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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 49:6-14

In these verses we have, I. A description of the spirit and way of worldly people, whose portion is in this life, Ps. 17:14. It is taken for granted that they have wealth, and a multitude of riches (Ps. 49:6), houses and lands of inheritance, which they call their own, Ps. 49:11. God often gives abundance of the good things of this world to bad men who live in contempt of him and rebellion against him, by which it appears that they are not the best things in themselves (for then God would give... read more

John Gill

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 49:7

Sone of them can by any means redeem his brother - Wealth cannot save from death; brother, however rich, cannot save his brother; nor will God accept riches as a ransom for the life or soul of any transgressor. To procure health of body, peace of mind, redemption from death, and eternal glory, riches are sought for and applied in vain. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 49:8

For the redemption of their soul is precious - It is of too high a price to be redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver or gold, and has required the sacrificial death of Christ. And it ceaseth for ever - This is very obscure, and may apply to the ransom which riches could produce. That ransom must be for ever unavailable, because of the value of the soul. Or this clause should be added to the following verse, and read thus: "And though he cease to be, ( וחדל vechadal ),... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 49:6

Verse 6 6.They trust in their wealth. We are now furnished with the reason why the suffering children of God should dismiss their apprehensions, and keep themselves from despondency, even when reduced to extremity by the violence and treachery of their enemies. Any boasted power which they possess is fleeting and evanescent. The Psalmist would convince us that the fear of man is unwarrantable; that it argues ignorance of what man is even at his best; and that it were as reasonable to startle at... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 49:1-20

Metrically, the composition divides itself into three portions: read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 49:1-20

A dark saying: wealth in bad hands. The author and the date of this psalm are alike unknown. There are, however, matters concerning it of much more importance, which we do know. One of these is that the writer was a believer in God; and that while the dark problems of life perplexed him, as they do and have done so many others, he saw light above and beyond them. Another is that in this psalm we have the words of one who had "inclined his ear" to hear what the great Speaker would say unto... read more

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