The Day of Reckoning (Through the Psalms) Psalm 49

Welcome to through the songs a weekend ministry of the truthful overtime will study all 150 Psalms with pastor Don Greene from Cruz Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio were glad you with us is over the Psalms that as we join our teacher in the truthful. I was reading a blog post by a professor from Detroit Baptist theological seminary name Mark Snowbird or a man whose writings I respect recently and he made the comment that the goal of preaching is to develop in a congregation, a comprehensive Christian worldview that the preaching is more than providing comfort or instruction that there is the need to develop a comprehensive worldview in a congregation over time through the preaching of the word of God. I like that definition I think that that's that is a good way to think about preaching to think about what is going on in your own mind and heart as you sit under God's word week after week and month after month, that there should be this ever increasing awareness that everything that you see in life filters through the prism of God's word and what were going to look at tonight in Psalm 49 is an essential part of a Christian worldview.

Our text for tonight is Psalm 49, I would invite you to turn there with me.

I'm going to read all 20 verses Psalm 49 a Psalm of the sons of Cora verse one here this all peoples give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high rich and poor together. My mouth will speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart will be understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb.

I will express my riddle on the heart.

Why should I fear in days of adversity when the iniquity of my foes surrounds me, even those who trust in their wealth and boast in the abundance of the riches. No man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him for the redemption of the soul is costly and he should cease trying forever that he should live on eternally that he should not undergo decay, for he sees that even wise men die the stupid and senseless alike parish and leave their wealth to others. Their inner thought is that their houses are forever in their dwelling places to all generations. They have called their lands after their own names, but man in his pomp will not endure. He is like the beasts that perish. This is the way of those who are foolish and of those who after them who approve their words selloff as sheep. They are appointed for she goal death shall be their shepherd and the upright shall rule over them in the morning and their form shall be for shield to consume so that they have no habitation, but God will redeem my soul from the power she goal for he will receive me selloff.

Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house is increased for when he dies he will carry nothing away his glory will not descend after him.

Though while he lives he congratulates himself, and though men praise you when you do well for yourself, he shall go to the generation of his father's, they will never see the light man in his pomp, yet without understanding, is like the beasts that perish. Psalm 49 is a wisdom song. What we mean by that is that it it instructs men rather than directly praising God. And so this is a song that has a a horizontal focus which is to not not to deny that it is the very word of God that it's the inspired word of God.

It is all of that but just in terms of its form is designed to be an instruction to men horizontally rather than a praise to God vertically.

It is designed to inculcate to teach to see minutes in your mind a very important part of your worldview, a very fundamental aspect of the way that you should think about all of life and having been around for a few years.

I would say this that Psalm 49 brings us to a topic that many people, even within the church just refused to think about. They refused to consider the implications of what it means.

And yet this is essential for us if were going to think rightly about life and have a perspective that would shape the way that God would have us to live. What do Psalm 49 do Psalm 49 teaches you to reckon with the reality of death so that you would have the right perspective on life.

You must deal with the reality of death.

The certainty of death.

If you're ever going to have a right perspective on life. If you think about it. It couldn't be any other way. Every book in any story that you read has an ending that that brings things to a conclusion and the whole story that you read goes to that final climax. If you're just reading a piece of literature and you stop halfway you're only thinking about half of the book we are really missing the point of why the author wrote what you're reading. Aren't you well in like manner, the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27 that it is appointed for man to die once and after this comes judgment.

The reality of life is for every one of us, unless the Lord supernaturally comes beforehand.

Every one of us has a destination has an appointment with death, with the cessation of our earthly life, and that's true not only of us individually, not only us in this world. This is a comprehensive reality for everyone on the face of the earth in one sense we are. Death is the great leveler it is that which equalizes everything among people of disparate stations in life we all come to the same point we all go out through the same door. None of us are going to to ride off in a fiery chariot at the end of our life and what the Psalm 49 is teaching us here is that we need to think about that factor that into our way of thinking and come to this conclusion you would come to this conclusion, knowing that that's the ultimate outcome of life.

