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July 23, 2019
The word Sabbath means to cease. So as Dr. Brooks is away on sabbatical, we will be using his original devotionals from 2009 on the book of Psalms. He will resume The Bible Project devotionals upon his return. Thank you for reading with us and praying for him as he replenishes his soul for the next seven years of ministry.
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Psalm 49
1 Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,
2 both low and high,
rich and poor alike:
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle:
5 Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
9 so that they should live on forever
and not see decay.
10 For all can see that the wise die,
that the foolish and the senseless also perish,
leaving their wealth to others.
11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had named lands after themselves.
12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure;
they are like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
14 They are like sheep and are destined to die;
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;
he will surely take me to himself.
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—
and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,
who will never again see the light of life.
20 People who have wealth but lack understanding
are like the beasts that perish.
New International Version (NIV)
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“Take a few minutes to plan your eternity!” The billboard advertises for a funeral home and cemetery. How exactly do we prepare for eternity? With harp in hand, the Psalmist broaches the subject of how wealth affects eternity. In a Psalm that feels more like a proverb, the writer points out the reality that no amount of wealth can purchase a soul. “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him—the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough.”
We see this very fact born out in the recent discovery of tombs in Saqqara, Egypt. For the most part, grave robbers have stolen the golden treasures and amulets placed with the deceased. One mummy, found intact, may yet have its amulets. But the Psalmist is right. The gold did no good. For all of his wealth, King Tut could not purchase his own salvation. “Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.” Is there any hope for eternity, then?
The Psalmist believes better things lie in store for the righteous. “But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.” Old Testament believers had hope of being in “Abraham’s bosom.” The Apostle Paul said it this way, “For me to live is Christ; to die is gain.” To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Even though our own wealth will not redeem us, God has purchased us at a price.
There is a Redeemer
Jesus, God’s own Son
Precious lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One
Thank you O my Father
For giving us your Son
And leaving your Spirit
‘Til the work on earth is done!
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| This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan. Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download
the app at readscripture.org. Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully,
Duane
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