INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 49 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN, A PSALM FOR THE SONS OF KORAH. Aben Ezra says this psalm is a very excellent one, since in it is explained the Light of the world to come, and of the rational and immortal soul; and Kimchi is of opinion that it respects both this world and that which... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR THIS,.... Not the law, as some Jewish writers l interpret it, which was not desirable to be heard by those that did hear it; it being a voice of wrath and terror, a cursing law, and a ministration of condemnation and death; but rather אחויתא דא, "this news", as the Targum; the good news of the... [ Continue Reading ]
BOTH LOW AND HIGH,.... Or "both the sons of Adam and the sons of men". By the sons of "Adam" are meant the multitude of the people, as Ben Melech explains it; the common people, the meaner sort, the base things of this world; and such are they, generally speaking, who are called by grace under the G... [ Continue Reading ]
MY MOUTH SHALL SPEAK OF WISDOM,.... Or "wisdoms" m; of Christ, who is so called, Proverbs 1:20. He being as a divine Person the wisdom of God, and the only wise God; and having all the treasures of wisdom in him, as man and Mediator: of him the prophet spake, and of him the apostles and all Gospel m... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL INCLINE MINE EAR TO A PARABLE,.... In which way of speaking the doctrines of the Gospel were delivered out by Christ, Matthew 13:3. Wherefore the prophet, representing his apostles and disciples, signifies that he would listen thereunto, that he might attain to the knowledge thereof, and com... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE SHOULD I FEAR IN THE DAYS OF EVIL,.... This is the principal thing that all are before called to hearken to. This is the wisdom and understanding the psalmist had been meditating upon, and was about to utter; this is the parable he inclined his ear to, and the dark saying he would open; na... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT TRUST IN THEIR WEALTH,.... In their outward force, power, and strength; their horses, chariots, and armies; see Psalms 33:16; or in their worldly goods and substance; which seems to be the sense of the word here, as appears from Psalms 49:10. To "trust" in them is to set the eye and hear... [ Continue Reading ]
NONE [OF THEM] CAN BY ANY MEANS REDEEM HIS BROTHER,.... That is, "with their substance", or "riches", as the Targum and Jarchi supply. Some, according to the order of the words in the original, render them, "a brother redeeming cannot redeem a man", or "anyone" q: but, as Aben Ezra observes, אח, "a... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE REDEMPTION OF THEIR SOUL [IS] PRECIOUS,.... Or "heavy" s; it is, as Jarchi observes, "heavier than their substance": it is too weighty a matter for the richest man in the world to engage in; he is not equal to it; his riches are not an equivalent to the redemption of a soul which has sinned,... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HE SHOULD STILL LIVE FOR EVER,.... Or "though he should live", c. w. Though the rich man should live ever so long, a thousand years twice told, as in Ecclesiastes 6:6 yet he could not in all this time, with all his riches, redeem his brother; and at last must die himself, and so must his brothe... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE SEETH [THAT] WISE MEN DIE,.... This is a reason convincing the rich man, that with all his riches he cannot redeem his brother from death; since he must see, by daily and constant experience, that none are exempted from dying, no, not even the wise man; and therefore, not the rich, since wisd... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR INWARD THOUGHT [IS, THAT] THEIR HOUSES [SHALL CONTINUE] FOR EVER,.... This is the thought of their hearts, what they secretly imagine, and conclude within themselves; either that their families, which may be meant by their houses, see 2 Samuel 3:1; shall continue in succeeding ages, to the end... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS MAN [BEING] IN HONOUR ABIDETH NOT,.... Or Adam: and some understand this of the first man Adam, who was created and crowned with glory and honour; but it did not abide with him, nor he in that: so some Jewish writers y interpret it. But whether the words will admit of this sense or not,... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS THEIR WAY [IS] THEIR FOLLY,.... This their last end becoming like the beasts that perish, which is the issue and event of all their confidence, ambition, and honour, shows the folly of their lives and conduct: or this their course of life, in trusting to their riches; boasting of their wealth;... [ Continue Reading ]
LIKE SHEEP THEY ARE LAID IN THE GRAVE,.... They are not in life like sheep, harmless and innocent; nor reckoned as such for the slaughter, as the people of God are; unless it be that they are like them, brutish and stupid, thoughtless of death, and unconcerned about their estate after it; and so die... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT GOD WILL REDEEM MY SOUL FROM THE POWER OF THE GRAVE,.... The psalmist expresses his faith, that though he should die, and for a while be under the power of the grave, yet he should be redeemed from it in the resurrection; which to the saints will be "the day of redemption", Ephesians 4:30; their... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT THOU AFRAID WHEN ONE IS MADE RICH,.... Who before was poor, or not so rich; but now become so, either by inheritance, or by his own diligence and industry, through the permission of Providence. This is to be understood, not of a good man, from whom oppression is not to be feared; but it may b... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHEN HE DIETH HE SHALL CARRY NOTHING AWAY,.... Such men, with all their riches and honour, must die; therefore why should men be afraid of them? or wherein are they to be accounted of, whose breath is in their nostrils? nor can they carry either of them with them; their riches will be of no prof... [ Continue Reading ]
THOUGH WHILE HE LIVED HE BLESSED HIS SOUL,.... Praised and extolled himself on account of his acquisitions and merit; or proclaimed himself a happy man, because of his wealth and riches; or foolishly flattered himself with peace, prosperity, and length of days, and even with honour and glory after d... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL GO TO THE GENERATION OF HIS FATHERS,.... Be gathered to them at death; or "to the dwelling place of his fathers" m; either the grave, or hell, or both; the habitation of his wicked ancestors: unless the words be rendered, as they are by some, though "he shall come to the age of his fathers... [ Continue Reading ]
MAN [THAT IS] IN HONOUR,.... A wicked man, as the Targum; Psalms 49:12; AND UNDERSTANDETH NOT; from whence his riches and honour, come, and what use he should make of them, and for what end he has them; or that understandeth not spiritual things, which relate to the salvation of his soul; who does... [ Continue Reading ]