Psalm 49:10 - Printer Friendly

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

NIV: For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others.

NASB: For he sees that even wise people die; The foolish and the stupid alike perish And leave their wealth to others.

CSB: For one can see that the wise die; the foolish and stupid also pass away. Then they leave their wealth to others.

NLT: Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind.

KJV: For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

NKJV: For he sees wise men die; Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, And leave their wealth to others.

Physical death is inevitable. The obituary columns lists the deaths of the rich, poor, well-educated, ignorant, famous, and obscure. Genesis chapter 5 lists the amazingly long lifespans of those who lived before the flood—but even they died, eventually. When death comes, any wealth a person has earned is passed to someone else. They take nothing physical with them, and they cannot hope to bribe God to forgive their sins (Proverbs 11:4). It may be discouraging to see evil people becoming rich and successful (Psalm 49:1–6). Yet their success is temporary; sooner or later, they will face their Creator and be held accountable (Psalm 49:7–9).

Those who place their faith in Christ also leave all earthly possessions behind when they die, but they receive an abundant inheritance in heaven (John 3:16–17). The apostle Peter describes Christians' inheritance as "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:4).

Psalm 49:5–12 begins to describe and unravel the "riddle" previously mentioned. Though God warns about sin, wicked people may still prosper on earth. This can be discouraging to those who follow God but suffer at the hands of evil people. As the psalmist explains, ungodly people can only have a false sense of security. Wealth cannot buy pardon from sin. Ultimately, they will die and leave their wealth to others. The God-honoring person, however, has nothing to fear in eternity.

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.

Accessed 5/3/2024 8:59:08 PM