Psalm 49: Vanity of Life that is Based on Acquiring Wealth
Psalm 49 is a wisdom psalm. The psalm imparts wisdom about the vanity of life that is based on acquiring wealth. Thus the basic theme of this psalm is the futility of trusting in worldly possessions. Death leaves worldly possessions behind, and they cannot purchase forgiveness of sins or restore life. It aligns with the teaching of the book of Ecclesiastes. The psalm calls upon the attention of both the lowly and the high, as well as the rich and the poor, to share wisdom that is true for all. According to him, life is a mixture of good and evil days. When evil things happen and one is close to death, the riches one has make no difference. Even the greatest of riches cannot buy back life. One is bound to face death just like a mere beast. He cannot take his possessions with him. All things living and nonliving will one day perish. This is the fate of both the wise and the foolish. Then he asserts that a person who understands God and loves Him will be taken to Himself.
One significant image is of the richest and most prominent person that perishes just like the beasts. The image is attractive yet powerful. What comparison is there between a president of the most powerful nation in the world and a beast? A president lives a life of significance. He travels, makes significant decisions, and receives honor from everyone. Yet he faces the same fate as a beast that lives all its life as a parasite. He has no honor or dignity of his own. The result is a pretty stark image that two opposite creatures would face the same fate if the salient one does not choose what is right in the sight of God.
In this psalm, I see a strong parallelism between the wealth that satisfies worldly appetite and the wealth that affords eternal life. This wealth gives one glory and honor in life, but not in death. Even if he were buried alongside him, what use would that be? On the other hand, there is the richness in understanding God, which affects us eternally. It says that the ransom for a life is costly; no payment is ever enough. Not even the wealthiest individual can pay for his life. Christ paid the ransom, purchasing our life at the full price. Thus the richness that acquires worldly possessions is counted as loss, and the richness of seeking God brings gain.
The application of the psalm in my life is to not treasure and desire worldly possessions over the real things that God delights in. I have to be constantly reminded of this truth—hoarding treasures is in vain. It’s like trying to grasp sand; the more you try to grasp it, the more it escapes from your hand. There has to be a balance, though. Money in itself is not an evil thing; it becomes evil due to what people make of it. God uses money to bless us and others. It becomes evil when people start hoarding and not using it for the expansion of God’s kingdom or to bring glory to God. Reading this psalm is a reminder that I cannot take any possession along with me when I die. It is the choice that I have made in Christ that counts.
