Psalm 49:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: both low and high, rich and poor together!

NIV: both low and high, rich and poor alike:

NASB: Both low and high, Rich and poor together.

CSB: both low and high, rich and poor together.

NLT: High and low, rich and poor — listen!

KJV: Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

NKJV: Both low and high, Rich and poor together.

No one is left out of the psalmist's invitation to hear his message (Psalm 49:1). It was for everyone, including the lowest class of society and the highest class. It was for rich and poor together.

Similarly, God's invitation to accept His love and everlasting life is for everyone who will believe in His Son (John 3:16–18). When Jesus ministered on earth, He excluded no one from His love and message. He promised, "Whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 6:37). He showed compassion and forgiveness to outcasts and influential people alike. He cleansed lepers (Mark 1:40–42); forgave despised tax collectors (Luke 19:8–10), an adulteress (John 8:10–11), a Samaritan woman (John 4:39), a crucified and dying thief (Luke 23:42–43), His own Roman executioners (Luke 23:33–34); and offered salvation to a rich young man (Matthew 19:21–23). He shed His blood on the cross for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).

Christ's earliest followers carried His message of love and forgiveness to everyone, without exception. They healed a lame beggar (Acts 3:1–7) and shared the gospel with a wealthy businesswoman (Acts 16:11–15). The apostle Paul even declared the gospel to philosophers, governors, and kings (Acts 17:15–31; 24—26).

Psalm 49:1–4 introduces the topic of the rest of the song. What the psalmist is about to say is crucial for everyone. It is a wise message that discusses a difficult topic—a "riddle"—which many people struggle to understand. The rest of the psalm discusses the frustration of seeing evil people prosper in the world, while there are good people who suffer.

The "riddle" in question is the fact that some rich persons are also wicked and ungodly. Rich and poor, alike, should remember that money is temporary. It is not a substitute for God's approval. All people face death and God's judgment. There is no reason to envy a person who has earthly wealth but lacks eternal hope.

As did Psalm 73, this passage tackles the riddle of how to respond to prosperity among those who reject God. Just as did Asaph (Psalm 73:15–19), the psalmist concludes that the prosperous wicked face a hopeless end. The righteous have an endless hope. This psalm is rightfully regarded as a wisdom psalm. Several themes, such as the temporary nature of wealth, are echoed in the book of Proverbs.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.