue Reading ]