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This psalm is different from the hymn psalms which praise God. This is a wisdom psalm similar to Psalm 1, and the wisdom books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. It is written to encourage the godly who struggle with the power and prestige of those who have become rich by evil methods (Today: drug dealer, organized crime, dishonest businessmen, etc.) [See Ps 73] Why do the wicked sometimes prosper? The central message of this psalm is that living for wealth is futile because wealth is temporary (vs. 12, 20). There are several textual issues in the Psalm which require the Bible student to first try to determine what the original text said before they look at what it meant to the original audience and then apply it to our day.
Our Bible study rule for this week is:
RULE #6: Interpret each passage according to the Bible’s consistent themes and repeated emphasis (The Bible’s complete teaching on each subject). In other words, interpret Scripture by Scripture. Regular reading of the Bible and the use of cross references is the best way to apply this rule. Regular studies of Bible books will also help. You may check commentaries for related passages and cross references as well as a concordance. If you think the passage that you are studying contradicts other clear passages, look at it again. You have misunderstood the meaning of that text. (An example is the doctrine of “prayer.” Look at each passage on prayer to develop a theology of prayer.)
I. The introduction to the Psalmist’s format for dealing with a problem vs. 1–4
A. The audience addressed is all humanity
B. The command, “Listen up, folks!”
C. The low and high, “all mankind, every living man” (those born rich, those born poor)
D. The author wants to offer wisdom, understanding, a proverb, a riddle of life
Wisdom is the skillful use of knowledge; a proverb is a short saying that is generally true
most of the time (80% or better)
E. The riddle is played on a kinnor [harp] (See www.harpsofdavid.com)
II. The question of the Psalmist: “Why do we fear the rich and powerful?” vs. 5–6
A. Why do we fear old age, the unknown future, and the mistreatment of the powerful?
B. Persecution of the righteous is real, normal, and to be expected
C. The rich here are those who take advantage of the poor, aged, and the lonely
D. Increasing your savings does not guarantee you will be healthy, secure, and problem free
E. Those who trust in wealth rather than God are fools (Prov 23:5)
F. The proud boasters are opposed by God, which is not a good place to be!
G. Do not fear those with money and power—fear God
III. The great leveler of all men (male and female) is death vs. 7–12
A. There is a problem in the text here, but both options are true. No one can use money to escape death for a loved one, (brother) and no one can use money to escape death for himself [Either way, Bill Gates cannot pay God enough money to escape death]
B. No one can hire a substitute to die for them physically so they can live longer
C. The word translated as “soul” also means “life,” “breath,” “throat” (here = life)
D. Most human bodies will die, be buried, and decay
E. The smart and the dumb, the rich and poor (and all in between) will die
F. The rich person’s tomb will be their body’s ‘house’ for a long time
G. The best text for vs. 11 is preserved in the majority of manuscripts (Syriac, LXX [Greek Septuagint], Aramaic Targums) [“Their tombs will remain their houses”]
H. Getting something named after you is still temporary (land of Uz)
I. Only the gravestones keep the names a long time (but also temporary)
** J. The key thing to remember is that the human body, no matter how rich, is going to die
K. The curse of the fall effects both man and animals [sin brings death, Romans 5]
L. This is not the final word on the resurrection, but an early statement about the truth about the bodies of every human person (progressive revelation will tell us more)
M. Since the fall, the 2nd law of thermodynamics (order to disorder)
IV. The foolishness of relying on wealth, status, connections, and power vs. 13–14
A. The self-sufficient and self-confident are foolish because life is temporary (Luke 12:20)
B. Those who support the powerful will not get off from death either (lose their position)
C. Like animals all men will physically die (like sheep to the butcher block)
D. “Death” is personified, as something eating people like a sheep would eat grass
E. In the resurrection, the righteous will have an everlasting rulership over the wicked (Dan 12:2; Ps 17:15, Matt 25:19–23; Luke 19:17–19)
F. Once the power brokers die, they rot like everything else (prestige is temporary)
V. The answer to the question: One’s earthly status is temporary vs. 15–20 (Therefore, we should not fear the rich and powerful, instead we should fear God)
A. “But God” will redeem His people (chosen ones)
B. The wicked will go to the grave and everlasting punishment (Sheol, Pit)
C. God Himself will ransom the righteous, protect them in death, and preserve them forever
D. After death the righteous still exist, “God will take me to Himself, receive me” (Enoch, Gen 5:24; Ps 27:4, 30:1, 3, 71:20, 73:24)
E. The answer to the question in vs. 5 is: We should not fear the rich and powerful (vs. 16) because “temporary, temporary, everything is temporary” (Eccl 1:2)
F. The wicked rich take nothing with them when they die, they remain in darkness
G. The righteous enjoy the light of everlasting life where Jesus is the light
Lessons to Live by:
• We can trust God with our future
• We should not fear men or the future, but rest in the One who controls both
• All men will physically die, life on earth is temporary, don’t hold it too tightly
• Pride is the deadly killer of faith and brings God’s opposition
• Riches, position, fame, make no difference in the grave
• Live for eternity, not for the temporary, serve Christ, not yourself
• Faith mighty faith, the triumph of faith over fear and sight
• It is foolish to live for, love, and serve money
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