19 Ps 49, Why fear?

Vs 4-9 Here's an answer to a riddle, a hard question: (vs 5a) why should I fear, e.g. what is the reason why I shouldn't I fear in times of trouble, when (vs 5b) surrounded by the iniquity of those who cheat me.

The answer is in vs 7-9: there is no way those people can escape judgment for what they do.

Ps 49 Text (English Standard Version)	Commentary
^1 ^Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, ^2 both low and high, rich and poor together!	The message of this psalm is one everyone, not just Jews, should know and heed.
^3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. ^4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.	This message constitutes wisdom and understanding of fundamental and essential things about life – delivered in the form of a proverb. It addresses a (Heb) chidah, a question difficult to understand, e.g. a riddle.
^5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, ^6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?	The message is about this question: should I have an attitude of awe, respect, fear (Heb yare) for the success and ascendancy of powerful, yet evil people; people who can and want to harm me? The answer in vs 16 is “no”; and is preceded by the following verses which describe facts that differentiate such people from the follower of God: Nothing such people can do save their life (compare with “But God” in vs 15). Their eternal dwelling will be their graves, sheol, the place of the dead, in eternal darkness (vs 19)
^7 Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, ^8 for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, ^9 that he should live on forever and never see the pit. ^10 For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.	Despite their power, ingenuity, and resources, no person can pay the price (ransom) needed to escape death. Left to their own devices, everyone experiences this end.
^11 Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. ^12 Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.	Even those so powerful they had lands named after them have no power whatsoever to escape or even delay their death.
^13 This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah ^14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.	Such people’s confidence, and their boasting of the power over life (and death) they think they have are foolish; for they do not learn from observing the end of powerful people before them, and as they too perish into Sheol, those like-minded around them do not learn either. Like sheep are led without deviation or delay to their slaughter, so these people progress inexorably to the commencement of their eternal existence in sheol.
^15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah	BUT GOD: God can and will do for His child, for the one trusting in Him, what none of the rich and powerful could do: He will save His child’s life from death, and receive His child to Himself. Selah: “stop and ponder this” – this is where an important distinction is made.
^16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. ^17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. ^18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— ^19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light. ^20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.	So the answer to the original question is: no, there is no reason to be afraid, intimidated or discouraged by, or respectful of such people. No such person can either delay or divert his progress toward his death, nor can he do anything to lessen its effects. Each day you see him apparently “prosper” is one less day he has between now and what’s coming for him. Don’t fear him – pity him; and rejoice that as you have trusted in God He will save and receive you.

Ps 49 Text (English Standard Version)

Commentary

^1 ^Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,

^2 both low and high, rich and poor together!

The message of this psalm is one everyone, not just Jews, should know and heed.

^3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

^4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.

This message constitutes wisdom and understanding of fundamental and essential things about life – delivered in the form of a proverb. It addresses a (Heb) chidah, a question difficult to understand, e.g. a riddle.

^5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,

^6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?

The message is about this question: should I have an attitude of awe, respect, fear (Heb yare) for the success and ascendancy of powerful, yet evil people; people who can and want to harm me?

The answer in vs 16 is “no”; and is preceded by the following verses which describe facts that differentiate such people from the follower of God:

Nothing such people can do save their life (compare with “But God” in vs 15).
Their eternal dwelling will be their graves, sheol, the place of the dead, in eternal darkness (vs 19)

^7 Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,

^8 for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,

^9 that he should live on forever and never see the pit.

^10 For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.

Despite their power, ingenuity, and resources, no person can pay the price (ransom) needed to escape death. Left to their own devices, everyone experiences this end.

^11 Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations,

though they called lands by their own names.

^12 Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.

Even those so powerful they had lands named after them have no power whatsoever to escape or even delay their death.

^13 This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah

^14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.

Such people’s confidence, and their boasting of the power over life (and death) they think they have are foolish; for they do not learn from observing the end of powerful people before them, and as they too perish into Sheol, those like-minded around them do not learn either.

Like sheep are led without deviation or delay to their slaughter, so these people progress inexorably to the commencement of their eternal existence in sheol.

^15 But God

will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.

Selah

BUT GOD: God can and will do for His child, for the one trusting in Him, what none of the rich and powerful could do: He will save His child’s life from death, and receive His child to Himself.

Selah: “stop and ponder this” – this is where an important distinction is made.

^16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.

^17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.

^18 For though, while he lives, he counts

himself blessed —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—

^19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.

^20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

So the answer to the original question is: no, there is no reason to be afraid, intimidated or discouraged by, or respectful of such people. No such person can either delay or divert his progress toward his death, nor can he do anything to lessen its effects. Each day you see him apparently “prosper” is one less day he has between now and what’s coming for him.

Don’t fear him – pity him; and rejoice that as you have trusted in God He will save and receive you.