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英文原文
This psalm is a sermon, and so is the next. In most of the psalms we have the penman praying or praising; in these we have him preaching; and it is our duty, in singing psalms, to teach and admonish ourselves and one another. The scope and design of this discourse is to convince the men of this world of their sin and folly in setting their hearts upon the things of this world, and so to persuade them to seek the things of a better world; as also to comfort the people of God, in reference to their own troubles and the grief that arises from the prosperity of the wicked. I. In the preface he proposes to awaken worldly people out of their security (Ps 49:1-3) and to comfort himself and other godly people in a day of distress, Ps 49:4,5. II. In the rest of the psalm, 1. He endeavours to convince sinners of their folly in doting upon the wealth of this world, by showing them (1.) That they cannot, with all their wealth, save their friends from death, Ps 49:6-9. (2.) They cannot save themselves from death, Ps 49:10. (3.) They cannot secure to themselves a happiness in this world, Ps 49:11,12. Much less, (4.) Can they secure to themselves a happiness in the other world, Ps 49:14. 2. He endeavours to comfort himself and other good people, (1.) Against the fear of death, Ps 49:15. (2.) Against the fear of the prospering power of wicked people, Ps 49:16-20. In singing this psalm let us receive these instructions, and be wise.
1-5
A Call to Attention
简体中文
呼唤留意
交与伶长。可拉后裔的诗。
¹ 万民哪，你们都当听这话；世上一切的居民，都当留心听。
² 无论上流下流，富足贫穷，都当留心。
³ 我口要说智慧的话；我心所思想的，是乎明白的道理。
⁴ 我要侧耳听比喻，我要用琴解开隐语。
⁵ 在患难的日子，欺压我的人在我周围环绕我，我何必惧怕？
这是诗人论到世界之虚空、并世界之不足以使我们快乐的话的引言；我们难得遇见比这更庄严的引言；因为没有比这更确凿无疑的真理，没有比这更重大紧要的真理，也没有比思想它对我们更有益的真理。
一、他要求别人留意他将要说的话（诗 49:1,2）：万民哪，你们都当听这话；听了要留心，听了要思想；一次所说的，听两次。当听，留心听（诗 62:9,11）。不只是「以色列人哪，都当听，迦南一切的居民哪，都当留心」，而是万民哪，你们都当听这话，世上一切的居民，都当留心听；因为这教训并非那些蒙神圣启示之人的专利，连自然之光也为此作证。人人都可知，所以人人都当思想：他们的财富在死亡之日不能使他们得益。无论上流下流，富足贫穷，都当一起来听神的话；所以两者都当把这话应用到自己身上。让世上上流富足的人听见他们属世产业的虚空，不以此骄傲，也不在享受中自恃安全，却以此行善，借之为自己结交朋友；让贫穷低下的人听见这话便安于自己微小之分，不嫉妒那丰足的人。穷人因对世上财富的无度贪恋所面临的危险，并不小于富人因对之的无度喜爱所面临的危险。他给出他的讲论当受重视的良理（诗 49:3）：我口要说智慧的话；他要说的话，1. 是真实善良的。这是智慧与明白；它能使那些领受并顺服的人智慧聪明。这不是可疑的，而是确定的；不是琐碎的，而是重大的；不是供精巧揣测的材料，而是引导我们走正路达到大目的之绝妙实用。2. 是他自己已好好消化的。他口所说的，是他心所思想的（如诗 19:14，45:1）；是神放进他心思的，是他自己郑重思想过的，是他充分明白其意、并确信其真的。牧者从自己心里说出的话，最有可能达到听者的心。
二、他自己专心留意（诗 49:4）：我要侧耳听比喻。 这称为比喻，不是因它寓意隐晦，而是因它是智慧之语、极具教训。这与论所罗门箴言所用的是同一字。诗人自己要侧耳听它。这表明，1. 他是被神的灵所教，并非凭自己说的。那要教导别人的，必须先自己学习。2. 他认为自己与此密切相关，决意不将自己的灵魂建立在他劝别人不要建立的基础之上。3. 他不愿指望别人留意他自己所不留意、不视为至要之事。神赐人受教者的舌头之处，必先开通人的耳朵，使其如受教者那样听（赛 50:4）。
三、他承诺要尽力使内容明了而感人：我要用琴解开隐语。 他为自己学的，并不隐瞒、不限于己用，却要传给别人，使他们得益。1. 有人不明白，对他们而言这是谜；告诉他们可见之物的虚空，与不可见之物的实在与重要，他们便说：哀哉主耶和华！他岂不是说比喻吗？ 为这等人，他要解开这隐语，使之明明到跑着的人也能读。2. 另有人完全明白，却不受其感动，从不被其触动；为他们，他要用琴解开，尝试这法子在他们身上动工、争取他们。一句诗能寻到的人，一篇道反飞远了。（赫伯特）
四、他先从应用于自己开始，这才是处理属灵之事的正法。我们要先向自己传道，才可承接劝戒或教导别人。在他下文记下肉体安全感的愚妄（诗 49:6）之前，他在此先从自己的经历说起，论到那圣洁恩惠之安全感的益处与安慰——就是那信靠神、不信靠属世财富的人所享受的：我何必惧怕？ 他意指，我何必惧怕他们的恐惧（赛 8:12）——属世之人的恐惧。1.「我何必怕他们？我在患难逼迫的日子何必惧怕——当欺压我的人，或那要绊倒我脚跟的 supplanters（暗算者），在我周围环绕我，以恶意的谋害包围我——我何必怕他们？他们一切的能力都在于他们的财富，而这财富不能赎回他们的朋友。我不怕他们的能力，因这能力不能使他们毁灭我。」当我们思想世上伟大之人的财富对他们有何微不足道的支撑时，他们便一点也不显得可怕。我们不必怕那些在自己尊荣上尚不能自立的人将我们从我们的尊荣上推下。2.「我何必像他们那样惧怕？」老年与死亡的日子是患难之日（传 12:1）。在审判之日，我们脚跟的罪孽（或我们步履、我们过去的罪）必环绕我们，必摆在我们眼前。人所作的事，连一切隐藏的事，无论是善是恶，神都必审问；我们各人必要将自己的事在神面前说明。在这些日子，属世的恶人必惧怕；对那些心系世界的人而言，再没有比想到离开它更可怕的了；死对他们而言是恐怖之王，因为死后有审判——那时他们的罪如许多怒鬼般环绕他们；但一个有神同在的善人，何必怕死呢？（诗 23:4）。当他的罪环绕他时，他看见它们都已赦免，他的良心得洁净、得平安，于是即便在审判之日别人因恐惧心慌之时，他还能挺身昂首欢乐（路 21:26,28）。请注意，神的儿女无论多么贫穷，在这一点上实在比今世之子中最兴旺的更有福——他们面对死亡与将来审判的恐惧有了保障。
英文原文
A Call to Attention
To the chief musician. A psalm for the sons of Korah.
