Year 8, Day 194: Psalm 49

Theological Commentary: Click Here

This psalm speaks to the heart of the human existence, especially for the person who’s trying to live a life that adheres to the tenets of God.  It’s easy to feel taken advantage of when you look out for people other than yourself.  It’s easy to feel unappreciated when you make decisions that benefit others and not yourself and nobody notices.  It’s easy to feel like you’re never the winner when others are willing to walk all over your back to get what they want.

This is often a core issue when people try to live a good life.  It’s hard to be the good person when other people don’t seem to get punished when they cheat, lie, steal, or take advantage of others.  It’s easy to get sucked into similar behavior and to respond in like kind.  It’s easy to doubt oneself when other people are living like they want and seemingly getting away with it!

All of this makes sense until we hit verses like Psalm 49:7, 11-12, 14-15, 17, 19-20.  The theme of all those verses is rather simple. The great equalizer is death.  This side of death gives us a rather tainted picture because God has given us free will.  Death will equalize the playing field, and the time after death with slant the playing field towards those who abide in God’s ways.  After all, Psalm 49:15 promises that God will ransom our soul from Sheol, the place of the dead.

In other words, the old adage “you can’t take it with you” is absolutely true.  Live as you want in this life.  Collect earthly rewards all you want.  Life high on the hog and step over people if you desire.  Realize, however, that such a lifestyle won’t do you any favors after death.  The only person who can ransom us out of death is God.  Rather than pursuing our own goals, doesn’t it make sense to spend our life living the pursuit of Him?

None of us can avoid the temptation to wonder about the righteous life in the short term.  It’s not right, but it is human nature.  What we need in those moments is what this psalm provides.  What we need is a divine eternal perspective.

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