Chapter 49: Warning To Wealthy Worldlings

I. PRELIMINARY SUMMONS (1-4). Universal Scope Contemplated. 1. Pressing Invitation (1-2). 2. Particular Intention (3-4). II. PROVERBIAL SPEECH (5-12). False c;nfidence of the Foolish Rich. •l. Self-reproving Expostulation (5). Why fear the Wealthy Worldling? 2. Solemn Explanation (6-12). i. The Power of Wealth-Its Limitation (6-9). ii. The Possession of Wealth-Its Termination (10-n). iii. Sad Refrain ( 12). ID. POSITIVE STATEMENT (13-15). Ultimate States Contrasted. 1. Man's Delusion (13). His Folly during Life. Selah. 2. Man's Destiny (14-15). His Fate after Death. Selah. i. The Ungodly (14). ii. The Upright (15). (c£ 14b). IV. PROVERBIAL SPEECH (16-20). Final Condition of the Foolish Rich. 1. Salutary Exhortation (1). Fear not the Wealthy Worldling. 2. Solemn Explanation (17-20). i. The Possession of Wealth-Its Termination (17). ii. The Power of Wealth-Its Limitation (18,...19). iii. Sad Refrain (20). (c£ and ctr. 12). SUPERSCRIPT.-A psalm for the Sons of Korab. PRIMARY AssocIATION.-No clue to the writer or occasion, but probably belongs to Isaiah's day. Close parallels of thought with the Books of Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Compare also Pss. xxxvii. and lxxiii. where the wickedness is prominent, here it is the world liness of men; see Luke xii. 1-34 and xvi. 1-31. This is a didactic poem presented with musical accompaniment (4). An enigma is expounded. Refer again to the analysis of this section for its relation to the group. This is one of the few psaln1s having a separate intro duction (r-4). In this section note the many alternations and introversions. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-· While containing truth for all time, the psahn has special reference to the Gentile oppressors of the Jewish nation in the last days of distress "with deliverance -assured but not yet accomplished; though about to come." The psalmist

ANALYT ICAL STUDIES IN THE PSALMS is representative of the nation and has in view the morning of the millennial day rather than that of resurrection. In application as distinguished from interpretation, we see the genn of the latter truth. PERSONAL APPLICATION.- The voice of God eveF claims priority over the voices of others ( 1). Before speaking to men it is wise to listen to God (4). The,godly man need not fear the godless rich (5, 16). Not the possession of wealth, but trust in wealth is here condemned as folly ( 6); not money, but the love of money is a root of all evil, 1 Tim. vi. 6-10, 17-19. Not its use but its misuse is sinful. Riches do not make a man wicked, nor does poverty make a man good. Failure to distinguish between false wealth and the troe is fatal folly. In this life, wealth h¾ tremendous influence and may become a terrible weapon of oppression. Riches are powerless to prolong this life and cannot profit in the next. The grave is the limit of material possessions. They cannot redeem the soul (7). Wisdom is better than wealth, yet it, too, cannpt deliver from death (10). Death kno'Ys no class distinction (ro). For the godless, Death is their shepherd and Sheol (Hades) their fold (14). The word "perish" does not mean extinction of being (14). Self confident fools have many sycophant followers (13). Posterity perpetuates the folly of its fathers (13). The godly of the old cove nant were not delivered from the grave, but were delivered from its power, cf. believers in this age, 1 Cor. xv. 55-57, etc., with 15 here. Death baffles the wealthy worldling (17). The tenure of earthly treasure is insec¿re and impermanent (17). It is far better to find our wealth in God than to make wealth our God; see Luke xvi. and xii. Dives trusted his gold, Lazarus trusted his God. VERSE NOTES I. "world," Heb. = world as transitory, this age; specially significant in this Psalm. 4. "parable" or, proverbial speech; the psalmist first receives by revelation what he desires to teach, c£ lxxviii. 2; "dark saying," or enigma. 5. Br. as margin. 7. According to the Law, in exceptional cases, wealth could deliver from death in man's yelationship with man (e.g. Exod. xxi. 30), but never in cases where life was forfeited to God; see also Num. xxxv. 30 ff. 8. A parenthesis; hr." ... is costly and must be let alone for ever"; or, "it (the life) must be given up for ever," i.e. the rich man has no alternative but to give up the attempt to redeem the life, ctr. 15.

9. Br. " .. . should live on peroetually." "F th " ( ) ,tl' cc b d "b h" or one see . . . ; c eave, = a an on, not equeat . rr. C£ Isa. v. 8; wealthy worldlings are wilfully blind. 13. "This is the way of them that are self-confident; And of their followers (or, posterity) who approve their sayings." Connect with verse II. 14. "like sheep," i.e. herded helplessly toward their end; Sheol (=Gk. Hades) and the grave must not be confounded, and are not confounded here. The former received their spirits, the latter their bodies; but since Sheol retained the spirit, the body left behind necessarily wasted in the grave until it disappeared in dust and needed no more a habitation. Contrast the thoughts of these worldlings during their lifetime ( n); "morning," prophetically = the "day" when Israel is restored, Mal. iv. I; Isa. xiv. 2. I 5. The wicked perish in Sheol, the psalmist is preserved from Sheol. Prim. re£ to deliverance from death of those who appeared doomed to die at the hands of their oppressors. 16££ The thought in 10 is here reswned; from self-encouragement the poet now turns to encourage others; cc afraid," cf. 5. 18. (a) self-gratulation; "his soul" = himself. 19. (b) Br. " .. . no more shall they see light"; significant expression concerning the doom of all that forget God. Book Two. I. Deliverance of the Exiled Remnant, xlii.-li. 2. The Restored People, 1.-li. Deliverance from Internal Evil. (i) Adjudication of Jehovah, I. CondemnatiQn of Sin. (Principles and Pronouncements). (ii) Attitude of Israel, Ii. Confession of Sin. (Root and Results).