¹ Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:
² Both low and high, rich and poor, together.
³ My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
⁴ I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
⁵ Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?
This is the psalmist's preface to his discourse concerning the vanity of the world and its insufficiency to make us happy; and we seldom meet with an introduction more solemn than this is; for there is no truth of more undoubted certainty, nor of greater weight and importance, and the consideration of which will be of more advantage to us.
I. He demands the attention of others to that which he was about to say (Ps 49:1,2): Hear this, all you people; hear it and heed it, hear it and consider it; what is spoken once, hear twice. Hear and give ear, Ps 62:9,11. Not only, "Hear, all you Israelites, and give ear all the inhabitants of Canaan," but, Hear, all you people, and give ear, all you inhabitants of the world; for this doctrine is not peculiar to those that are blessed with divine revelation, but even the light of nature witnesses to it. All men may know, and therefore let all men consider, that their riches will not profit them in the day of death. Both low and high, both rich and poor, must come together, to hear the word of God; let both therefore hear this with application. Let those that are high and rich in the world hear of the vanity of their worldly possessions and not be proud of them, nor secure in the enjoyment of them, but lay them out in doing good, that with them they may make to themselves friends; let those that are poor and low hear this and be content with their little, and not envy those that have abundance. Poor people are as much in danger from an inordinate desire towards the wealth of the world as rich people from an inordinate delight in it. He gives a good reason why his discourse should be regarded (Ps 49:3): My mouth shall speak of wisdom; what he had to say, 1. Was true and good. It is wisdom and understanding; it will make those wise and intelligent that receive it and submit to it. It is not doubtful but certain, not trivial but weighty, not a matter of nice speculation but of admirable use to guide us in the right way to our great end. 2. It was what he had himself well digested. What his mouth spoke was the meditation of his heart (as Ps 19:14,45:1); it was what God put into his mind, what he had himself seriously considered, and was fully apprized of the meaning of and convinced of the truth of. That which ministers speak from their own hearts is most likely to reach the hearts of their hearers.
II. He engages his own attention (Ps 49:4): I will incline my ear to a parable. It is called a parable, not because it is figurative and obscure, but because it is a wise discourse and very instructive. It is the same word that is used concerning Solomon's proverbs. The psalmist will himself incline his ear to it. This intimates, 1. That he was taught it by the Spirit of God and did not speak of himself. Those that undertake to teach others must first learn themselves. 2. That he thought himself nearly concerned in it, and was resolved not to venture his own soul upon that bottom which he dissuaded others from venturing theirs upon. 3. That he would not expect others should attend to that which he himself did not attend to as a matter of the greatest importance. Where God gives the tongue of the learned he first wakens the ear to hear as the learned, Isa 50:4.
III. He promises to make the matter as plain and as affecting as he could: I will open my dark saying upon the harp. What he learned for himself he would not conceal or confine to himself, but would communicate, for the benefit of others. 1. Some understood it not, it was a riddle to them; tell them of the vanity of the things that are seen, and of the reality and weight of invisible things, and they say, Ah Lord God! doth he not speak parables? For the sake of such, he would open this dark saying, and make it so plain that he that runs might read it. 2. Others understood it well enough, but they were not moved by it, it never affected them, and for their sake he would open it upon the harp, and try that expedient to work upon them, to win upon them. A verse may find him who a sermon flies. Herbert.
IV. He begins with the application of it to himself, and that is the right method in which to treat of divine things. We must first preach to ourselves before we undertake to admonish or instruct others. Before he comes to set down the folly of carnal security (Ps 49:6), he here lays down, from his own experience, the benefit and comfort of a holy gracious security, which those enjoy who trust in God, and not in their worldly wealth: Wherefore should I fear? he means, Wherefore should I fear their fear (Isa 8:12), the fears of worldly people. 1. "Wherefore should I be afraid of them? Wherefore should I fear in the days of trouble and persecution, when the iniquity of my heels, or of my supplanters that endeavour to trip up my heels, shall compass me about, and they shall surround me with their mischievous attempts? Why should I be afraid of those all whose power lies in their wealth, which will not enable them to redeem their friends? I will not fear their power, for it cannot enable them to ruin me." The great men of the world will not appear at all formidable when we consider what little stead their wealth will stand them in. We need not fear their casting us down from our excellency who cannot support themselves in their own excellency. 2. "Wherefore should I be afraid like them?" The days of old age and death are the days of evil, Ec 12:1. In the day of judgment the iniquity of our heels (or of our steps, our past sins) will compass us about, will be set in order before us. Every work will be brought into judgment, with every secret thing; and every one of us must give account of himself. In these days worldly wicked people will be afraid; nothing more dreadful to those that have set their hearts upon the world than to think of leaving it; death to them is the king of terrors, because, after death, comes the judgment, when their sins will surround them as so many furies; but wherefore should a good man fear death, who has God with him? Ps 23:4. When his iniquities compass him about, he sees them all pardoned, his conscience is purified and pacified, and then even in the judgment-day, when the hearts of others fail them for fear, he can lift up his head with joy, Lu 21:26,28. Note, The children of God, though ever so poor, are in this truly happy, above the most prosperous of the children of this world, that they are well guarded against the terrors of death and the judgment to come.
