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.
And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned. The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.
But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.
But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 49
Commentary on Psalms 49 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 49
Ps 49:1-20. This Psalm instructs and consoles. It teaches that earthly advantages are not reliable for permanent happiness, and that, however prosperous worldly men may be for a time, their ultimate destiny is ruin, while the pious are safe in God's care.
1-3. All are called to hear what interests all.
world—literally, "duration of life," the present time.
4. incline—to hear attentively (Ps 17:6; 31:2).
parable—In Hebrew and Greek "parable" and "proverb" are translations of the same word. It denotes a comparison, or form of speech, which under one image includes many, and is expressive of a general truth capable of various illustrations. Hence it may be used for the illustration itself. For the former sense, "proverb" (that is, one word for several) is the usual English term, and for the latter, in which comparison is prominent, "parable" (that is, one thing laid by another). The distinction is not always observed, since here, and in Ps 78:2; "proverb" would better express the style of the composition (compare also Pr 26:7, 9; Hab 2:6; Joh 16:25, 29). Such forms of speech are often very figurative and also obscure (compare Mt 13:12-15). Hence the use of the parallel word—
dark saying—or, "riddle" (compare Eze 17:2).
open—is to explain.
upon the harp—the accompaniment for a lyric.
5. iniquity—or, "calamity" (Ps 40:12).
of my heels—literally "my supplanters" (Ge 27:36), or oppressors: "I am surrounded by the evils they inflict."
6. They are vainglorious.
7-9. yet unable to save themselves or others.
8. it ceaseth for ever—that is, the ransom fails, the price is too precious, costly.
9. corruption—literally, "pit," or, "grave," thus showing that "soul" is used for "life" [Ps 49:8].
10. For he seeth—that is, corruption; then follows the illustration.
wise … fool—(Ps 14:1; Pr 1:32; 10:1).
likewise—alike altogether—(Ps 4:8)—die—all meet the same fate.
11. Still infatuated and flattered with hopes of perpetuity, they call their lands, or "celebrate their names on account of (their) lands."
12. Contrasted with this vanity is their frailty. However honored, man
abideth not—literally, "lodgeth not," remains not till morning, but suddenly perishes as (wild) beasts, whose lives are taken without warning.
13. Though their way is folly, others follow the same course of life.
14. Like sheep—(compare Ps 49:12) unwittingly, they
are laid—or, "put," &c.
death shall feed on—or, better, "shall rule"
them—as a shepherd (compare "feed," Ps 28:9, Margin).
have dominion over—or, "subdue"
them in the morning—suddenly, or in their turn.
their beauty—literally, "form" or shape.
shall consume—literally, "is for the consumption," that is, of the grave.
from their dwelling—literally, "from their home (they go) to it," that is, the grave.
15. The pious, delivered from "the power of the grave."
power—literally, "the hand," of death, are taken under God's care.
16-19. applies this instruction. Be not anxious (Ps 37:1, &c.), since death cuts off the prosperous wicked whom you dread.
18. Though … lived, &c.—literally, "For in his life he blessed his soul," or, "himself" (Lu 12:19, 16:25); yet (Ps 49:19); he has had his portion.
men will praise … thyself—Flatterers enhance the rich fool's self-complacency; the form of address to him strengthens the emphasis of the sentiment.
20. (Compare Ps 49:12). The folly is more distinctly expressed by "understandeth not," substituted for "abideth not."