성경 주석서

The preceding group of Psalms contains an appeal to “all peoples” to recognise in Jehovah the Ruler of the world in virtue of His mighty deeds for Israel: this Psalm addresses “all peoples” with a theme of common interest to all humanity.

The author is a moralist. He offers teaching concerning one of those enigmas of life which perplex men and try their faith. Is not wealth after all the master-force in the world? Must not the poor tremble before its power and pay court to its splendour? Is not the lot of those who possess the means of luxurious enjoyment, however selfish, most enviable?

The Psalmist’s solution of the problem is to point out the limits to the power of wealth and to its owner’s tenure of it. All the wealth in the world cannot purchase exemption from death; and. it must all be abandoned when its owner comes to die. Quite briefly the Psalmist expresses his own faith that righteousness will be finally triumphant (Psalm 49:14), and that God will do for him what all his wealth cannot do for the rich man (Psalm 49:15).

Does he here break through the veil of darkness which rested over the world beyond for Israel of old, and declare his belief, if not in a resurrection, at least in a translation from the gloom of Sheol to a blessed state of communion with God? This question is a difficult one, but reasons will be given in the notes for thinking that the Psalmist’s view did not reach beyond the present life, though it contains the germ of the principle by which men were raised, through sore struggles of faith, to grasp the hope of eternal life. See also Introd. pp. xciii ff.

The theme of the Ps. is akin to that of Psalms 37, 73. But while those Psalms treat of the temptations to murmuring and disbelief which spring from the sight of high-handed wickedness prospering unchecked, we have here only incidental hints (Psalm 49:5; Psalm 49:14) that the rich men who are spoken of are oppressors of the poor, or have amassed their wealth by injustice. They are not expressly condemned as tyrannous and oppressive, though no doubt they tended to become so. But they make a god of their wealth and pride themselves on their magnificence. Wrapped in a haughty self-satisfaction, they care for nothing but their own selfish pleasure. What appals the Psalmist is not so much their wickedness as their worldliness. They ignore God and yet they prosper. The Psalm reminds us of the parables of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16 ff.) and the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19 ff.). Its moral teaching is for all men and all time. Worldliness and envy are temptations which do not lose their power. Rich and poor alike constantly need to be reminded that “a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth.”

This Ps. is closely connected with the ‘Wisdom’ or religious philosophy of Israel, which, working side by side with Prophecy, was an important power in the education of the nation. It contains numerous parallels of thought and language to the Books of Job and Proverbs.

There is little to determine the date of the Psalm. But it may perhaps belong to the eighth century B.C., when the existence of great wealth and great poverty side by side in the reigns of Uzziah and Jotham could not fail to suggest the problem here discussed. There seems to be an allusion in Psalm 49:11 to the vast estates which are condemned by Isaiah and Micah. If so, it will be somewhat earlier than Psalms 46-48. The structure of the Ps. is clearly marked. It consists of an introduction and two equal divisions, each of which is closed by a refrain.

i. A solemn invitation to listen, addressed to men of every nation, every rank, and every class, for the theme is one of universal interest (Psalm 49:1-4).

ii. Why should the power of wealth be feared, though men make a god of their riches? Wealth cannot save from death: and its owner must inevitably surrender it when he dies (Psalm 49:5-12).

iii. Sheol is the destination of the richest and most powerful. But the upright will be finally triumphant; and the Psalmist in fellowship with God has a hope which no wealth can purchase. There is nothing to fear in worldly magnificence, for it is doomed to a speedy end (Psalm 49:13-20).

1. all ye people] Rather, all ye peoples, as in Psalm 47:1. All peoples, all the inhabitants of the world, are summoned to listen, for the theme is one of universal interest; it concerns all humanity. It is characteristic of the ‘Wisdom’ or religious philosophy of Israel to view the problems of life in their wider aspect. It treats of man as man, not of Israel as the chosen people. The first line recalls the opening words of Micah’s prophecy (Micah 1:2), and the words of his older namesake (1 Kings 22:28). For the form of the verse cp. Elihu’s words (Job 34:2).

the world] A peculiar word, found in this sense only in Psalm 17:14. It denotes the lapse of time, the fleeting age, the world as uncertain and transitory.

1–4. A solemn introduction, addressed to men of every nation and every class, emphasising the importance of the Psalmist’s theme.

