Psalms Chapter 49

“Hear this, etc.] Not the law, as some Jewish writers f639 interpret it, which was not desirable to be heard by those that did hear it; it being a voice of wrath and terror, a cursing law, and a ministration of condemnation and death; but rather ad atywja, “this news”, as the Targum; the good news of the Gospel; the word of “this” salvation; the voice from heaven; the word not spoken by angels, but by the Lord himself: or hmkjh taz, “this wisdom”, as Kimchi interprets it; which the psalmist was about to speak of, (<194903>Psalm 49:3); also the parable and dark saying he should attend unto and open, (<194904>Psalm…”

“This Psalm instructs and consoles. It teaches that earthly advantages are not reliable for permanent happiness, and that, however prosperous worldly men may be for a time, their ultimate destiny is ruin, while the pious are safe in God's care. (Psa. 49:1-20) All are called to hear what interests all. world--literally, "duration of life," the present time.”

“Hear this, all ye people - That is, What I am about; to utter is worthy of universal attention; it pertains equally to all mankind. The psalmist; therefore calls on all the nations to attend to what he is about to say. Compare the notes at Isaiah 1:2. Give ear - Incline your ear; attend. Compare the notes at Psalms 17:6. See also Isaiah 37:17; Isaiah 55:3; Daniel 9:18; Proverbs 2:2. All ye inhabitants of the world - The truth to be declared does not pertain exclusively to any one nation, or any one class of people. All are interested in it. The term here rendered “world” - חלד cheled, - means properly “duration…”

“I will - I will hearken what God by his Spirit speaks to me, and that will I now speak to you. A parable - Which properly is an allegorical speech, but is often taken for an important, and withal, dark doctrine or sentence. Open - I will not smother it in my own breast, but publish it to the world. Dark - So he calls the following discourse, because the thing in question ever hath been thought hard to be understood. Psalms 49:5”

“Ps 49 In this wisdom psalm, a wise teacher warns against enemies, whom he portrays as living a rich lifestyle and caring only for themselves (49:5-9). They cannot keep anyone alive, least of all themselves, even in their memories (49:10-12). Like fattened animals, they are led to slaughter (49:14-20). 49:1-4 The wisdom teacher invites everyone to the hall of wisdom; he promises to instruct with a proverb and a riddle. 49:1-2 Anyone who will listen can gain wisdom (Prov 1:5, 8, 33).”

“for: or, of, Psa 46:1, Psa 48:1 \*titles Hear: Psa 34:11, Psa 78:1; Pro 1:20-23; Mat 11:15, Mat 13:9; Rev 2:7, Rev 2:11, Rev 2:17, Rev 2:29 inhabitants: Psa 50:1; Isa 49:6; Mal 1:11; Mat 28:19, Mat 28:20; Rom 3:29, Rom 10:18 Psalms 49:2”

“(Heb.: 49:2-5) Introduction. Very similarly do the elder (in the reign of Jehoshaphat) and the younger Micha (Micah) introduce their prophecies ( Kg1 22:28; Mic 1:2); and Elihu in the Book of Job his didactic discourses ( Psa 34:2, cf. Psa 33:2). It is an universal theme which the poet intends to take up, hence he calls upon all peoples and all the inhabitants of the חלד. Such is the word first of all for this temporal life, which glides by unnoticed, them for the present transitory world itself (vid., on Psa 17:14). It is his intention to declare to the rich the utter nothingness or vanity of their false ground…”