Psalms 49

Psalms 49:1-20

Completed histories. To the chief musician, a psalm of the sons of Korah.
The last psalm of this series is an inspired “psalm of life,” completed, as only revelation could complete it, by a glance at what is beyond this. Thus the folly is apparent which makes the incomplete story all, and in the face of incontrovertible facts, lives as if death were not, and time were eternity. We must remember; however; that we are still in Israel; and that we have neither resurrection nor a heavenly portion presented, although one verse at first sight does seem to give the former. But it speaks rather of the delivered people as represented by the psalmist himself, their enemies being destroyed, and the “morning” of the millennial day brought in by the uprising of the “Sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:1-6) and dominion given to the “upright.” This is the completion of the story on that side, as death with its Sheol mystery is on the other. In neither case have we resurrection.

1. The first section calls all people to hear a truth which has, in the events depicted in previous psalms; received a striking commentary. The psalmist characterizes those he addresses according to what is his theme in it; as dwellers in time. Whatever their various conditions, this is a condition common to all; and bringing all to more equality than commonly apprehended. He premises that he has “wisdoms” -fullness of wisdom -to communicate; and that it is not a mere message; but what has been the meditation of his own heart, and is personal discernment (once more a plural). He uses “proverbial speech,” such as his own ear has been attentive to, and the accompaniment of the harp to propound his deep sayings -nature being in fact in harmonious accord with all he utters.
2. The rest of the psalm is, of course, the deep saying itself. It is divided into two equal parts, both ending in a similar refrain. The first gives the false confidence of man which leaves him ashamed at last, transparently the dupe of his own perversity. The last contrasts it with the reality for sinner and for saint. He begins with a question, which is answered by what follows to the end of the psalm. If man with all his self-confidence is yet the poor creature which this represents, why then should he be afraid in days of evil, though encircled by the perversity of those that would trip him up? Thus it is a psalm of cheer and encouragement for a day that is not yet over when he utters it. The deliverance is not accomplished; but it is assured, and about to come. Faith predicts it and the destruction of the wicked, -inspired by the morality of nature itself, which proclaims throughout the judgment of sin and the triumph of righteousness. Folly is not wisdom, and cannot be followed by the effects of wisdom.

He sees easily through these men of abundant resources, confident in what is so manifestly incompetent as against the might of that death which baffles them all. God in His holy government has ordained this for one only possible reason -sin. Let any one of these throw his shield about his brother, and give God a ransom for him, so that he may perpetuate his precious life. Plainly he cannot; it is too costly: he must let that alone forever. He sees and knows, himself, -every one does; -that as to wise and fools alike death knows no difference, makes no exception. It is the point of Ecclesiastes; there greatly enlarged on: a simple, obvious matter indeed, but which makes more astonishing the willful blindness which permits men to dwell securely in possessions held on such a tenure; and call the solid earth by the names of its passing generations.

The wheel turns, and they are shaken from it. Man does not, as a rule, lodge for the little night that belongs to him; in honor. He passes; and goes down to silence like the beast. 3. Follow him now to the other side; -where is he? what of his senseless sayings, which yet those who follow him -before whose eyes he passes away -approve! They all like sheep with meek subjection are made to lie down in Sheol; death is the shepherd tending there; and in the morning (after the night of death) no deliverance is there for them: it is the day of dominion for the upright. For them; their very form wastes under the sway of Sheol, so as to find no habitation. Sheol and the grave are not here confounded: the one is as distinctly the recipient of the soul, as the other is of the body. But Sheol having mastered and retaining the soul; this necessarily entails the wasting destruction of the form that is left behind, so that by and by it needs no habitation. Yet they had thought their dwelling-places should be forever! they -themselves soon to need none! On the other hand the psalmist professes for himself his confidence: God shall redeem his soul from the power of Sheol: words which; no doubt, would apply to resurrection for those going down to death; but the connection seems rather to show the application to the deliverance of living men from that which might seem to have had them in its grip, -a hold marvelously and miraculously loosened. The further words “for He shall receive me” have been urged in behalf of resurrection; as being used of Enoch when “God took* him.” But the word is of various use, and by itself could decide nothing: the occurrence in Psalms 73:24; (“and afterwards receive me to glory,”) is perhaps really the most favorable to this view; but it needs to be examined in its connection there. The context in fact, in all cases, is that which will be found to have controlling influence upon interpretation. A largeness belongs to Scripture in such matters which will leave room (and was surely intended to leave room) for application to both Jewish and Christian verities, and these in more ways than one. Those who “are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord;” and of whom Enoch is a real type, will be caught up without seeing death, to meet the Lord in the air. They will surely be “redeemed from the power of Sheol” and received by God, as fully as any that go into it; and so with Jewish saints of similar classes.
After this outburst of glowing confidence; the moralizing of the psalm subsides to its lower and accustomed level. Riches give a transitory glory: death dispossesses the owner of it all. Alas, the effect may not be transient; life with this brilliancy about it tends to dazzle the eyes doubly -to what is beyond and what is around alike. Every way shut up within the narrowest limits; man is ignorant of these, blesses himself; and is praised by others. He passes to the generation of his fathers; his taper-light quenched with theirs, never to revive. Alas! “Man that is in honor, and understanding not; is like the beasts that perish.”