Psalm 49:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names.

NIV: Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.

NASB: Their inner thought is that their houses are forever And their dwelling places to all generations; They have named their lands after their own names.

CSB: Their graves are their permanent homes, their dwellings from generation to generation, though they have named estates after themselves.

NLT: The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves,

KJV: Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.

NKJV: Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever, Their dwelling places to all generations; They call their lands after their own names.

No matter how rich and successful a person is, they will one day die and leave behind every physical possession they had (Hebrews 9:27). They will face God and be judged without any hope of using wealth to buy their way into heaven (Proverbs 11:4). Even the most famous, legacy-leaving hero of a nation will still die and be subject to examination by the Lord (Psalm 49:7–10).

Ultimately, those who reject God in this life will suffer in torment (Luke 16:22–31). When they are resurrected, it will be to face the Lord at the great white throne judgment. Then they will enter the lake of fire forever (Revelation 20:11–15). A search of the Lamb's book of life will determine that they failed to trust in Jesus as their Savior (John 3:16–18). Trusting in Him is the only way to guarantee that a person will spend eternity in heaven (John 1:12; 3:36).

This ominous truth should make Christians less discouraged when it seems that evil people are gaining wealth and power (Psalm 49:5–6; 73:2–3). Whatever they gain is pitiful, tiny, and temporary, compared to eternity (Psalm 73:15–20).

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.