One of my favorite songs of all time is “Hurt” by Johnny Cash. The song was originally written by the lead singer of Nine Inch Nails, but Johnny Cash put out his own rendition of the song in 2002. The reason the song is one of my favorites is not necessarily because of any inherent worth in the song; it is because of the music video that Johnny Cash made to go with the song. The video is made up of a variety of old scenes that show Johnny Cash in the prime of his life interspersed among current shots of Johnny Cash looking extremely old, broken, and beaten. The chorus of the song says, “What have I become / my sweetest friend / Everyone I know / goes away in the end. / And you can have it all; / my empire of dirt / I will let you down / I will make you hurt.” The video itself is so haunting and sad. It seems that the song fits the situation perfectly, because – throughout the video – Cash makes clear that all the accolades and awards he has earned in his life are doing him absolutely no good. They are not keeping his closest friends – including his wife – from dying, and they are not helping sustain his life any longer either. The hopelessness and despair are etched into the song, and – as I already mentioned – the lyrics coming from Cash are absolutely haunting.
Why do I bring up one of my favorite songs to begin this sermon? I do so because I think the emotion that Cash is expressing is a bit of what the writer of Psalm 49 is expressing. Obviously, the writer of Psalm 49 lacks the hopelessness that permeates Cash’s song, but the attitude toward the wealth and opulence and goods of this life is the same. Psalm 49 is a psalm that is dominated by two themes that concern all of us – death and wealth. The former is an inevitable end for everyone – the only question is when. The latter is a dominating force and presence in all of life – some have even said “it makes the world go ‘round.” This psalm examines the relationship between the two. It is psalm with a clearly defined and exact theme. There is no vagueness in the main point of this chapter. Nonetheless, despite its exactness, it can find application in all of us, I believe.
The psalm itself begins with an introduction in which the author lays out his audience (v. 1-4) and the issue he is going to address (v. 5-6). After that, the psalm lacks a very clearly defined structure; it becomes a mass of intertwined themes that are all distinct but complementary (v. 7-20). So we will look briefly at the introduction and then examine each of the themes in turn. We will then briefly apply the truths brought forth in this psalm to ourselves.

Introduction (v. 1-6)

The Psalmist begins by introducing his intended audience. He writes, “Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together” (v. 1-2). The psalmist goes out of his way to make sure that no reader is left out. Are you rich this morning? This psalm is for you. Are you poor? This psalm is for you. Are you a “somebody” in society that everyone knows? Are you a “nobody” that no one knows? Are you young? Are you old? Are you American? Are you some other nationality? This psalm is for you because this psalm is for everyone.
The Psalmist follows this up by stating his purpose: “My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre” (v. 3-4). This psalm is a wisdom psalm which simply means that its purpose is to impart wisdom. The psalmist is going to lay out true wisdom on a particular issue – much like the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
The Psalmist goes on to end this introduction by laying out the issue he is going to address in the form of a question: “Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, whose who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?” (v. 5-6). The Psalmist first is addressing fear in times of trouble – he fears being overwhelmed. Particularly, in his situation, it seems that there are many people around him who are cheating him and placing their trust in their own wealth and abundance. In contrast, it seems that the Psalmist has no great riches in which to place his trust. So the Psalmist is being tempted to fear in these times, because he lacks the very thing in which the others are placing their trust. However, even the Psalmist’s question is framed with a significant amount of confidence. Rather than saying, “What am I going to do? I don’t have any wealth in which to trust,” the Psalmist says, “Why should I fear? It is ludicrous for me to do so.” As one commentator puts it, “When he [the Psalmist] asks the question, he is all too ready to provide an answer. There is a certain sense of assurance in his question, as if he is saying, Do not be afraid of those who may take advantage of adversities for selfish gains!”¹ The Psalmist is asking the question so that he can give the answer. If we find ourselves in a situation where resources are lacking, why should we not fear in times of trouble? If we have ample resources to provide for ourselves, why is it that they are not a sufficient grounds for confidence? The Psalmist answers these questions with the remaining 14 verses.

Wealth cannot postpone or eliminate death. (v. 7-10)

After laying out the question he will answer in the rest of the chapter, the Psalmist writes, “Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit. For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others” (v. 7-10). The Psalmist’s first declaration is that death comes to all men. Why will the Psalmist not fear in times of trouble when the rich are trusting in their riches? It is because those riches make death no less certain than if they were not there at all. Life cannot be purchased – the price is too great for any mortal man to give, according to the Psalmist. It is an essential part of being human that death is the end to which we inevitably move. This cannot be altered – particularly by riches.
The natural question then is, “So what?” Why does it make a difference that death is inevitable? Further, why does it make a difference that death cannot be avoided with wealth? The answer to this is not as far away as it seems. As human beings, we have probably all seen someone in a “Johnny Cash” moment – realizing that the end of life is drawing near. And, almost without exception, people in that moment act differently. It is a universal human experience that the reality of death being near affects the way that we act – particularly in regard to wealth. It is astounding to see the way wealth is used when death is clearly in view as opposed to the way it is used when death seems to be nowhere in sight. Wealth suddenly loses much of its allure and its “gold” is stripped away as its uselessness in the face of death becomes ever more apparent.