2. Both low and high] So the A.V. rightly paraphrases the Heb. sons of mankind (âdâm) and sons of men (’îsh): those whose personality is lost in the common multitude, and those who are individually distinguished; plebeians and patricians. Adâm corresponds to ἄνθρωπος, homo; ’îsh to ἀνήρ, vir. Cp. Psalm 4:2; Psalm 62:9. The P.B.V. (high and low) wrongly inverts the meanings.

rich and poor together] The rich that they may recognise the vanity of riches, and take warning: the poor that they may learn to be contented with their lot, and not to envy the rich.

3. My mouth shall speak wisdom,

And the meditation of my heart shall be (full of) understanding.

The words for wisdom and understanding are both plural in the Heb., denoting manifold wisdom and profound insight.

4. The poet receives by revelation what he desires to teach. He will bend his ear to listen to the voice of God before he ventures himself to speak to men. Mâshâl, rendered parable, means (1) primarily a comparison, (2) a proverb, as frequently involving a comparison, (3) a parable, as the extension of a proverb, (4) a poem, either contemptuous (Isaiah 14:4) or didactic, as here. Chîdâh, denotes (1) an enigma or riddle (Jdg 14:12 f.; 1 Kings 10:1), (2) a parable or simile (Ezekiel 17:2), (3) any profound or obscure utterance, a problem, dark saying. Both words occur together in Psalm 78:2; Proverbs 1:6; Ezekiel 17:2. The prosperity of the godless was one of the great ‘enigmas of life’ to the pious Israelite, demanding a solution which could only be partially given before the fuller revelation of Christ “brought life and immortality to light.” What he has learned on this perplexing question he will open upon the harp, set it forth in a poem accompanied by music.

5. in the days of evil] Or, of the evil man: when evil or evil men seem to have the upper hand, uncontrolled by any divine law of righteousness. Cp. Psalm 94:13.

when the iniquity of my heels &c.] Apparently this means, when his own false steps and errors of conduct surround him and threaten to prove his ruin. But apart from the strangeness of the expression, this meaning does not suit the context. It is better to render with R.V.,

When iniquity at my heels compasseth me about,

when the injustice of wealthy neighbours dogs his footsteps and threatens to trip him up. But better still is the rendering of R.V. marg., which gives a clear sense, and a good connexion with Psalm 49:6,

When the iniquity of them that would supplant me compasseth me about,

Even of them that trust … riches?

He is in danger from wealthy and unscrupulous neighbours, who are eager to trip him up and get him into their power. Cp. Jeremiah 9:4.

5–12. The limits to the power and the possession of wealth.

7. The first answer to the question, ‘Wherefore should I fear’? These men make a god of their wealth. They trust in it and glory in it, as the godly man trusts in Jehovah and glories in Him (Psalm 32:10; Psalm 34:2). But how powerless it is! It cannot deliver anyone from death. If the rich man’s friends have so little to hope, his victims have little to fear.

The language of this verse and the next is borrowed from the ancient law in Exodus 21:30, where the words ransom and redemption of life (or soul) occur together, the latter phrase being found nowhere else. If a man’s neglect to keep a dangerous ox under proper control had been the cause of another man’s death, his life was forfeit. But he might redeem his life by paying a ransom to the relatives of the deceased person. Probably he would always be allowed to do so, and the penalty of death would never be exacted. Another law prohibited the pardon of a murderer upon the mere payment of a fine (Numbers 35:31), lest rich men should regard the taking of life as a matter of indifference. Thus the idea of the payment of money as the equivalent of a life was familiar. There were cases in which wealth could deliver from death, when man was dealing with man. But when God claims the life, riches are of no avail.

his brother] Lit. a brother: his most intimate relative or friend. Possibly there may be an allusion to the use of the word in dirges. See Jeremiah 22:18. But the position of the word at the beginning of the sentence is peculiar, and an adversative particle seems to be needed. It has therefore been plausibly conjectured that we should read ǎk, ‘surely’ or ‘but’ (as in Psalm 49:15), in place of âch, ‘brother,’ and, with a slight alteration of the vowels, render thus:

But no one can by any means redeem himself,

Nor give to God the ransom He requires.

The reading of the Massoretic Text however is attested by the LXX and other Ancient Versions.

8. Render:

For too costly is the redemption of their life,

And he must let it alone for ever.

The sum to be paid by the man whose life was forfeit was to be assessed, probably in proportion to his culpability and his means: but there is no ransom which can be paid to God; it is hopeless to think of attempting it. Cp. Matthew 5:26. Their refers to brother, regarded generically; or, if the reading But is adopted, to the rich men.