6-14
The Vanity of Worldly Riches; The End of the Wicked
简体中文
属世财富的虚空；恶人的结局
⁶ 那些倚仗自己财货、自夸钱财众多的人，
⁷ 一个也无法赎自己的弟兄，也不能替他将赎价给 神——
⁸ （因为他们灵魂的赎价太贵，永远罢休了；）
⁹ 叫他长远活着，不见朽坏。
¹⁰ 他必看见智慧人死亡；愚顽人和畜类人也一同灭亡，将他们的财货留给别人。
¹¹ 他们心里思想，他们的家室必永存，他们的住处要存到万代；他们以自己的名称自己的地。
¹² 但是人在尊贵中不能长久居住，如同待宰的畜类一样。
¹³ 他们所行的乃是他们的愚妄；然而他们后代还喜悦他们的话。细拉。
¹⁴ 他们如同羊群派定下入阴间；死亡要作他们的牧者；到了早晨，正直人必管辖他们；他们的美容必在阴间被消灭，从他们住处之处归于无有。
在这些经文里，我们有：
一、对属世之人——其份在今生的人（诗17:14）——之灵与道路的描述。这里假定他们有财富，有钱财的众多（诗49:6），有房屋，有可继承的田地，他们称之为自己的（诗49:11）。 神常常将这世界美物的丰盛赐给那些轻视他、悖逆他的恶人；借此显明这些事物本身并不是最好的（若然， 神便要把最多的赐给他最好的朋友），并且对我们也不是最好的（若然，那些被定为受祸、要因亨通而被催熟至受祸的人，便不会拥有这么多——箴1:32）。一个人可能有这世界财富的丰盛，并因此变得更好——他的心可能因此而在爱、感恩、顺服上更加扩充，并可能用它行出那向自己账上结出果子的善；因此人拥有钱财本身并不使他们被称为「属世」，乃是他们将心放在钱财上、视之为至宝，才使他们如此。这些属世之人正是如此被描述：1. 他们对自己的钱财心存信赖：「他们倚仗自己的财货」（诗49:6）；他们以之为自己的份和福乐，并指望它救他们脱离一切凶恶，供应他们一切美善，并以为自己别无所求——甚至不需 神自己。他们的金子就是他们的指望（伯31:24），于是就成了他们的 神。我们的救主如此解释富人得救的艰难（可10:24）：「那些倚靠钱财的人，进 神的国是何等的难哪！」见提前6:17。2. 他们对自己的钱财引以为傲：「自夸钱财众多」，仿佛这些钱财是 神恩惠的确据，又证明自己的聪慧与勤劳（「我手的力量、我的大能，为我得了这财富」），仿佛这些钱财使他们真正伟大、福乐，并比邻舍更实在优秀。他们夸口自己一切所愿都已得着（诗10:3），又能向全世界挑衅（「我坐着为王，必永远作主母」）；因此他们「以自己的名称自己的地」，盼望借此使自己的名长存；他们的地若果真存留他们所起的那些名，那也是可怜的尊荣；但这些地名常常在主人更换之时也随之更换。3. 他们以属世产业将永久长存的期望自欺（诗49:11）：「他们心里思想，他们的家室必永存」，并以这思想自娱。难道思想不都是在心里吗？是的；但这表明：（1）这思想在他们心里根深蒂固，在其中翻来覆去，并小心藏在心的最深处。敬虔人有关于世界的思想，但那是他外在的思想；他内在的思想是为 神和属天的事保留的：但属世之人对 神的事只有一些飘忽外来之物，而他固定的思想、他内在的思想，却是关于世界的；那才贴在他的心近处，并坐在其中的宝座上。（2）在那里它是刻意隐藏的。他们羞于说他们指望自己的家室永存，但他们心里如此想。他们若不能说服自己将永存，便愚妄到以为「他们的家室」将永存，他们的住处也将永存；纵然如此，当这些不再是他们的之时，那与他们又有何益？但这些也不会永存；因为这世界和其上的样式都要过去。万物都被时间的牙齿吞灭。
二、对此中他们的愚妄的证明。总括而言（诗49:13），「他们所行的乃是他们的愚妄」。请注意，属世之道是极愚妄之道：那些在地上积攒财宝、将心放在下面之事的人，所行既违背正理，也违背他们的真利益。 神自己宣布那以为自己的财物要积存多年、可以作他灵魂之份的人为「无知的人」（路12:19-20）。然而他们的后代还喜悦他们的话，与他们同心同感，他们怎样说自己也怎样说，他们怎样行自己也怎样行，并踏在他们属世的脚踪上。请注意，爱世界是一种遗传的病；人按着本性都有它，直到 神的恩典治愈。为证明属肉体之世人的愚妄，他指出：
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他们虽有这一切财富，却无法救他们世上最亲爱朋友的命，也无法在那人落在死的拘捕之下时为他买得缓刑（诗49:7-9）：「他们当中没有一个能以任何方法赎他的弟兄」——他属世的弟兄，那弟兄愿意从他自己的产业中提出反担保来为他作保：他也乐意如此，盼望日后可为他作同样的善事。但他们彼此的话不被互相对待，一人的产业也不能作另一人生命的赎价。 神并不看重这事；这事在他眼中毫无价值；事物的真价值正如在他册上所记的那样。他的公义也不接受它作为交换或代替。我们弟兄生命的主，也是我们产业的主，他若愿意，可以两者都取，既不自找难处，也不亏负我们；因此一者不能作另一者的赎价。我们无法贿赂死亡，使我们的弟兄仍长久活着，更不能使他在此世永远活着；也无法贿赂坟墓，使他不至见朽坏；因为我们必死，归回尘土，这场争战无免役可言。信赖那不能使我们哪怕一小时缓刑——一位父母、孩子、或视如自己灵魂的朋友身上死的判语之执行——的东西，又是何等愚妄！「他们灵魂的赎价太贵，永远罢休了」，这话是确实的；意即生命离去之时无法被扣住，一旦失去便无法借任何人手或属世的代价召回。但这话看得更远，指向弥赛亚所要成全的永远救赎；旧约圣徒正是以他为救赎主来仰望他。永生是价值过大的珍宝，不是这世界的财富所能购买的。「我们得赎……不是凭能坏的金银等物」（彼前1:18-19）。博学的哈蒙德博士将诗49:8-9明确应用在基督身上：「他们灵魂的赎价必宝贵」，必被高度重视，必代价极大；但既已成全，便「永远罢休」，永不需要重复（来9:25-26，10:12）。「他」——就是那救赎主——「却要长远活着，不见朽坏」；他要在未见朽坏之先复活，然后永永远远活着（启1:18）。基督为我们作了全世界一切财富都不能作的事；因此他当比任何属世之物对我们更宝贵。基督为我们作了一位弟兄、一位朋友——哪怕有最好产业或关系的朋友——所不能作的事；因此那些「爱父母、爱弟兄过于爱他的，不配作他的门徒」。这也显出属世之人的愚妄，他们为那永远买不到灵魂的东西出卖了自己的灵魂。
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他们虽有这一切财富，却无法保守自己免受死的打击。属世之人看见，并且看见了便心怀不平——「智慧人死亡」，「愚顽人和畜类人也一同灭亡」（诗49:10）。因此他不能不指望，至终这事也要轮到自己头上；他找不到任何理由盼望自己将永远长存，于是愚妄地以这话自慰：他自己虽不能长存，他的家室却要长存。有些富人是智慧的，他们是政治家，却不能用自己的技巧和手段胜过死亡、逃避它的打击；另一些人是愚妄人和畜类人（「命运偏爱愚人」）；这些人虽不行善，也许并未行大害于世界：但这不能作为他们的借口；他们必灭亡，被死亡带走，正如那些借诡计行恶的智慧人一样。或者智慧人和愚妄人可解作敬虔人和恶人；敬虔人死了，他们的死是他们的得释放；恶人灭亡了，他们的死是他们的毁灭；但无论如何，他们将他们的财货留给别人。（1）他们不能与它同在，它也不能为他们买得缓刑。「不要杀我们，因为我们有财物藏在田间」，这是无聊的借口，虽然它曾一次有用（耶41:8）。（2）他们不能带它走，必须把它留下。（3）他们不能预见他们留下之后谁将享受它；他们必须把它留给别人，但不知道给谁——也许给一个愚妄人（传2:19），也许给一个仇敌。
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既然他们的财富在他们临死之时对他们毫无帮助，他们的尊荣也同样如此（诗49:12）：「人在尊贵中不能长久居住」。我们假设一个人被高升到升迁的最高峰，如世界所能使他那样伟大福乐，人在光辉之中，人在其最佳的状态之中，环绕并得着一切他所愿的益处扶持；然而他「不能长久居住」。他的尊荣不能长存；那是飞逝的影儿。他自己也不能，他「不过夜」；这世界是一所客栈，他在此停留如此之短，几乎不能说在此过了一夜；这些事中的安息如此之少；他不过有一段小憩的工夫。「他如同待宰的畜类一样」；意即他必如畜类一样确实地死，并且他的死对他的此世状态将是与他的一样彻底的终结；他的尸首也要像它们一样腐烂；并且（如哈蒙德博士所言）常常那最大的尊荣和财富——若是不义从父亲得来——并不传给他的任何后裔（正如畜类死了，并不为它们的幼崽留下什么，只留下广阔的世界给它们在其中觅食），而是立即落入别人手中，而他从未打算为他们积攒。
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他们在死的那一边的境况将极其可悲。他们所迷恋的世界不仅不能救他们脱离死亡，更要把他们更深地沉入地狱（诗49:14）：「他们如同羊群派定下入阴间」。他们的亨通不过如待宰之羊喂养他们（何4:16），然后死亡来到，将他们如同肥羊关在羊圈中，关在坟墓里，「为祸患的日子被带出来」（伯21:30）。他们成群结队，如同因疫病而死的羊群，被丢入坟墓，在那里死亡要作他们的牧者——就是第二次的死，「那不死的虫」（伯24:20）。他们有罪的良心，如同许多秃鹫，要不断在他们身上啄食：「儿子啊，你记念……」（路16:25）。死亡在他们身上侮辱夸胜，正如巴比伦王坠落于其上的描述所表明的，那时「地狱从下面被激动」（赛14:9-23等）。当圣徒能向骄傲的死亡夸口「你的毒钩在哪里」之时，死亡要向骄傲的罪人夸口「你的财富、你的华美在哪里」？他越被亨通所肥育，死亡就越甘美地在他身上得食。在复活的早晨，当一切睡在尘土中的人都醒来之时（但12:2），「正直人必管辖他们」——不仅当他们被充满永远羞耻恶名之时被高升至最高的尊荣，当他们被沉至最低的地狱之时被提升至最高的天上，更要与基督同为陪审，对他们的案子作出判断，并在他们的毁灭上为 神的公义鼓掌。当财主在地狱里求拉撒路带一滴水来凉他的舌头之时，他承认那位正直人管辖他；愚拙的童女也承认智慧的管辖，并承认自己仰其怜悯，那时她们求「请分点油给我们」。当正直人现今常常因所受的压迫叹息、恶人管辖他们之时，让这话安慰我们。那日子将要来到，那时局势将翻转（斯9:1），正直人将执掌权柄。让我们如今按那日所要显明之状来判断事物。但是恶人一切的美容将如何呢？唉！那一切都要「在阴间被消灭，从他们住处之处归于无有」；他们所自负、别人所谄媚所羡慕的一切，都是外加的、借来的；那不过是油漆和清漆，他们要起来时是带着自己本来的丑陋。圣洁的美，是那吞噬一切别样美容的坟墓所不能触及、所不能损害的。「他们的美容必被消灭」，坟墓（或地狱）要作他们各人的住处；在那里既然只有永远的黑暗，又能有什么美容呢？