Wealth does not carry on with us after death. (v. 10b-12, 16-17)

The second theme that runs through the Psalmist’s answer in vs. 7-20 is that wealth that is accumulated on this earth will not go with people after death. We saw in our last section that the Psalmist made clear that “…even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish” (v. 10b-12) The Psalmist recognizes that the wealth in which people place so much of their trust will be gone when they die. It will be left to someone else. He goes on to say, later in the psalm, “Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him” (v. 16-17). Even though it may appear as if the rich can avoid suffering in this life because of their wealth, that wealth will disappear at death. Everyone will stand without their wealth and be judged. The Psalmist is laying out his reasons for not fearing in times of trouble, even though he does not have the wealth in which so many place their trust. And so far, he has comforted himself by pointing out that death is certain – even for the rich – and that their wealth will not follow them past the grave.
Again, we can ask the question, “So what?” But the answer this time is a bit clearer. Joined together with the last point, this point strengthens the Psalmist’s case. If death is certain and wealth does not follow after those who die, it stands to reason that wealth does not provide nearly as sure a foundation as it appears at first glance. So often, the goal of those who have wealth is to – in essence – make themselves immortal. They want to be remembered forever, and so they name things after themselves such as cars, homes and even countries. The goal is to be remembered. The problem with this is that it mistakes the audience. The one who will be faced at death in judgment is not one who has walked on this earth in awe of the great men of the world; it is the one who created the world and stands in awe of no one. The problem in trusting in wealth and riches and gold is that those things are fleeting and transitory – it is the spiritual world that will not pass away. Death, the great equalizer of mankind, will reveal what has truly been done, and – according to the Psalmist – the wealth and glory and fame that are accumulated in this life will be no use there because they will not make it there.

Wealth is no guarantee of salvation. (v. 13-15, 18-20)

The last main theme that the Psalmist touches is that wealth does not guarantee salvation. The Psalmist writes, “This is the path of those who have foolish confidence [the rich who trust in their riches]; yet after them people approve of their boasts. 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. But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.” The imagery here is incredibly striking. The Psalmist points out that the rich – though they trust in their riches to somehow comfort them in, or maybe even help them avoid, death – will in fact have Death as their shepherd because they trusted in their wealth. They will be in Sheol. On top of that, the Psalmist envisages a great role reversal where the rich go down to Sheol, while his life – despite his lack of wealth and riches – is redeemed by God himself. The Psalmist holds out hope that what the wealth of the rich can never do will be done for him by God. He goes on to say, “For though, while he [the rich man] lives, he counts himself blessed, - and though you get praise when you do well for yourself – his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light. Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish” (v. 18-20). The Psalmist goes even further in pointing out that the rich often times see their wealth as a sign that they are blessed and doing well when, in actuality, it is that wealth that is keeping them from being redeemed. There trust is in something that will inevitably fail rather than in the one that will most certainly endure.
This last theme is the major theme that ties the whole Psalm together and – when bound together with the other two – creates the wisdom that the Psalmist spoke of in vs. 3-4. You see, up until this point, it might be possible to say, “Well, obviously death will come and my wealth will not transfer with me past death, but is it not possible that it is my success and achievement in this life that will ensure my place in the next?” The Psalmist’s last theme answers that question with a resounding “NO!” The problem with those who store up their wealth and build up their own name and their own fortune is that they are building up something that will not endure and neglecting the very means of salvation. Indeed, if this life was it, then the politics of wealth and power and prestige would work wonderfully, but when eternity is involved, they easily become obstacles. The Psalmist is not going to fear in times of trouble because the people around him who are trusting in their wealth will die. There wealth will not go with them when that death happens, and their ultimate destination will be Sheol because they trusted in that wealth. Moreover, he will not fear because he knows that – despite his lack of wealth and riches – his death will not be the end because he will be redeemed by God. The three truths together form the basis of his confidence.

Transitioning to the New Covenant

Having understood the point of the psalm, we must not forget that this same theme is reiterated and elaborated upon in the New Testament. Indeed, it is these truths that stand behind Jesus’ exhortation in Matthew 6. Jesus tells the rich, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21). Why does Jesus give this exhortation? It is because of the truths laid out in Psalm 49! It is what happens in this life that determines our eternity, so if wealth and riches and fame will not endure past this life, why bother with them? Instead of laboring for that which perishes, labor for that which is imperishable – the great Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth (John 6).
Jesus also addresses those who are lacking in riches and wealth in Matthew 6: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?...But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:25,33). Why should those without riches cease to worry about procuring them? It is because of the truths laid out in Psalm 49! Life is more than just the material goods that permeate it. Life is more than just food (the physical). Life is meant to be lived for the glory of God. Man does not live by bread alone but by the Word of God. There is something greater in this life than merely the accumulation of goods. And that which is great in the next life is not gained by that accumulation of goods either. The storing up of, and placing of trust in, riches is a futile and worthless effort if true life is desired.
The same theme is reiterated in Luke 16:19-31 in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The great role reversal that the Psalmist envisaged was also spoken of by Christ. The rich man had heaped up treasure for himself on the earth but refused to share with Lazarus, who was in need. Upon their death, it was Lazarus who went to heaven while the rich man went to hell. The explanation in the story comes in Luke 16:25 when Abraham says, “Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.” The riches meant nothing; the poverty meant nothing.
We could look at any number of passages in the New Testament from Jesus speaking about the difficulty of a rich man entering heaven (Mark 10) to James’ dire warning to the rich who have withheld their help from the poor. The message, however, remains much the same. It is appointed to every man to die at some point. When that happens, the wealth and fame that has been accumulated on this earth will not pass on with the one who has died. After that death comes the judgment when each of our labors will be tested to see if they endure (1 Cor. 3). What will endure then? It will be that treasure which has been stored up in heaven. It will be faith in the crucified, buried and risen Jesus Christ. It will be faith that has worked itself out in love. It will be that which was done to further the Kingdom of God. These will endure, and everything else will perish.

