March 13, 2017
RICH MAN, POOR MAN = GONER! BUT WAIT . . .
Psalm 49
Freddie Gonzalez
Central Truth
The distinction of someone's worldly possessions, while deemed important in this life, is not significant in death. A person's spiritual condition, though unimportant to some in this life, is very important after death! Therefore, focus on eternal things and not on fleeting ones while you're alive.
Key Verse | Psalm 49:13–15
This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;
yet after them people approve of their boasts.
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.
Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me.
(Psalm 49:13-15)
Psalm 49
Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble?
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.
1
Hear this, all peoples!
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2
both low and high,
rich and poor together!
3
My mouth shall speak wisdom;
the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4
I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
5
Why should I fear in times of trouble,
when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6
those who trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7
Truly no man can ransom another,
or give to God the price of his life,
8
for the ransom of their life is costly
and can never suffice,
9
that he should live on forever
and never see the pit.
10
For he sees that even the wise die;
the fool and the stupid alike must perish
and leave their wealth to others.
11
Their graves are their homes forever,
1
49:11
Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew Their inward thought was that their homes were forever
their dwelling places to all generations,
though they called lands by their own names.
12
Man in his pomp will not remain;
he is like the beasts that perish.
13
This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;
yet after them people approve of their boasts.
2
49:13
Or and of those after them who approve of their boasts
Selah
14
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.
Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
15
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me. Selah
16
Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
17
For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
his glory will not go down after him.
18
For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed
—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
19
his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,
who will never again see light.
20
Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Dive Deeper | Psalm 49
First, a couple of literary facts about Psalm 49—it uses synonymous parallelism, which means that the first and second lines of a verse say basically the same thing in different words. Also, it is a "wisdom" psalm, which generally deals with topics like the injustices of life and the justice of God, the relative value of riches, and the transitory nature of human existence. Now we both know, right?
I could not help but see similarities between this psalm and what Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes: all in life is vain and futile, and then you die. Solomon went to great lengths to find the meaning of life, using his immense wisdom and boundless riches to live life to the fullest. Yet, he found that, despite all his wealth and excesses, "all is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 12:8) . . . but that the "whole duty of man" is to "[f]ear God and keep his commandments" (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
It is very easy to empathize with Solomon’s frustration today because we are constantly being lured and tempted by the world’s enticing baubles and trinkets. And even though we know these are all fleeting things, we strive to accumulate more and more because that is the American Dream. At the end of the day, “whoever has the most toys wins!” At least that is what the world is telling us.
Reading Psalm 49 is a sobering reminder that our focus should be on eternal things. We should concern ourselves with storing up treasures in heaven because death is impartial. Everyone dies, rich and poor, the unsaved and the believer. But only God can provide life beyond the grave. Therefore, we must have a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus. He is the only one who can fill our empty hearts and meet all our desires.
We cannot take any of our earthly possessions with us when we die. But what we can take with us is the assurance that, if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we can share eternal life with Him in heaven. What are you taking with you—nothing? Or the guarantee that you can unequivocally answer the question of why God should let you into heaven?
Discussion Questions
1. How would you respond to God’s question if He asked you why He should let you into heaven?
2. Whom can you turn to in your family, friends, or community group to give you an honest assessment of whether you are accumulating earthly treasures or “storing things in heaven”?
3. Do you believe in life after death? Why or why not?
4. If you do believe in life after death, what can you do today to change the trajectory of your life here on earth and help prepare you for life after death?
5. If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, you can start one by using words like these to put your trust in Him so He can change your life eternally: Dear God, I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that Your Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood, died for my sin, and was raised from the dead. Help me turn from my sin. I now put my trust in Jesus Christ and invite Him to come into my life as my personal Savior. Amen.