The Way of the Foolish (Psalm 49:10-20)
Psalm 49 describes the folly of a man, who trusts and boasts in riches rather than God (v6), for his money is of no value in redeeming his soul from sin and hell, and can’t purchase for him a blessed eternal life after death (v7-9). v10: “For (surely) he sees wise men die; likewise, the fool and the senseless person perish.” It’s an obvious fact of life that this life is short and all die, yet he lives in denial, as if he’ll live forever, giving no thought and making no preparation for his life after death (we show what we really believe by how we live). He suppresses the unpleasant, inconvenient thought of death, and holds onto an inner belief that he will live forever, v11a: “Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever, their dwelling places to all generations.” This could mean they foolishly imagine themselves living forever in their houses, or they’ll take their wealth with them after death, or that their magnificent graves will be their houses forever, so that at least they’ll be remembered. v11b: “They call their lands after their own names.” Hungering for a kind of immortality, they hope to live on in people’s memories by propagating their name on earth, attaching it to their estates & institutions that will last down the generations, instead of focusing on having their name written in Heaven, the important only place for our name to be in eternity. But this is futile, he might as well write it on the water. Even if they have some success in this, how do they benefit? And in the end, they’ll be forgotten (Prov 10:7). This Section concludes with the Refrain, v12: “Nevertheless man, though in honour (despite his wealth), does not remain (lit: ‘lodge here for long’); he is like the beasts that perish.” The outcome for all men at death is the same as animals; their bodies perish. Thus, the wise man does not trust in riches or invest his all in this life, but considers the shortness of his life and prepares for eternity by trusting God. A man who fails to do this is animal-like, and will die like a beast with no future hope (v20). Whereas Part 1 of the answer to the Riddle of v5 emphasises that all men are equal as far as the fact of death is concerned (v7-12), Part 2 reveals there is a great and irreversible difference between the fate of fools and saints after death (v13-20, Heb 9:27). There are 2 roads (1) to destruction and (2) to life, and after death it will be clear on which road you’ve been walking.v13: “This is the WAY (or destination) of those who are foolish (whose way through life is a foolhardy self-confidence, senselessly secure in the face of death, despite all warnings hoping there’s no God or life after death, and thinking they can live any way they like without judgment and eternal consequences. This way values the material over the spiritual and doesn’t prepare for eternity will be revealed as foolish), and of their posterity (followers) who approve their sayings.” This does not just include the foolish rich, but those who admire, aspire & embrace their godless world-view and agree with their words, perhaps benefiting from their power and prestige. You can love money even if you don’t have much of it. “Selah.” The Selah makes one to pause in anticipation of what’s coming next, to focus our attention on what will revealed in v14 - a important warning of the fruit of folly, the destination of the fool - HELL. v14a: “Like sheep (like beasts v12,20) they are laid in the grave (Sheol).” Lit: “As sheep for Sheol, they have set themselves” (it’s their own decision), or: “Like sheep they are appointed for SHEOL (the Pit, see Luke 16:19-31).” At death, they are compared to sheep, for they impotent to resist being escorted to Hell. v14b: “DEATH shall feed on them” or better: “Death shall be their shepherd.” A shepherd owns his sheep and takes it where he wants. Thus, Death shepherds them into Sheol. Death takes their body, then Sheol takes their souls (Rev 1:18, 6:8). What a difference after death! The fool will be shepherded by Death into Sheol. But for those who trust and boast in the Lord, rather than riches, He is our Shepherd (Ps 23, 1Pet 1:25), and we belong to Him. He will shepherd us at death into glory (v15). This contrast in destiny is emphasised in v14c: “The upright shall have dominion over (higher status than) them in the morning.” This refers to when God will bring in a new day by His manifested glory, giving the righteous a glorious resurrection, vindicating them and exalting them above the wicked, who lived their life without thought of God or the life to come (reversal of status). He continues this contrast, by another look at the fool after death in v14d: “and their beauty (form, both of soul & body) shall be consumed in the grave (lit: ‘Sheol’), far from their dwelling (or: ‘so there is no dwelling place for it (their soul).’”....
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Негізгі бет Bible Study Psalms C49 V10-20
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