RR Psalm 49:17,18(16,17) Part 10

Shavuah Tov,

Psalm 49:17 Do not be afraid when a man gets rich, when his house’s splendor increases. 18 For when he dies he takes nothing away. His splendor will not follow him down.

This theme is consistent throughout the Psalm…  “Rich people are likely to have a hard time in eternity.”  Psalm 49:7 Or those trusting in their wealth, boasting about their great riches?…  Then both v.13a & v.21a have the similar refrain… “But the pompous man will not endure….,” except in v.20 “endure” (“Yaleen) is changed to “understand” (“Yaveen”).  

These are refrains that don’t match exactly (which happens from time to time in Scripture).  “Yaleen” means “he will endure.”  I personally believe it is etymologically related to “lunatic.”), while “Yaveen” simply means, “he will understand.”  They are both connected to “Bal” which establishes the opposite outcome.  So, “Bal Yaleen” means “he shall not be left behind (endure) to grumble” and “Bal Yaveen” means “he shall not be filled with understanding.”  

The point is this… it is hard for rich people to depend on God because their riches make it easy for them to depend on, well, their riches.  God wants us to trust (have faith) in Him, and not in our own bank accounts.  When under stress, rich people have a tendency to seek a way to buy themselves out of their trouble, rather than turning to God in prayer for a solution that enriches His kingdom and gives Him glory.  

Some of you may think I’m being hard on rich people.  I’m not!  I’m simply pointing out the additional burdens they face.  All of us must turn to the Lord first!  In every situation of life, we must place our faith in the One Who loves us with perfect love.  No one is able to stay in one place.  All of us are either growing closer to God, or further from Him.  Do that with wisdom and without grumbling.  Shalom shalom.

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sun22-Mar-20264th of Nisan, 5786
Le 6:8-18[1-11]Isa 27Pr 19Ac 18(Rev 12)