Psalms 49:5

WICKED RICH; PERSECUTED GODLY POOR

"Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil,

When iniquity at my heels compasseth me about?

They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

None of them by any means can redeem his brother,

Nor give to God a ransom for him

(For the redemption of their life is costly,

And it abideth forever)."

"Days of evil ... iniquity at my heels ... they that trust in riches" (Psalms 49:5-6). The proximity of Psalms 49:5-6, is not accidental. Although the psalm does not say that all rich persons are wicked, it is clear enough that the days of evil and the encircling iniquity mentioned in Psalms 49:5 are clearly due to rich men who are evil, who trust in their riches and boast of their great wealth.

The problem here confronted is that of the contrasting lots of the wealthy wicked and the righteous man, persecuted by wicked men who are wealthy, boasting of their riches and trusting in them. There have been many very rich men who were righteous, such as Abraham, Job, and many others; but as the Lord himself noted, "Money itself is wicked"; and it is able to corrupt and destroy many of the people who possess it. (For a discussion of "Why Money is Wicked," see Vol. 3 (Luke) of my New Testament series of commentaries, pp. 316,317.)

As Rawlinson pointed out, this old problem about the prosperity of the wicked, coupled with the persecutions and sufferings of the righteous, "Is solved in this psalm more distinctly than anywhere else in the Psalter by the announcement of compensation in a future life (Psalms 49:13-15)."[6]

"None of them can redeem his brother" (Psalms 49:7). This is only one of many things that riches cannot do:

(1) They cannot bring the possessor happiness.

(2) They cannot enable their owner to redeem a brother, either from a fatal illness, or for the salvation of his soul.

(3) They cannot endow their possessor with power to redeem himself from a terminal illness, nor prevent his dying just like all men. Diamond Jim Brady of New York once offered a physician a million dollars to get him a new stomach, but he didn't get it, and died for the lack of it.

(4) They cannot provide salvation for their owner.

(5) They cannot even guarantee their owner's continued possession of them throughout his life. Many who once were rich became poor.