Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Psalms 49:8
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
For the redemption of their soul [is] precious, etc.] Or “heavy” f646 ; it is, as Jarchi observes, “heavier than their substance”: it is too weighty a matter for the richest man in the world to engage in; he is not equal to it; his riches are not an equivalent to the redemption of a soul which has sinned, and which is of more worth than the whole world: “what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” or another for him? all the substance of his house would be utterly despised. It requires a greater price for the redemption of it than gold and silver, and therefore it is impossible to be obtained by any such means; and which may be the sense of the word here, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it; and so it is used for that which is “rare”, “difficult”, yea, “impossible”, not to be found or come at, in (<090301>1 Samuel 3:1 <270210>Daniel 2:10,11). The only price of redemption of the soul is the precious blood of Christ; his life is the ransom price, yea, he himself, (<600118>1 Peter 1:18,19 <402028>Matthew 20:28) (<540206>1 Timothy 2:6); nor is the redemption of the soul possible upon any other ground; and it ceaseth for ever; that is, the redemption of the soul; it must have ceased, it could never have been accomplished, had not Christ undertook it and performed it; he has obtained eternal redemption, and in him we have it, and in no other. Or the words may be rendered, “and he ceaseth for ever”; the brother, whose soul or life is to be redeemed, he dies; (see <191201>
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