Yet Psalm 49 teaches you to come to this conclusion, it is better to belong to Christ than it is to have riches without him. It is better to belong to Christ to belong to the one true God than it is to have all manner of earthly wealth without him. Now that might seem like a little bit of a cliché, something that we could toss about easily in Christian conversation without really thinking about it. But, beloved, it apparently is not just a cliché.

Not something that should just roll easily off on our tong and then say okay will now that we said that where we going to eat after the service tonight know this is meant to stop us.

This is meant to to make us think this is what wisdom literature does. It's designed to make you think deeply about life to think deeply about what is being said and so we want to approach this, not from the perspective of just spouting off a cliché because it's Tuesday night and that's when we meet for Bible study.

Know what we want to do here tonight is to let this filter into our hearts and let it shape the way that we think about all of life and everything around us will break it as we often do into three sections 1st section of the song tonight. We would title it this way is listen to wisdom listen to wisdom and one of the remarkable things about this Psalm is this is that it calls on all men everywhere to hear its teaching. This is not a Psalm that is simply addressed to the people of Israel. It's not just addressed to the covenant people of God. This Psalm is Psalm 49 is calling upon it is demanding a hearing from every man who has breath in his nostrils that everyone is accountable to listen to this song. Everyone needs and would benefit from the wisdom of this Psalm, if only they would listen. Psalm 49 verse one look at it with me if you would Psalm 49 verse one hear this all peoples give ear, all inhabitants of the world. He starts out making a claim upon everyone and all the four corners North, South, East and West that you must listen to what I have to say this is a Psalm that that claims the attention of everyone who would hear and what he has to say is will see as we go through it what he has to say packs a powerful punch. This is he, he holds nothing back and laying forth the point that needs to be made for wisdom to sink into your soul. As a result of what he has to say is calling on everyone to hear. And this would be a great song to teach to unbelievers who need to hear this as a matter of bringing them to sobriety about life.

We live in such a foolish superficial time in our in our culture in our society where the most foolish things become that which gets the most prominence in Psalm 49 is a wonderful cleansing of the pallet to say yes this is what life must be like as you go through it what you find is is that is that it it is it is the that the power the logic, the, the, the force of what he says is is absolutely undeniable as he deals with the reality of death and this applies to everyone and go on in verse two. It's not just a geographic reference a geographic call that he makes he calls upon those in every social class to hear what he has to say in verse two, he says, both low and high rich and poor together no matter what your social classes no matter where you live, no matter what culture you might be from no matter what language you might speak.

This Psalm has universal authority over the way that you should think about life what it is. Is this Psalm 49 is a trumpet blast. It is a wake up call to the world to stop and think about the age old problem about life that that if this is something that you've never seriously contemplated what Psalm 49 has to say is something that you need to devote your attention to because it has a transforming impact on the way that you think in his purpose here is to give wisdom, he writes, as it were, you could say he writes as a friend to mankind. You could say he writes in order to help men think rightly about something that they would otherwise mess that he gives a an explanation. You might say of a narrow gate. He gives something of the of the sense of what what life is ultimately leading to even though most people don't want to go there. I know men in ministry who refused to even talk about their own mortality.

I don't understand that I understand how you can be in ministry and minister to souls that are eventually going to Diane's out I want to think about my own mortality, but you know that's that's for them. I guess to say that you beloved, not you know, especially if you're in Christ what is Christ done if not given us victory over the grave through his resurrection through his ascension through his promise that we will be with him and we will see him face-to-face.

What is Christ done except remove the sting of death from us so that we can face it, without fear, and having set aside the fear that makes people refuse the topic. Then we can talk honestly about what this means for life. That's what we want here this evening is giving us wisdom. Look at what he says there in verse three, having called on all men to listen to them. He promises them that which will be beneficial and edifying to them. Look at verse three, he says my mouth will speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart will be understanding.

He says I'm going to give you that will which will build you up in your mind and in your heart.

Wisdom will sink into your soul and it will filter through and be that which flowers over which bubbles over and gives you life and gives you perspective and gives you that which enables you to live life well you know what I know that you want to live life well here tonight. That's why you're here.

