10 For he sees that wise men die; Likewise the fool and the senseless perish, And leave their wealth to others.
"But God said to him, 'You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared--whose will they be?'
Consider, you senseless among the people; You fools, when will you be wise?
"Surely I am the most ignorant man, And don't have a man's understanding.
I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly can't carry anything out. But having food and clothing, we will be content with that. But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned. For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not charged when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those whose sins weren't like Adam's disobedience, who is a foreshadowing of him who was to come.
As the partridge that sits on [eggs] which she has not laid, so is he who gets riches, and not by right; in the midst of his days they shall leave him, and at his end he shall be a fool.
From men by your hand, Yahweh, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, And they store up wealth for their children.
For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn't know it; all is before them. All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn't sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath.
There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm. Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand. As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand. This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?
For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool! So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind. I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who comes after me. Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun. For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.
Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid.
Riches don't profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.
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."