Psalm XLIX

To the chief Musician. A Psalm for the sons of Korah.

1 Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

2 Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall

he of understanding.

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the

harp.

5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil,

When the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of

their riches;

7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a

ransom for him:

8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person

perish.
And leave their wealth to others.

11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, And their dwelling places to all generations;

They call their lands after their own names.

12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that

perish.

13 This their way is their folly: yet tlicir posterity approve their sayings.

Selah.

14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning: And their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: For he shall receive me. Selah.

16 Be not thou afraid when one is made i-ich, when the glory of his house is

increased;

17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul:

And men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that

perish.

The mighty one never rests till he has “led us over death” connection. (xlviii. 14), to Resurrection-fulness of bliss in the kingdom. Thrice happy they who shall enjoy it! But who shall tell the misery of those who are excluded from that bliss? It is this misery that is the theme of this Psalm. As sure as the eternal felicity of the redeemed is the miserable doom of the unredeemed; and this Psalm is the dirge over them.

The Redeemer himself speaks this “‘parable,” this weighty xiie speaker. discourse, which in its topics is to the world no better than an unintelligible enigma — “a dark saying.”” But nevertheless, “these things which have been kept secret from the beginning” (Matt. xiii. 38), are here laid open in their solemn grandeur, in their awful importance, in their truth and certainty. Messiah here speaks “wisdom” (JltopH) and “understanding” as in Prov. i. 20, revealing the deep things of God to man. It is Messiah who says (ver. 5),” Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heals doth compass m.e about T’ Messiah in our world of evil, pursued by sons of Belial, who would fain trample on him, surrounded by the troops of hell, breathing the atmosphere of this polluted world, walking’amid its snares, is able to break through all unscathed, and foretell impending ruin to every foe.

Man has no means of paying to God his ransom-money The plan (Exod. xxi. 80), although he bring the most costly price earth can furnish. He “must let that alone for ever” {Prayer Booh Version); he cannot come up to the amount demanded; he cannot give even what might be sufficient to redeem the life from the grave. See how generations die, disappear, give place to other generations, all equally the prey of corruption; and yet fools continue to hope for immortality for themselves. Think of this infatuation; pause, meditate; the harp will be silent for a time that you may ponder it — “Selah!”

But lift the veil! Where are these sons of folly? In the gi’ave; “Death leads them into his pastures,” as his sheep (Hengstenberg); and

“The righteous have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty consumes away; The grave is the dwelling for every one of them.’’ (Ver. 14.)

The First Resurrection is described in these few strokes, the Resurrection of the Just. They live and reign — have dominion — while “the rest of the dead live not again until the thousand years are finished.” (Rev. xx. 5.) And to stifle all doubts in their birth, the Redeemer declares himself sure of resurrection; and if he, then they also, for he is the first fruits, the pledge of theirs.

“Surely, C’!JKj God shall redeem my soul from the hand of the grave; Foil’ He shall redeem me.” (Ver. 15.)

He shall receive me as Enoch was received, receive me up to glorious rest. (See Gen. v. 24, the same word, n]p) Hear, therefore, the sum of the whole matter. The ungodly shall never see “the light” of that “morning” (ver. 14); yea, (ver. 20), “man in prosjpenty,” even Antichrist in the flush of his power, “is like the beasts; he is to he rooted out,“” (Hengstenberg) — he has no lot or portion with the blessed.

In such strains the Redeemer himself utters this melancholy Dirge oftlie Righteous over the unredeemed.