英文原文
The Vanity of Worldly Riches; The End of the Wicked
⁶ They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
⁷ None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
⁸ (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
⁹ That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
¹⁰ For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.
¹¹ Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.
¹² Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
¹³ This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.
¹⁴ Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.
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 most of them to his best friends), and that they are not the best things for us, for then those would not have so much of them who, being marked for ruin, are to be ripened for it by their prosperity, Pr 1:32. A man may have abundance of the wealth of this world and be made better by it, may thereby have his heart enlarged in love, and thankfulness, and obedience, and may do that good with it which will be fruit abounding to his account; and therefore it is not men's having riches that denominates them worldly, but their setting their hearts upon them as the best things; and so these worldly people are here described. 1. They repose a confidence in their riches: They trust in their wealth (Ps 49:6); they depend upon it as their portion and happiness, and expect that it will secure them from all evil and supply them with all good, and that they need nothing else, no, not God himself. Their gold is their hope (Job 31:24), and so it becomes their God. Thus our Saviour explains the difficulty of the salvation of rich people (Mk 10:24): How hard is it for those that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! See 1Ti 6:17. 2. They take a pride in their riches: They boast themselves in the multitude of them, as if they were sure tokens of God's favour and certain proofs of their own ingenuity and industry (my might, and the power of my hand, have gotten me this wealth), as if they made them truly great and happy, and more really excellent than their neighbours. They boast that they have all they would have (Ps 10:3) and can set all the world at defiance (I sit as a queen, and shall be a lady for ever); therefore they call their lands after their own names, hoping thereby to perpetuate their memory; and, if their lands do retain the names by which they called them, it is but a poor honour; but they often change their names when they change their owners. 3. They flatter themselves with an expectation of the perpetuity of their worldly possessions (Ps 49:11): Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever, and with this thought they please themselves. Are not all thoughts inward? Yes; but it intimates, (1.) That this thought is deeply rooted in their minds, is rolled and revolved there, and carefully lodged in the innermost recesses of their hearts. A godly man has thoughts of the world, but they are his outward thoughts; his inward thought is reserved for God and heavenly things: but a worldly man has only some floating foreign thoughts of the things of God, while his fixed thought, his inward thought, is about the world; that lies nearest his heart, and is upon the throne there. (2.) There it is industriously concealed. They cannot, for shame, say that they expect their houses to continue for ever, but inwardly they think so. If they cannot persuade themselves that they shall continue for ever, yet they are so foolish as to think their houses shall, and their dwelling-places; and suppose they should, what good will that do them when they shall be no longer theirs? But they will not; for the world passes away, and the fashion of it. All things are devoured by the teeth of time.
