 Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 2 both low and high, rich and poor together! 3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre. 5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, 6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, 8 for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, 9 that he should live on forever and never see the pit. 10 For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. 11 Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. 12 Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. 13 This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah 14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell. 15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah 16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. 17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. 18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— 19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light. 20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish. Meditation How much is human life worth? Economists and policy makers used the value of ten million dollars to weigh the cost of shutting down the economy or flattening the curve through shelter and stay orders of early COVID19 restrictions. But can ten million dollars buy life, or freedom from death? Wealth will not win over the grave. Today’s Psalm of wisdom compels walking in worship through trusting the Lord alone for victory over the grave. The direction is for all people of the earth to listen to (1-4) and discern the way of wisdom. No person can ransom your own soul (5-9). Death is the destiny of all and no one controls their wealth after they are gone (10-13). We carry nothing with us; earthly glory cannot go down to the grave (16-17). God alone ransoms us from death (15). Wisdom walks the path of trusting God, using wealth as a vehicle for His eternal glory. Wisdom seeks to be rich in good works (1 Timothy 6:17-19), trusting God from our hearts and laying up treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). Let the wise person boast not in riches but only in this, that you know the Lord (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Jesus gave everything, His life, to ransom you from the Grave. Jesus values your life worth more than ten million dollars. Trust His finished work and walk in worshipful wisdom, victorious over the power of death and living for eternal glory. Richly Dwelling -Is it easier to trust in money and seeing people and security from a monetary perspective or to trust God? Why? -Fools trust in wealth. Wise people trust God and walk in lives of worship. How can you trust God more than the empty promises of prosperity? -How does the richness of God’s grace grab you and grow you in trusting God, seeing the ultimate cost Jesus paid to ransom you? Give thanks for this reality. Key Verse 15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me Comments are closed.
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