Application

So, having seen what the Psalmist wrote and having seen the themes reiterated in the New Testament, how do we apply Psalm 49 to our lives?

1) Do not fear in times of trouble – either the rich with their wealth or your own perceived doom.

The Psalmist’s original question was “Why should I fear in times of trouble?” Likewise, for us, when we find ourselves in troubling times and resources seem to have run dry, we should not fear. Our need in that time is not wealth but the Lord. Seek first the Kingdom and he will meet all of your material needs. Furthermore, do not envy those with great wealth and fortune, that wealth profits them nothing in light of eternity. In fact, it is more of a hindrance than a help. And for those who might be rich – which for those of us in America is more of us than are ready to admit – do not ever, even for a moment, trust that your riches will rescue you. No doubt, the Lord may rescue you by providing wealth, but do not ever get the order reversed.

2) If you are rich, seek first the Kingdom of God with your wealth.

As we walked through Luke’s gospel over the last several months, it was striking how often Jesus spoke of giving away material goods for the good of others. John Calvin, in writing about Psalm 49 speaks of those who “persist in the imagination that they will remain here always, and will live as if they were never to quit with this world!”² Do not, even for a moment, forget that your ultimate home is not this world. We are not preparing to stay here forever as if this is our final destination. We are preparing for something greater – for a Kingdom. Does that mean you give away everything you have? Maybe it does. It certainly, at the very least, means you ask, “Is my use of this money furthering the Kingdom of God?” Also, continually examine yourself to make sure that your trust is not in the resources you have but in the God who gave them. Test it in this way: if you lost “fill-in-the-material-good,” what would be your reaction? Trust? Despair? Anger? Faith? Examine yourself constantly. Take seriously Jesus’ statement, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And remember that he also said, “With man [this] is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:25,27). Use your wealth to further the Kingdom.

3) If you are poor, seek first the Kingdom of God and trust the King to provide.

The dangers of wealth are as acute for the one who lacks wealth as they are for the one who has wealth. Those who have wealth are in danger of trusting too much in what they have, and those who lack wealth are in danger of trusting too much in something they wish they had. There are greater needs and goods than the mere material things that we can see. Trust that the one who met your greatest need – salvation – can also meet any physical need that may arise.

4) If you are young, order your priorities correctly.

For those who perhaps have yet to leave the protection of parents or guardians, this text has something to say to you too. You stand at the beginning of your life, and at some point, you will make decisions about what to pursue as you grow up. Always remember that commercials lie, and things are not always what they appear. The capitalist society in which you live wants you to think that you will be happy and fulfilled if you can just have the newest toy, the newest book, the newest article of clothing or the newest car. Remember what Psalm 49 said – death is going to happen to everyone. And when it happens, those toys and books and clothes and cars will not go with you. God will not care if you had the newest toys. He will care if you repented of your sins and followed Jesus Christ – trusting him as your Savior and following him as your Lord. Make these decisions even now. Build habits that will protect you even now.

5) For all of us, make sure we understand true riches.

The great coup of modern Western society is that “money makes the world go ‘round.” In reality, the Lord makes the world go ‘round, and – more specifically – Christ makes the world go ‘round because “in him all things hold together.” We must all order our priorities correctly and realize that the greatest riches we could ever have were procured on the cross. Peter made clear to his readers, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3). We must remember that the pearl of great price that necessitated the selling of all material goods so that it might purchased is the Kingdom of God. We must remember that the bread that will endure forever is Jesus Christ. Do not be trapped by the material things of this world. Realize that your greatest need is a spiritual need and not a physical one. Realize that the greatest blessings are spiritual blessings that were purchased on the cross and not material blessings purchased with money. Learn and meditate upon the wisdom that the Psalmist spoke of – that riches will fade and those who trust in them will die but the one who trusts in the Lord will endure forever. Amen.

¹ Willem A. VanGemeren, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1991), 368.

²John Calvin, Commentary Upon the Book of Psalms, Calvin’s Commentaries, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2003), 241.

LIFE: PROPER PERSPECTIVES AND PROPER FOUNDATIONS