II. A demonstration of their folly herein. In general (Ps 49:13), This their way is their folly. Note, The way of worldliness is a very foolish way: those that lay up their treasure on earth, and set their affections on things below, act contrary both to right reason and to their true interest. God himself pronounced him a fool who thought his goods were laid up for many years, and that they would be a portion for his soul, Lu 12:19,20. And yet their posterity approve their sayings, agree with them in the same sentiments, say as they say and do as they do, and tread in the steps of their worldliness. Note, The love of the world is a disease that runs in the blood; men have it by kind, till the grace of God cures it. To prove the folly of carnal worldlings he shows,
1. That with all their wealth they cannot save the life of the dearest friend they have in the world, nor purchase a reprieve for him when he is under the arrest of death (Ps 49:7-9): None of them can by any means redeem his brother, his brother worldling, who would give counter-security out of his own estate, if he would but be bail for him: and gladly he would, in hopes that he might do the same kindness for him another time. But their words will not be taken one for another, nor will one man's estate be the ransom of another man's life. God does not value it; it is of no account with him; and the true value of things is as they stand in his books. His justice will not accept it by way of commutation or equivalent. The Lord of our brother's life is the Lord of our estate, and may take both if he please, without either difficulty to himself or wrong to us; and therefore one cannot be ransom for another. We cannot bribe death, that our brother should still live, much less that he should live for ever, in this world, nor bribe the grave, that he should not see corruption; for we must needs die, and return to the dust, and there is no discharge from that war. What folly is it to trust to that, and boast of that, which will not enable us so much as for one hour to respite the execution of the sentence of death upon a parent, a child, or friend that is to us as our own soul! It is certainly true that the redemption of the soul is precious and ceaseth for ever; that is, life, when it is going, cannot be arrested, and when it is gone it cannot be recalled, by any human art, or worldly price. But this looks further, to the eternal redemption which was to be wrought out by the Messiah, whom the Old-testament saints had an eye to as the Redeemer. Everlasting life is a jewel of too great a value to be purchased by the wealth of this world. We are not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, 1Pe 1:18,19. The learned Dr. Hammond applies the Ps 49:8,9 expressly to Christ: "The redemption of the soul shall be precious, shall be high-prized, it shall cost very dear; but, being once wrought, it shall cease for ever, it shall never need to be repeated, Heb 9:25,26,10:12. And he (that is, the Redeemer) shall yet live for ever, and shall not see corruption; he shall rise again before he sees corruption, and then shall live for evermore," Re 1:18. Christ did that for us which all the riches of the world could not do; well therefore may he be dearer to us than any worldly things. Christ did that for us which a brother, a friend, could not do for us, no, not one of the best estate or interest; and therefore those that love father or brother more than him are not worthy of him. This likewise shows the folly of worldly people, who sell their souls for that which would never buy them.
2. That with all their wealth they cannot secure themselves from the stroke of death. The worldling sees, and it vexes him to see it, that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, Ps 49:10. Therefore he cannot but expect that it will, at length, come to his own turn; he cannot find any encouragement to hope that he himself shall continue for ever, and therefore foolishly comforts himself with this, that, though he shall not, his house shall. Some rich people are wise, they are politicians, but they cannot out-wit death, nor evade his stroke, with all their art and management; others are fools and brutish (Fortuna favet fatuis—Fools are Fortune's favourites); these, though they do no good, yet perhaps do no great hurt in the world: but that shall not excuse them; they shall perish, and be taken away by death, as well as the wise that did mischief with their craft. Or by the wise and the foolish we may understand the godly and the wicked; the godly die, and their death is their deliverance; the wicked perish, and their death is their destruction; but, however, they leave their wealth to others. (1.) They cannot continue with it, nor will it serve to procure them a reprieve. That is a frivolous plea, though once it served a turn (Jer 41:8), Slay us not, for we have treasures in the field. (2.) They cannot carry it away with them, but must leave it behind them. (3.) They cannot foresee who will enjoy it when they have left it; they must leave it to others, but to whom they know not, perhaps to a fool (Ec 2:19), perhaps to an enemy.
3. That, as their wealth will stand them in no stead in a dying hour, so neither will their honour (Ps 49:12): Man, being in honour, abides not. We will suppose a man advanced to the highest pinnacle of preferment, as great and happy as the world can make him, man in splendour, man at his best estate, surrounded and supported with all the advantages he can desire; yet then he abides not. His honour does not continue; that is a fleeting shadow. He himself does not, he tarries not all night; this world is an inn, in which his stay is so short that he can scarcely be said to get a night's lodging in it; so little rest is there in these things; he has but a baiting time. He is like the beasts that perish; that is, he must as certainly die as the beasts, and his death will be as final a period to his state in this world as theirs is; his dead body likewise will putrefy as theirs does; and (as Dr. Hammond observes) frequently the greatest honours and wealth, unjustly gotten by the parent, descend not to any one of his posterity (as the beasts, when they die, leave nothing behind them to their young ones, but the wide world to feed in), but fall into other hands immediately, for which he never designed to gather them.
