Read Psalm 49
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,
2 both low and high,
rich and poor alike:
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle:
5 Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
9 so that they should live on forever
and not see decay.
10 For all can see that the wise die,
that the foolish and the senseless also perish,
leaving their wealth to others.
11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had named lands after themselves.
12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure;
they are like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
14 They are like sheep and are destined to die;
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;
he will surely take me to himself.
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—
and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,
who will never again see the light of life.
20 People who have wealth but lack understanding
are like the beasts that perish.
Go Deeper
Psalm 49 is another example of a wisdom psalm. We are surrounded by people who blatantly cheat, constantly steal, and foolishly trust. But sometimes, we are those same people. Our emotions change depending on the weather. Our satisfaction flees when a new leader takes over our team. Our anxiety spikes when the market changes. We white-knuckle our paycheck now to pay for the future. As Psalm 49:14 puts it: we are being led by a shepherd of death. Our ignorant blindness led us where we did not want to go.
But that is the story that occurs when we are led by the wrong shepherd. Our own actions and ransom can never cover the cost of our sin. We can never repent enough, do the right thing enough, or earn enough to lead us to joy. The Sons of Korah, who wrote this psalm, knew the path of destruction was easy to walk along in one’s lifetime. The better road is the one that leads us to our Lord.
Earthly honor fluctuates constantly. Cancel culture changes one’s spotlight of fame into shame and ostracism in a matter of a few moments. A celebrity’s “net worth” can plummet after speaking a single sentence or when major investments crash. But rather than live with false hope, we can turn to a God who is constant. He redefines our success. He reminds us of our full worth.
When we walk with the Lord, we do not have to fear in times of trouble. Our attempts to save ourselves can stop, and we can reallocate our time and resources to a greater purpose. We can find stability in Christ. We can be satisfied even when things around us are unstable. We can face anxiety knowing there is a greater outcome down the road. We can share the blessings God has given us with those in need. Fixing our eyes on our steadfast King allows us to get through the hills and valleys.
Questions
- Which shepherd are you following? One that leads to destruction, or one that leads to hope?
- How can you make sure you are following the right Shepherd today?
- In what ways can you share your gifts or blessings with those around you?
Keep Digging
Who are the Sons of Korah? Check out this article from GotQuestions.org to learn more about today’s author.
6 thoughts on “Wisdom Psalms: Psalm 49”
Death
We will all die.
But like that poem “The Dash” that is what we are supposed to be living for and what people will remember us by —
Will people remember your dash? Did you love others as Jesus loves you? Did you make time? Did you speak God’s word to and over them? Did you share all that you have, time, money, love, Jesus? Are we compromising with a water cup for a soda? Everything we ever aquire here on earth will not go with us when we die. Our life is but a blink of an eye compared to the eternity with God. But you/I will have to answer to your/my dash. Faith, love, humility, repentance, and obedience plus a plethora of more spiritual fruit that needs to be hanging in our tree.
God thank You for the minutes of this day. Thank You that my minutes are used to glorify You. Thank You for being loved by You and that I can show, speak, do that love outwardly to others in and for Your kingdom. God thank You for continuing to show me where and how I am compromising in my life. Help me to turn, thank You for obedience with repentance of sincerity. God I am so blessed, beyond grateful for the extension of my dash. Thank You for allowing me to see You so differently, with more clarity, to be able to share what has happened in hopes of someone following You. God thank You for these following minutes to speak of You, to love Your people, to listen to Your voice today in these minutes in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!!
Thanks, Amy, for sharing the comment about the poem, “The Dash.” I had not heard of that before and just looked it up. Loved it. Here is a link to a PDF.
https://images.app.goo.gl/QxsTJJbFpnVHPLgC9
This Monday I heard a new song from David Crowder called – (Dash). Now I know what inspired his thought provoking song.
Thank you God for our Dash! I pray we use wisely.
https://open.spotify.com/track/18m4zA9001ngkgo3sau9aO?si=mVVcbm00Qzejs-q0sq18Ag
This wisdom Psalm reminds me of Ecclesiastes. The trap of riches, pride and fame are fleeting, like the flower that quickly blooms and fades away. Praying Psalm 90:12 would be a reality in our lives, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Dear Harris Creek BC:
Thank you for making this Bible Reading App available to any who desire a closer relationship with Christ. I like the reminder to read scripture daily as I read through the entire Bible. May I make a suggestion?
When I read,, i have difficulty stating focused on the words without being distracted or sometimes just falling asleep. Others may have a similar problem. When someone accesses your daily Bible passage, would it be possible for you to include the option icon to hear the passage read aloud while following the printed verses? A good example of this can be seen in the You Version Bible app, in which most versions offer this option.
Thank You,
Richard Kennard
rfkennardjr@bellsouth.net
20 “People who have wealth but lack understanding
are like the beasts that perish.”
Lots of great insight and instruction regarding wealth and riches. So very important! Lord, help me to always keep this front of mind.
I often share this quip with my Baylor students,
“Everyone has heard that money doesn’t buy happiness, but for some reason we all want to find that out for ourselves!”
The fear of the Lord is the very beginning of wisdom. Godly fear. A heart of wisdom is more precious than any riches.
My to do list everyday:
*Study the bible – seek wisdom (BRP)
*Spend time with wise people – seasoned leaders/friends
*Practice mindfulness – check my heart/language
* Pray – slow down and reflect