12 And man in honour doth not remain, He hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off. 13 This their way 'is' folly for them, And their posterity with their sayings are pleased. Selah. 14 As sheep for Sheol they have set themselves, Death doth afflict them, And the upright rule over them in the morning, And their form 'is' for consumption. Sheol 'is' a dwelling for him.
15 Only, God doth ransom my soul from the hand of Sheol, For He doth receive me. Selah. 16 Fear not, when one maketh wealth, When the honour of his house is abundant, 17 For at his death he receiveth nothing, His honour goeth not down after him. 18 For his soul in his life he blesseth, (And they praise thee when thou dost well for thyself.) 19 It cometh to the generation of his fathers, For ever they see not the light. 20 Man in honour, who understandest not, Hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off!
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 49:12-20
Commentary on Psalm 49:6-14
(Read Psalm 49:6-14)
Here is a description of the spirit and way of worldly people. A man may have wealth, and may have his heart enlarged in love, thankfulness, and obedience, and may do good with it. Therefore it is not men's having riches that proves them to be worldly, but their setting their hearts upon them as the best things. Worldly men have only some floating thoughts of the things of God, while their fixed thoughts, their inward thoughts, are about the world; that lies nearest the heart. But with all their wealth they cannot save the life of the dearest friend they have. This looks further, to the eternal redemption to be wrought out by the Messiah. The redemption of the soul shall cost very dear; but, being once wrought, it shall never need to be repeated. And he, the Redeemer, shall rise again before he sees corruption, and then shall live for evermore, Daniel 12:2. Let us now judge of things as they will appear in that day. The beauty of holiness is that alone which the grave cannot touch, or damage.
Commentary on Psalm 49:15-20
(Read Psalm 49:15-20)
Believers should not fear death. The distinction of men's outward conditions, how great soever in life, makes none at death; but the difference of men's spiritual states, though in this life it may seem of small account, yet at and after death is very great. The soul is often put for the life. The God of life, who was its Creator at first, can and will be its Redeemer at last. It includes the salvation of the soul from eternal ruin. Believers will be under strong temptation to envy the prosperity of sinners. Men will praise thee, and cry thee up, as having done well for thyself in raising an estate and family. But what will it avail to be approved of men, if God condemn us? Those that are rich in the graces and comforts of the Spirit, have something of which death cannot strip them, nay, which death will improve; but as for worldly possessions, as we brought nothing into the world, so it is certain that we shall carry nothing out; we must leave all to others. The sum of the whole matter is, that it can profit a man nothing to gain the whole world, to become possessed of all its wealth and all its power, if he lose his own soul, and is cast away for want of that holy and heavenly wisdom which distinguishes man from the brutes, in his life and at his death. And are there men who can prefer the lot of the rich sinner to that of poor Lazarus, in life and death, and to eternity? Assuredly there are. What need then we have of the teaching of the Holy Ghost; when, with all our boasted powers, we are prone to such folly in the most important of all concerns!