Psalm 49
Psalm 49
Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,
both low and high,
rich and poor alike:
My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle:
Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?
No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
so that they should live on forever
and not see decay.
For all can see that the wise die,
that the foolish and the senseless also perish,
leaving their wealth to others.
Their tombs will remain their houses forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had named lands after themselves.
People, despite their wealth, do not endure;
they are like the beasts that perish.
This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
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.
But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;
he will surely take me to himself.
Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
for they will take nothing with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.
Though while they live they count themselves blessed—
and people praise you when you prosper—
they will join those who have gone before them,
who will never again see the light of life.
People who have wealth but lack understanding
are like the beasts that perish
This earth will fade away. We will fade away. Our lives on this earth are only temporary - our belongings on this earth are only temporary. But it is easy for us to get consumed it what we have. In these days of quarantine it is easy to be pressured to buy more things or look around and lament your lack of things.
But that's all they are, things. Over the past few years I have focused too much on what I have. Did I have a car? When was I ever going to buy a house? Did I have nice clothes? Was my house decorated nicely? The list goes on and on. At the beginning of all this I had a list of things I wanted to buy for the apartment. I had another list of clothes I wanted/needed. I had yet another list of large purchases I wanted to make sooner rather than later: a car, a house, a bedroom suite.
In all this time of reflection and stillness I have found that I have everything I need. By the grace of God I still have my soul. I have my salvation through Christ.
Now I find that the desires I had to redecorate my apartment are gone as I realize how much I am enjoying financial peace. I am realizing that I no longer need more, more, more. I am finding myself more content and far more intentional with my purchases for the first time in my life (I have always struggled with money, if I had it, I wanted to spend it).
I am so blessed and so fortunate. I have a pantry and fridge full of food. I have a comfortable bed and couch to rest on (and time to rest on it). I have a dinner table to sit down and eat with those I care about. I have clothes on my back and plenty of extra toilet paper (somehow).
I have been blessed with extra time. Although I hate not seeing my kids anymore and I miss teaching more than I ever thought I would, I look around at my family and realize how blessed I am to be able to work from home and maintain a steady income. I am so blessed to be able to spend time cooking, crafting, reading and writing.
I have been blessed with this time, this time to delight in Him and reflect on His word. This time has led me to my contentment and made me realize that all the riches, all the objects and all the experiences in this world cannot replace the peace I experience when I rest in the arms of my Lord and Savior.
This Psalm describes the folly of the rich. It describes how we can get too consumed with life here on Earth instead of resting in His eternal bliss. We do not need to worry ourselves with having the best things or having the most things. We do not need to compare ourselves to others and what they have or even what they have experienced. Everything fades away. It is so easy to be distracted from all the stuff in this world. All the things. But I hope that one of the many things this quarantine has taught me is that I do not need to fret over what I have or what I lack. I have spent far too much of my life thinking about all that stuff instead of thinking about all His love. When I let His love consume me instead of the temporary trappings of this world...I find peace. I find joy. I find hope.
He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). His riches are all I should be concerned with: His riches of righteousness, mercy and love.
It's not about what I have. It's not about what I do. The seen riches of this world are temporary, but His unseen riches are everlasting (2 Corinthians 4:18). Instead of fixing my eyes on what's around me - I need to fix my eyes on Him, on His love.
The very Creator of this earth forsook all His riches and came to this world to die for me and grant me eternal life. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). I pray that He leads me in His love and helps me share it with the world before I go. I pray that I am consumed by His love instead of my own wanting from now on. I pray that I do not dwell on the things of this world, but rest in all the wonders of the next.
All the riches I need lie in eternity.
Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,
both low and high,
rich and poor alike:
My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle:
Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?
No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
so that they should live on forever
and not see decay.
For all can see that the wise die,
that the foolish and the senseless also perish,
leaving their wealth to others.
Their tombs will remain their houses forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had named lands after themselves.
People, despite their wealth, do not endure;
they are like the beasts that perish.
This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
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.
But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;
he will surely take me to himself.
Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
for they will take nothing with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.
Though while they live they count themselves blessed—
and people praise you when you prosper—
they will join those who have gone before them,
who will never again see the light of life.
People who have wealth but lack understanding
are like the beasts that perish
This earth will fade away. We will fade away. Our lives on this earth are only temporary - our belongings on this earth are only temporary. But it is easy for us to get consumed it what we have. In these days of quarantine it is easy to be pressured to buy more things or look around and lament your lack of things.
But that's all they are, things. Over the past few years I have focused too much on what I have. Did I have a car? When was I ever going to buy a house? Did I have nice clothes? Was my house decorated nicely? The list goes on and on. At the beginning of all this I had a list of things I wanted to buy for the apartment. I had another list of clothes I wanted/needed. I had yet another list of large purchases I wanted to make sooner rather than later: a car, a house, a bedroom suite.
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Mark 8:36
In all this time of reflection and stillness I have found that I have everything I need. By the grace of God I still have my soul. I have my salvation through Christ.
Now I find that the desires I had to redecorate my apartment are gone as I realize how much I am enjoying financial peace. I am realizing that I no longer need more, more, more. I am finding myself more content and far more intentional with my purchases for the first time in my life (I have always struggled with money, if I had it, I wanted to spend it).
I am so blessed and so fortunate. I have a pantry and fridge full of food. I have a comfortable bed and couch to rest on (and time to rest on it). I have a dinner table to sit down and eat with those I care about. I have clothes on my back and plenty of extra toilet paper (somehow).
I have been blessed with extra time. Although I hate not seeing my kids anymore and I miss teaching more than I ever thought I would, I look around at my family and realize how blessed I am to be able to work from home and maintain a steady income. I am so blessed to be able to spend time cooking, crafting, reading and writing.
I have been blessed with this time, this time to delight in Him and reflect on His word. This time has led me to my contentment and made me realize that all the riches, all the objects and all the experiences in this world cannot replace the peace I experience when I rest in the arms of my Lord and Savior.
This Psalm describes the folly of the rich. It describes how we can get too consumed with life here on Earth instead of resting in His eternal bliss. We do not need to worry ourselves with having the best things or having the most things. We do not need to compare ourselves to others and what they have or even what they have experienced. Everything fades away. It is so easy to be distracted from all the stuff in this world. All the things. But I hope that one of the many things this quarantine has taught me is that I do not need to fret over what I have or what I lack. I have spent far too much of my life thinking about all that stuff instead of thinking about all His love. When I let His love consume me instead of the temporary trappings of this world...I find peace. I find joy. I find hope.
He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). His riches are all I should be concerned with: His riches of righteousness, mercy and love.
It's not about what I have. It's not about what I do. The seen riches of this world are temporary, but His unseen riches are everlasting (2 Corinthians 4:18). Instead of fixing my eyes on what's around me - I need to fix my eyes on Him, on His love.
The very Creator of this earth forsook all His riches and came to this world to die for me and grant me eternal life. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). I pray that He leads me in His love and helps me share it with the world before I go. I pray that I am consumed by His love instead of my own wanting from now on. I pray that I do not dwell on the things of this world, but rest in all the wonders of the next.
All the riches I need lie in eternity.
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life (John 5:24).
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