Psalm 49, Part 1

(For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.)

1 Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world! 2 High and low, rich and poor—listen! 3 For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight. 4 I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp. 5 Why should I fear when trouble comes, when enemies surround me? 6 They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. 7 Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. 8 Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough 9 to live forever and never see the grave. 10 Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind. 11 The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves, 12 but their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals. 13 This is the fate of fools, though they are remembered as being wise.

Interlude

14 Like sheep, they are led to the grave, where death will be their shepherd. In the morning the godly will rule over them. Their bodies will rot in the grave, far from their grand estates. 15 But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave.

Interlude

16 So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid. 17 For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave. 18 In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success. 19 But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day. 20 People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals.

Nothing says “good morning world. Let’s have a joy-filled day” like the last line of this Psalm: “They will die, just like animals.” This was one of the passages in my daily readings that I read this morning. Nothing fills you with hope like the reminder that we will all die and turn to dust. Yeah, right....

In a time when so many people in this country are reaching out for hope, are these words there to drag us down and keep reminding us of our dire circumstances? Actually, that’s not how I read this. I think these words are filled with insight (v.3) and plainly face the facts about life here where we walk the earth in human flesh. The fact is that we are born and we die. The end. We come into this world and then we eventually leave it behind, taking no suitcases, no treasures, no fame or status with us.

And in keeping with that thought, neither do we take sorrow, persecution, sickness, pain, or loneliness with us either. This Psalm is a reminder that we are created beings, here by the grace of God who loves each person without fail, no matter how rich, how poor, how intelligent, how foolish, how loving, how self-involved, how God-focused, or how much God is ignored. The surprise ending that God reveals about this story of mankind is that there is no dark and cold final chapter that every soul is destined to endure, because God has something far better in store for each individual. V.15 tells us, “But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave.” God has already redeemed us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and has wrapped up his offer of grace like a gift above all gifts, just sitting there ready to be accepted by the recipients.

It’s God’s “just say yes” program. Just say yes and receive the gift of light and hope, joy and life, and unending love. Because of that unequaled gift, the end is not really the end. I find comfort in that.

(See part 2 next Tuesday)