Psalm 49

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 49:6

They that trust in their wealth ,.... In their outward force, power, and strength; their horses, chariots, and armies; see Psalm 33:16 ; or in their worldly goods and substance; which seems to be the sense of the word here, as appears from Psalm 49:10 . To "trust" in them is to set the eye and heart upon them; or to take up rest in them, to depend on them, to the neglect of divine Providence, with respect to future living in this world; and to expect eternal happiness hereafter, because... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 49:7

None of them can by any means redeem his brother ,.... That is, "with their substance", or "riches", as the Targum and Jarchi supply. Some, according to the order of the words in the original, render them, "a brother redeeming cannot redeem a man", or "anyone" F17 So Cocceius; and some in Michaelis. : but, as Aben Ezra observes, אח , "a brother", is the effect, and איש , "a man", is the cause. The Targum is, "his brother that is a captive, a man redeeming cannot redeem with his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 49:8

For the redemption of their soul is precious ,.... Or "heavy" F19 יקר "gravis", De Dieu, Michaelis. ; it is, as Jarchi observes, "heavier than their substance": it is too weighty a matter for the richest man in the world to engage in; he is not equal to it; his riches are not an equivalent to the redemption of a soul which has sinned, and which is of more worth than the whole world: "what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" or another for him? all the substance of his house... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 49:9

That he should still live for ever ,.... Or "though he should live", &c.; F23 ויהי "etiamsi vivat", Gejerus. . Though the rich man should live ever so long, a thousand years twice told, as in Ecclesiastes 6:6 ; yet he could not in all this time, with all his riches, redeem his brother; and at last must die himself, and so must his brother too, as his own experience and observation may assure him, Psalm 49:10 . Or the meaning is, he cannot so redeem his brother, or give to God... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 49:10

For he seeth that wise men die ,.... This is a reason convincing the rich man, that with all his riches he cannot redeem his brother from death; since he must see, by daily and constant experience, that none are exempted from dying, no, not even the wise man; and therefore, not the rich, since wisdom is better than riches, and is said to give life, Ecclesiastes 7:12 ; and yet wise men die, yea, Solomon, the wisest of men, died. Worldly wise men, such who are wiser in their generation... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 49:11

Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever ,.... This is the thought of their hearts, what they secretly imagine, and conclude within themselves; either that their families, which may be meant by their houses, see 2 Samuel 3:1 ; shall continue in succeeding ages, to the end of the world, to inherit their possessions, and perpetuate their name; though often so it is, that great families become extinct, and the seed of the wicked is cut off: or that their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 49:12

Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not ,.... Or Adam: and some understand this of the first man Adam, who was created and crowned with glory and honour; but it did not abide with him, nor he in that: so some Jewish writers F25 Bereshit Rabba, s. 11. fol. 9. 1. 2. Pirke Eliezer, c. 19. interpret it. But whether the words will admit of this sense or not, the general view of the psalmist, which is to show the inconstancy and instability of worldly honour, may be exemplified in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 49:13

This their way is their folly ,.... This their last end becoming like the beasts that perish, which is the issue and event of all their confidence, ambition, and honour, shows the folly of their lives and conduct: or this their course of life, in trusting to their riches; boasting of their wealth; pleasing themselves with the thoughts of the continuance of their houses and dwelling places to all generations; and calling their lands after their own names; all proclaim their folly. Or, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 49:14

Like sheep they are laid in the grave ,.... They are not in life like sheep, harmless and innocent; nor reckoned as such for the slaughter, as the people of God are; unless it be that they are like them, brutish and stupid, thoughtless of death, and unconcerned about their estate after it; and so die and go into the grave, like natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, 2 Peter 2:12 ; or rather like sheep that have been grazing in good pasture in the daytime, at night are put... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 49:15

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave ,.... The psalmist expresses his faith, that though he should die, and for a while be under the power of the grave, yet he should be redeemed from it in the resurrection; which to the saints will be "the day of redemption", Ephesians 4:30 ; their bodies then will be redeemed from mortality, weakness, corruption, and dishonour, which attend them now, and in the grave; and which will, be in consequence of the redemption both of their... read more

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