PSALM 49:14-20

Let us turn our attention again this week to Psalm 49. It was to be sung publicly by the sons of Korah, a family that knew well the subject of the results of arrogant pride. We have dealt with two doors through which arrogant pride can enter. They were Wisdom and Wealth.

            We will conclude our study this week in verses 14-20 and look at ‘The Way Of Life’. The Way Of Life for many can be a great door into arrogance and pride. David in this part of the Psalm deals with three areas of ‘The Way Of Life’.

            In verse 14-5 he deals with ‘The After Life’. The text of verse 14 deals with the wicked or lost and the after life. They are laid in the grave where death feeds on them. The word ‘feed’ means to shepherd. The wicked or lost are led and shepherded by death. Those who choose to make this world their all will be led by the shepherd whose name is the Grim Reaper and the journey will end in the depths of Hell. The worm of death will consume all of their beauty away. In eternity they will fade, rot, decay, and die forever while never coming to a conclusion in any of these deplorable operations of the after life. I tell you if anything should take away the arrogance of pride it would be the thought of dying lost without Christ.

            In verses 14b and 15 we find the after life of the ‘righteous’. We are told in verse 14b that the upright will rule over the wicked. In the morning the wicked will awake to the fact that those who have always been the tail and punch line of their jokes will at the day break be the head and ruler over them. In verse 15 what a thought to take a ‘Selah’ break on. Selah mean to stop and think upon this thing.

            For the redeemed He will take us from the power of the grave. I will pass by the grave. There will be no dying for the righteous. He will receive me. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. That, my friend, delivers from any thought of arrogance and pride.

            In verses 16-18 I find ‘The Abundance Of Life’. David says in verse 16 to not be afraid or hold in high esteem when one has come in to the abundance of possessions. Spurgeon said, “Let the dog have his bone, swine his slop, and the rich their things.” There is a powerful statement about abundance in verse 17. If I put it in our terms it would go like this, ‘There are no pockets in caskets’. We will leave this world as we came, with nothing. He has but a lease agreement on all that he has and death ends the agreement. He will be going down, down, down if lost and there will be no glory going up, up, up.

            In verse 18 for the man of abundance often while he lived it was all about self. He was the center of his universe. When he is gone his spot will be filled like the water moving in a pail when but a cup of water is removed.

            In verses 19-20 I find ‘The Alarm Of Life’. It is here the Psalmist closes with a message for those who are still living. Let us remember those who live their life for possessions and abundance will go to the place with those fathers who taught them such lessons. They will together for all eternity never see any light. In verse 20 we find those who live for self will find their death to be much like that of an animal. It will have no affect on the eternal world. All of those things make me want to turn to James’ word, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.’ Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He shall lift you up.

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