4. That their condition on the other side of death will be very miserable. The world they dote upon will not only not save them from death, but will sink them so much the lower into hell (Ps 49:14): Like sheep they are laid in the grave. Their prosperity did but feed them like sheep for the slaughter (Ho 4:16), and then death comes, and shuts them up in the grave like fat sheep in a fold, to be brought forth to the day of wrath, Job 21:30. Multitudes of them, like flocks of sheep dead of some disease, are thrown into the grave, and there death shall feed on them, the second death, the worm that dies not, Job 24:20. Their own guilty consciences, like so many vultures, shall be continually preying upon them, with, Son, remember, Lu 16:25. Death insults and triumphs over them, as it is represented in the fall of the king of Babylon, at which hell from beneath is moved, Isa 14:9-23, etc. While a saint can ask proud Death, Where is thy sting? Death will ask the proud sinner, Where is thy wealth, thy pomp? and the more he was fattened with prosperity the more sweetly will death feed on him. And in the morning of the resurrection, when all that sleep in the dust shall awake (Da 12:2), the upright shall have dominion over them, shall not only be advanced to the highest dignity and honour when they are filled with everlasting shame and contempt, elevated to the highest heavens when they are sunk to the lowest hell, but they shall be assessors with Christ in passing judgment upon them, and shall applaud the justice of God in their ruin. When the rich man in hell begged that Lazarus might bring him a drop of water to cool his tongue he owned that that upright man had dominion over him, as the foolish virgins also owned the dominion of the wise, and that they lay much at their mercy, when they begged, Give us of your oil. Let this comfort us in reference to the oppressions which the upright are now often groaning under, and the dominion which the wicked have over them. The day is coming when the tables will be turned (Est 9:1) and the upright will have the dominion. Let us now judge of things as they will appear at that day. But what will become of all the beauty of the wicked? Alas! that shall all be consumed in the grave from their dwelling; all that upon which they valued themselves, and for which others caressed and admired them, was adventitious and borrowed; it was paint and varnish, and they will rise in their own native deformity. The beauty of holiness is that which the grave, that consumes all other beauty, cannot touch, or do any damage to. Their beauty shall consume, the grave (or hell) being a habitation to every one of them; and what beauty can be there where there is nothing but the blackness of darkness for ever?
15-20
Privilege of the Godly
简体中文
敬虔人的特权
¹⁵ 只是神必救赎我的灵魂脱离阴间的权势，因为他必收纳我。〔细拉〕
¹⁶ 见人发财、家室增荣的时候，你不要惧怕；
¹⁷ 因为他死的时候，什么也不能带去；他的荣耀不能随他下去。
¹⁸ 他活着的时候，虽然自夸为有福；人所行的事，你若对自己有益，人就必称赞你。
¹⁹ 他必到了他列祖的世代；他们永不见光。
²⁰ 人在尊贵中而不醒悟，就如死亡的畜类一样。
此处给善人一个很好的理由——
他们为何当不惧怕死亡。他们若如大卫此处一般，有死之后得享美满境况的安慰盼望，便无需恐惧（诗 49:15）。他已陈明（诗 49:14）死于罪中之人的死何等悲惨；此处他指明死于主中之人的死何等有福。人外在境况的分别，在世时无论造成何等大的差异，到死之时却不再造成任何分别——富足和贫穷在坟中相遇。但人属灵光景的分别，虽然在今世——万事既同临众人——只造成很小的分别，到死之时和死后却造成极大的分别。『如今他得安慰，你受痛苦。』义人在死时有盼望——大卫此处对神论及他的灵魂便有此盼望。请注意，灵魂得赎脱离阴间、被接到荣耀里，这信心的盼望，是神的儿女在临终之时的极大安慰和喜乐。他们所盼望的是——
一、神必救赎他们的灵魂脱离阴间的权势；这包括：〔1〕保守灵魂不与身体同入阴间。阴间对身体有权势——这是因判决而来的（创 3:19），它在执行这权势之时也足够残忍（歌 8:6）；但它对灵魂却没有这样的权势。它能沉默、囚禁、吞灭身体；但灵魂在那时反而比从前更自由地运行、行动、交谈（启 6:9,10）；它是非物质的、不灭的。死亡虽打破了那幽暗的灯笼，却未熄灭被囚在其中的蜡烛。〔2〕在复活之时使灵魂与身体重新联合。灵魂常指生命而言；生命确有一时落在阴间的权势之下，但终必得赎脱离它——『生命被生命吞灭』之时。生命之神——他起初是生命的创造者——也能、也必在末了作生命的救赎者。〔3〕拯救灵魂免于永远的沉沦：『神必救赎我的灵魂脱离地狱的阴间』（诗 49:15），脱离将来的忿怒，脱离那恶人必被扔入的灭亡之坑（诗 49:14）。临终的圣徒可得大安慰——他们必不受第二次死的害（启 2:11），所以第一次死没有毒钩，阴间没有得胜。
- 他必收纳他们归他自己。他救赎他们的灵魂，为要收纳他们。诗 31:5：『我将我的灵魂交在你手里，因为你已经救赎了我。』他必收纳他们进入他的恩惠，接纳他们进入他的国，进入他所为他们预备的住处（约 14:2,3），进入那永远的帐幕（路 16:9）。
二、他们为何当不惧怕恶人在今世的兴盛和权势——这兴盛和权势是恶人的骄傲和喜乐，向来常是义人的嫉妒、忧伤和惊惶；但全面思量，实在不必如此。
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他假定嫉妒罪人之兴盛、又惧怕他们要横行霸道——以其财富和势力倾覆宗教和敬虔人、自以为是真正有福之民——这试探极其强烈；因为他假定：〔1〕他们发财了，于是能向周围一切人发号施令，凡物都听其调遣。『凡人凡事都服从金钱的指挥』。〔2〕他们家的荣耀，从极微薄的起首大大增加，这自然而然使人骄傲、蛮横、专制（参旁注之诗 5:5〔原文 5:16〕）。如此看来，他们仿佛是天之骄子，因此可畏。〔3〕他们在自己心中极其安逸稳妥（诗 49:18）：『他在世的时候曾自夸为有福』；意即他以为自己是非常有福的人，正合自己所愿；又以为自己是非常善良的人，正合自己所当；因为他在世上亨通。他自夸为有福，正如那无知的财主对灵魂说：『灵魂哪，你只管安逸，不要因世上的挂虑和恐惧，也不要因良心的责备和警戒而受打扰。一切都好，永远都会好。』请注意，〔a〕我们所借以自称为有福的——所借以对自己作出好评的那一事——实在关系重大。信徒『凭真实的神自己称福』（赛 65:16），若有神为他们的神，便自以为有福；属肉体的人借世上的财富自称为福，若财富充盈，便自以为有福。〔b〕有许多人，他们宝贵的灵魂正落在神的咒诅之下，自己却祝福它们；他们称赞自己之中神所定罪的事，在神宣告战争之时，自己向自己宣告平安。然而这还不是全部。〔4〕他们在邻舍中享有好名声：『人……就必称赞你』，夸奖你如此善于兴家立业。这是今世之子所共有的情怀：他们以为最能为自己谋福利的，就是最能供应身体所需——堆积财富——的人；虽然同时灵魂一无所得，永远一无所得；所以他们『夸奖贪财的，耶和华却憎恶他』（诗 10:3）。若以人为我们的审判官，如此讨他们的好评便是我们的智慧；但神若定罪我们，得人的称许又有何益？哈蒙德博士[Dr. Hammond]将这话理解为对这里所说的善人而言，因为所用的是第二人称，而非论到那恶人：『他在世的时候自夸为有福，但你若行对自己有益的事，就必受赞美。属世之人自我夸耀，但你却不像他那样为自己说好话，反而为永恒的福祉行对自己有益的事，你必受赞美——若非受人的赞美，便是受神的赞美，这要成为你永远的尊荣。』
