Psalm Chapter 49

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.

Psalm 49:1 Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

Here we have a hint of the resurrection, the redemption of the soul and the deceitfulness of trusting in riches. This message is for the entire world, rich, poor, small and great.

Psalm 49:2 Both low and high, rich and poor, together.
3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

There is no reason to fear if one is right with God and his trust is in the Lord though he may be compassed about with iniquity and many enemies. However if we are the ones who are walking in iniquity, we have much to fear. Eternity awaits all without exception.

Psalm 49:6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

No rich person can ransom a soul. A soul is lost if he or she dies in sin. No one on the earth, no matter how much wealth he possesses can redeem his own soul or the soul of another.

Psalm 8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

When we die we leave everything we own to others. It profits nothing to the one that dies.

Psalm 49:11 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.

This is why we need to seek spiritual things rather than wealth. If we live for this life only, when we die, we will have nothing.

Psalm 49:12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
13 This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.
14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

Who then has this promise of being delivered from the power of the grave? It is those that trust in God.

Who is it then that trusts in God? He that trusts in God to provide a way out of sin. Sin takes all to hell. Those that trust in God before Jesus Christ was looking to God to provide that redemption from sin. They looked forward to the time when God would send a perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. The blood of animals was not sufficient to remove sin and cancel the debt of sin upon mankind. The sacrifice of animals was a temporary offering that pointed to the time when a perfect sinless sacrifice would be made as a permanent final offering for the sins of those that believe and turn from their wicked ways.

This way of salvation was given by faith. Before the coming of Christ, it was promised to those who trusted in God for sending this savor in the future. Those of us who lived after Christ have the privilege of knowing who this perfect sacrifice was and who He is today.

Jesus was the very Son of God sent down from heaven to dwell among men. He came for the purpose to pay the price for the sins of the whole world. He did not sin and was able to die for our sins on our behalf. Sin has to be done away with or else it would continue forever with more and more people being born into the world only to die and their souls enter hell at the point of physical death.

Jesus came to stop this but first He had to die a physical death the just for the unjust. When he died on the cross, He didn't deserve that death. He was sinless. That made Him the perfect sacrifice to die in our place. Now we who believe and trust in Him can be free from our own sin and enter into eternity free from sin and with a new body that cannot die.

At the resurrection in which Jesus was the first to be resurrected with a new body, all who have trusted in Him and turned from sin, will also receive a new body that can never be lost or die again. This promise is to the whole world.

In the meantime, it is the duty of everyone that has received this great salvation to share this with all that they can; that others may escape the penalty that sin will bring upon them, receive Jesus the Christ and have eternal life. It is for everyone who will believe. Once we hear then, we must say, Hey, this is for me; I want to repent of sin and come to Jesus Christ for salvation. Your business, profit, homes, relatives etc. cannot save your soul. Only Jesus Christ can do that.

Psalm 49:16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.
18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.
19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.
20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

When it is said that they shall never see light, that is true to all who do not trust in God. Hell is a place of eternal darkness with no escape. The body only goes to the grave. There is no sleep for the soul. They will enter eternity either in hell or in heaven. It is our choice.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

We must be born of the spirit. The first birth when we were babies was a natural birth by the flesh. The second birth is spiritual and is birth by the spirit. This must happen within the soul and spirit of all who believe or else we will be lost. This happens when we repent of sin and turn to Jesus Christ whom God sent to save us from sin. Another way to say it is to be "Born from Above."

The water of the word of God cleanses us from sin. The presence of the Holy Spirit comes within us to make us a new creature in Christ. We are born again. We can then keep on with Christ and continue to walk by the leading of the Holy Spirit. It's a continual process and not just a one time event and then we are on our own. No, He never leaves us and we can continually receive and be filled with His Spirit. DC

Psalm 50

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