Psalm 49 - We Will Carry Nothing Away
By Bunni Pounds
Death is the great equalizer. Death comes to every person whether we are prepared for it or not. We will all die – rich or poor.
At that moment our lives will not be defined by how much we have accumulated - our houses or our lands, but our eternal destinies.
Psalm 49 reads more like a proverb than a Psalm as it lays out its deep and resounding wisdom for every living person – we cannot carry anything into the grave but our relationship with Christ.
The contrast between someone who understands that or doesn’t understand that truth is a stark reality of living in light or darkness.
“Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain;
He is like the beasts that perish.” (verse 12)
Earthly honor follows earthly possessions, but heavenly honor follows when God receives us into our heavenly home – period.
In the end – we want to be received by God.
“But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave,
For He shall receive me. “(verse 15)
Here is the beginning of the Psalm and how this wisdom is laid out for all of us.
“Hear this, all peoples;
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
Both low and high,
Rich and poor together.
My mouth shall speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.
I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will disclose my dark saying on the harp. (verses 1-4)
This is a proverbial declaration that the sons of Korah are trying to get out to everyone who will listen through a song. They want them to listen to wisdom and turn their hearts to understanding.
Musicians and singers who understand the Bible and truth are so powerful as they sing out God’s Word through melody and notes.
Last night – I was telling a friend about the crazy Top 40 songs I used to listen to in the late 80’s and I started singing one of them that I hadn’t thought about for over 30 years – it just came out - every word. That is the power of music and one of the reasons why the Psalms were so powerful teaching wisdom – as they were passed on from person to person. Through Psalm 49 – the sons of Korah were trying to get people’s attention to the truth anyway they could. For them – they had a song to give.
“Why should I fear in the days of evil,
When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
Those who trust in their wealth
And boast in the multitude of their riches,
None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
Nor give to God a ransom for him—
For the redemption of their souls is costly,
And it shall cease forever—
That he should continue to live eternally,
And not see the Pit.” (verses 5-9)
Having an eternal perspective can set us free. Why?
Because we don’t have to fear the current evil days, the national pressures, or the people living in sin and iniquity. They may seem powerful with their wealth but only God can truly redeem anyone.
“For he sees wise men die;
Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish,
And leave their wealth to others.
Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever,
Their dwelling places to all generations;
They call their lands after their own names.
Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not [d]remain;
He is like the beasts that perish.
This is the way of those who are foolish,
And of their posterity who approve their sayings. Selah
Like sheep they are laid in the grave;
Death shall feed on them;
The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning;
And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling.
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave,
For He shall receive me. Selah (verses 10-15)
Thinking that you will die and that others will care as much about the things you care about or accumulate is a false idea. We all know the story of the proverbial rancher who built hundreds of acres of land and houses – only to have his children destroy it.
Death comes to everyone - even the wealthy, but wealth in and of itself is not bad. The Apostle Paul just cautioned us on how the LOVE of money was evil. It is the turning of our hearts from security in God to a faith in the security that money can provide. This is the deception and subtleness of wealth and the “honor” that it brings.
I Timothy 6:10 - “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
As Psalm 49 says loud and clear – the problem is not having money, the problem is putting our HOPE in the money. This is utter foolishness.
We can’t take it with us!
Matthew 6:19-21 - “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
For years I have been around many wealthy people – patriots who love America and who give into the cause of liberty and to see the gospel impact the earth. Good people who want to leave a heritage for their children and grandchildren and who want to make the world a better place. They are looked on with “honor” because they are wealthy, but they have the correct perspective – they are just vessels for good, and their money is just a tool in the hands of God.
We don’t have to be afraid of wealth and honor IF we have an eternal perspective. In that case – money is just treasure given to us to see God’s purposes fulfilled on earth. We become the conduit for giving. We realize that it is not our money but God’s money that He has allowed us to steward. There is a big difference in that understanding versus hoarding it for ourselves.
“Do not be afraid when one becomes rich,
When the glory of his house is increased;
For when he dies he shall carry nothing away;
His glory shall not descend after him.
Though while he lives he blesses himself
(For men will praise you when you do well for yourself),
He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
They shall never see light.
A man who is in honor, yet does not understand,
Is like the beasts that perish. (verses 16-20)
If you are one of those people of “honor” right now who has wealth, but yet doesn’t have an eternal perspective on it – I believe God is speaking to you right now to put your treasure into heavenly purposes where “moths and rust cannot destroy”.
It takes radical obedience many times to impact our hearts and lives with the truth. It might feel foolish, but it is real “understanding” and application of the truth.
If you are one of those people who have been afraid of honor and wealth coming into your life – but you are a lover of God and have an eternal perspective, don’t be afraid. Let God use you and potentially put more influence and wealth into your hands so you can be a channel of blessing to others.
An eternal perspective is all that God is after.
If you are someone who needs to confront your heart and give more so that your treasure doesn’t control your heart – whether you feel like you have small or much – do it. God just wants your heart – completely. When we die – we will carry nothing with us. Having that understanding now and living with that revelation can change everything we do and how we live.
We will carry nothing away into the next life. Let’s live our earthly lives with that understanding and see real impact for eternity.
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