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他提出足以消除这试探之力量的理由，引导我们前瞻兴盛之罪人的结局（参诗 73:17）：『想一想他们在另一个世界将是怎样，你就会看见没有理由嫉妒他们在这世界之所有所是。』
〔1〕在另一个世界，他们如今所贪恋的这一切财富和兴盛，对他们丝毫无益。这是悲惨的分，存留不及他们本身之久（诗 49:17）：『他死的时候』——理所当然他去了另一个世界——『他什么也不能带去』，他长久积蓄的一切全都带不走。所以最大的、最富的人未必是最有福的人，因为他们在今世的活，对他们丝毫无益；他们如何赤身而来，也必如何赤身而去。但那些能在另一个世界里展示其今世生活的人——他们能借着恩典说，自己虽然来时败坏、有罪、属灵上赤身，去时却已更新、已成圣、已披戴基督之义——却有可展示之物。那些在圣灵的恩典和安慰上富足的人，死了之时，有可带走的，有死所不能夺去的，更是死所要成全的；至于属世的产业，正如我们『没有带什么到世上来』（所有的都是从别人得来的），所以也确知『不能带什么去』，只能留给别人（提前 6:7）。他们必下去，但他们所谓的『荣耀』——他们所称为、所算为荣耀、所夸口的荣耀——『不能随他们下去』减轻死亡和阴间的羞辱，不能在审判中为他们脱罪，也不能减轻地狱的痛苦。恩典是要随我们上升的荣耀，但任何地上的荣耀都不会随我们下降。
〔2〕在另一个世界，他们因滥用今世所享的财富和兴盛，必将受无限的报应（诗 49:19）：『灵魂必到了他列祖的世代』——他属世的、邪恶的列祖，他所赞同的格言、所追随的脚踪，那些不肯听从神话语的列祖（亚 1:4）。他要到他们那里去，到那些『永不见光』之人之处，永不再有安慰和喜乐的丝毫迹象，因为他们已被定罪归于完全的黑暗。所以不要惧怕恶人的奢华和权势；因为人在尊贵中的结局，若非又智慧又善良，必是悲惨的；他若不醒悟，宁可可怜他，不可嫉妒他。愚顽人、恶人在尊贵之中，实在是日月之下最可鄙的活物；他『就如死亡的畜类一般』（诗 49:20）；作一个把自己变成畜类的人，倒不如作一个畜类。在尊贵中能醒悟——认识并尽其本分、对良心负责——的人，如同神，如同至高者的儿子。但在尊贵中不醒悟——骄傲、纵欲、欺压——的人，如同畜类，他们必如畜类一般灭亡——关于今世，是毫无光彩地灭亡；虽不像畜类那样在另一个世界得免刑罚。所以兴盛的罪人当为自己惧怕，但受苦的圣徒不必怕他们。
英文原文
Privilege of the Godly
¹⁵ But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.
¹⁶ Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
¹⁷ For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.
¹⁸ Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.
¹⁹ He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.
²⁰ Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
Good reason is here given to good people,
I. Why they should not be afraid of death. There is no cause for that fear if they have such a comfortable prospect as David here has of a happy state on the other side death, Ps 49:15. He had shown (Ps 49:14) how miserable the dead are that die in their sins, where he shows how blessed the dead are that die in the Lord. The distinction of men's outward condition, how great a difference soever it makes in life, makes none at death; rich and poor meet in the grave. But the distinction of men's spiritual state, though, in this life, it makes a small difference, where all things come alike to all, yet, at and after death, it makes a very great one. Now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. The righteous has hope in his death, so has David here hope in God concerning his soul. Note, The believing hopes of the soul's redemption from the grave, and reception to glory, are the great support and joy of the children of God in a dying hour. They hope,
I. That God will redeem their souls from the power of the grave, which includes, (1.) The preserving of the soul from going to the grave with the body. The grave has a power over the body, by virtue of the sentence (Ge 3:19), and it is cruel enough in executing that power (So 8:6); but is has no such power over the soul. It has power to silence, and imprison, and consume the body; but the soul then moves, and acts, and converses, more freely than ever (Re 6:9,10); it is immaterial and immortal. When death breaks the dark lantern, yet it does not extinguish the candle that was pent up in it. (2.) The reuniting of the soul and body at the resurrection. The soul is often put for the life; that indeed falls under the power of the grave for a time, but it shall, at length, be redeemed from it, when mortality shall be swallowed up of life. The God of life, that was its Creator at first, can and will be its Redeemer at last. (3.) The salvation of the soul from eternal ruin: "God shall redeem my soul from the sheol of hell (Ps 49:15), the wrath to come, that pit of destruction into which the wicked shall be cast," Ps 49:14. It is a great comfort to dying saints that they shall not be hurt of the second death (Re 2:11), and therefore the first death has no sting and the grave no victory.
2. That he will receive them to himself. He redeems their souls, that he may receive them. Ps 31:5, Into thy hands I commit my spirit, for thou has redeemed it. He will receive them into his favour, will admit them into his kingdom, into the mansions that he prepared for them (Joh 14:2,3), those everlasting habitations, Lu 16:9.
II. Why they should not be afraid of the prosperity and power of wicked people in this world, which, as it is their pride and joy, has often been the envy, and grief, and terror of the righteous, which yet, all things considered, there is no reason for.
1. He supposes the temptation very strong to envy the prosperity of sinners, and to be afraid that they will carry all before them with a high hand, that with their wealth and interest they will run down religion and religious people, and that they will be found the truly happy people; for he supposes, (1.) That they are made rich, and so are enabled to give law to all about them and have every thing at command. Pecuniæ obediunt omnes et omnia—Every person and every thing obey the commanding influence of money. (2.) That the glory of their house, from very small beginnings, is increased greatly, which naturally makes men haughty, insolent, and imperious, Ps 5:16. Thus they seem to be the favourites of heaven, and therefore formidable. (3.) That they are very easy and secure in themselves and in their own minds (Ps 49:18): In his life-time he blessed his soul; that is, he thought himself a very happy man, such a one as he would be, and a very good man, such a one as he should be, because he prospered in the world. He blessed his soul, as that rich fool who said to his soul, "Soul, take thy ease, and be not disturbed either with cares and fears about the world or with the rebukes and admonitions of conscience. All is well, and will be well for ever." Note, [1.] It is of great consequence to consider what that is in which we bless our souls, upon the score of which we think well of ourselves. Believers bless themselves in the God of truth (Isa 65:16) and think themselves happy if he be theirs; carnal people bless themselves in the wealth of the world, and think themselves happy if they have abundance of that. [2.] There are many whose precious souls lie under God's curse, and yet they do themselves bless them; they applaud that in themselves which God condemns, and speak peace to themselves when God denounces war against them. Yet this is not all. (4.) They are in good reputation among their neighbours: "Men will praise thee, and cry thee up, as having done well for thyself in raising such an estate and family." This is the sentiment of all the children of this world, that those do best for themselves that do most for their bodies, by heaping up riches, though, at the same time, nothing is done for the soul, nothing for eternity; and accordingly they bless the covetous, whom the Lord abhors, Ps 10:3. If men were to be our judges, it were our wisdom thus to recommend ourselves to their good opinion: but what will it avail us to be approved of men if God condemn us? Dr. Hammond understands this of the good man here spoken to, for it is the second person, not of the wicked man spoken of: "He, in his life-time, blessed his soul, but thou shalt be praised for doing well unto thyself. The worldling magnified himself; but thou that dost not, like him, speak well of thyself, but do well for thyself, in securing thy eternal welfare, thou shalt be praised, if not of men, yet of God, which will be thy everlasting honour."
2. He suggests that which is sufficient to take off the strength of the temptation, by directing us to look forward to the end of prosperous sinners (Ps 73:17): "Think what they will be in the other world, and you will see no cause to envy them what they are and have in this world."
(1.) In the other world they will be never the better for all the wealth and prosperity they are now so fond of. It is a miserable portion, which will not last so long as they must (Ps 49:17): When he dies it is taken for granted that he goes into another world himself, but he shall carry nothing away with him of all that which he has been so long heaping up. The greatest and wealthiest cannot therefore be the happiest, because they are never the better for their living in this world; as they came naked into it, they shall go naked out of it. But those have something to show in the other world for their living in this world who can say, through grace, that though they came corrupt, and sinful, and spiritually naked, into it, they go renewed, and sanctified, and well clothed with the righteousness of Christ, out of it. Those that are rich in the graces and comforts of the Spirit have something which, when they die, they shall carry away with them, something which death cannot strip them of, nay, which death will be the improvement of; but, as for worldly possessions, as we brought nothing into the world (what we have we had from others), so it is certain that we shall carry nothing out, but leave it to others, 1Ti 6:7. They shall descend, but their glory, that which they called and counted their glory, and gloried in, shall not descend after them to lessen the disgrace of death and the grave, to bring them off in the judgment, or abate the torments of hell. Grace is glory that will ascend with us, but no earthly glory will descend after us.
(2.) In the other world they will be infinitely the worse for all their abuses of the wealth and prosperity they enjoyed in this world (Ps 49:19): The soul shall go to the generation of his fathers, his worldly wicked fathers, whose sayings he approved and whose steps he trod in, his fathers who would not hearken to the word of God, Zec 1:4. He shall go to be there where they are that shall never see light, shall never have the least glimpse of comfort and joy, being condemned to utter darkness. Be not afraid then of the pomp and power of wicked people; for the end of the man that is in honour, if he be not wise and good, will be miserable; if he understand not, he is to be pitied rather than envied. A fool, a wicked man, in honour, is really as despicable an animal as any under the sun; he is like the beasts that perish (Ps 49:20); nay, it is better to be a beast than to be a man that makes himself like a beast. Men in honour that understand, that know and do their duty and make conscience of it, are as gods, and children of the Most High. But men in honour that understand not, that are proud, and sensual, and oppressive, are as beasts, and they shall perish, like the beasts, ingloriously as to this world, though not, like the beasts, indemnified as to another world. Let prosperous sinners therefore be afraid for themselves, but let not even suffering saints be afraid of them.
本篇是一篇讲章,下一篇也是。在大多数诗篇中,我们看到作者或祈祷或赞美;在这两篇中我们看见他讲道;而我们唱诗时,本有责任以此教导、劝戒自己与彼此。本篇讲论的宗旨与设计,是要使这世界的人确知他们以世物为念的罪与愚妄,从而劝他们寻求那更美世界的;同时也要安慰神的百姓,关乎他们自身的患难,并因恶人亨通而生的忧愁。本篇结构如下:一、在序言中,他要唤醒世俗之人的安逸(诗49:1-3),并在患难之日安慰自己与其他敬虔人(诗49:4,5);二、在其余部分:1. 他力图使罪人认识他们迷恋世上财富的愚妄,向他们指明:(1)他们纵有万贯家财,也不能救朋友免死(诗49:6-9);(2)他们不能救自己免死(诗49:10);(3)他们不能为自己在今世保全福乐(诗49:11,12);更何况,(4)他们更不能为自己在来世保全福乐(诗49:14)。2. 他力图安慰自己与其他敬虔人:(1)胜过对死亡的恐惧(诗49:15);(2)胜过对恶人得势亨通的恐惧(诗49:16-20)。我们唱这首诗时,当领受这些训诲,作智慧人。