You want God's word, in part, so that you would live well while Psalm 49 is a means to that end, that you would live well, I don't think it's an overstatement to say that that until a man has come to grips with the reality of death. He has not yet begun to live well if he's simply thinking that he's going to live life in an open-ended manner, and he never calculates into his approach to life that he's one day going to die and say farewell to this earth and sod. He really hasn't begun to live from a biblical perspective.

That's what the Psalm is laying forth for us to notice what he says here in verse four as we continue on through the text is calling us to listen to wisdom look verse four. He says I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will express my riddle on the heart.

Notice what he says. He says I'm going to incline my ear to a proverb.

In other words, what he saying is, is that I am listening to the instruction of God. For I presume to speak to you. He says I will incline my hear to what understanding is.

And then I will express it to you in a way that is easy for you to receive even mentions playing it on a harp, a musical accompaniment that would allow it to be more easily retained. Perhaps none passing we could say this. This is the pattern that that everyone who would desire to teach the word of God should follow. No one should be speaking and teaching the word of God unless he is first learned to receive it unless he himself is been instructed by godly men under the teaching of God's word. You know you you don't you don't teach until you first learned when you're handling God's truth.

Listen before you speak.

What he does now what he's about to do.

Beginning in verse five is this is he is laying forth both the challenge and the opportunity of this life-giving message to anyone that would hear there is benefit to what he has to say in verses five through 20. There is instruction there is edification that that can only be spiritually nutritious to his spiritual man and those that would hear and so now he's going to begin having laid it out and having laid a call to receive wisdom. Now he lays it out for what it is that he has to say. In point number two here tonight. Point number two. Having said.

Listen to wisdom. Point number two is he's going to say look at the outcome. Look at the outcome what you mean by that.

Well, all that it's all that we mean by that is to say, look at the outcome of life where does life and up. What is the outcome.

What is the result. What is the endpoint from an earthly perspective to life and he draws us in with a question that is worthy to be answered. Look at verse five he says in verse five. Why should I fear in days of adversity when the iniquity of my foes surrounds me, even those who trust in their wealth and boast in the abundance of their riches anywhere you look you can find evil people enjoying prosperity.

You can see people going through life, seeming to enjoy it seeming to have prosperity in finding and good things happening to them when they are utterly wicked and utterly godless and completely devoid of any desire for the things of Christ are the things the Bible you turn on the TV and you see that go to Hollywood and you see that in these people prosper in it. They find they find their wealth and they find easy in their wealth. They don't struggle with life like you and I do sometimes and they are confident that this wealth that they have accumulated will be that which protects them from harm. Going forward, why people love big retirement accounts that's going to be my insulation from hardship in my latter days. I'm not opposed to retirement accounts is all about where your trust is and here's the thing for people like you and me going through life with with modest means and modest recognition and all of that when you see that when you see people flourishing and having having wealth and and flaunting their rebellion against God and mocking you for your godliness. It can be intimidating when you're trying to live a righteous life with modest means can be intimidating when you don't know exactly what your next step in your walk with God is going to be is your at junctures in life trying to make righteous decisions not knowing exactly what comes next. And then you're surrounded with people who have means and who mock you for the fact that you even care about such things. For the question is that the psalmist is asking is how do you resolve that since the fear that sense of dread in their presence.

How is it that you live without a sense of being intimidated by their prosperity by their arrogance by that which would mock everything that you hold most dear in your heart when I looking at it from earthly perspectives.

They're the ones with power with influence and wealth. And here you are standing off to the side with your you know with your modest life and their confident and arrogant and boastful and even self-righteous. How do you see through that.

Well what the psalmist does is he goes right to the heart of the matter, and with surgical precision, which is a funny thing to say with a doctor in the audience, but that's all right with surgical precision.

He slices open the reality of life and exposes the inward nature of it in a way that is undeniable when you see this inner reality. All of a sudden that external intimidation goes away the key for all of this is for you to see less false sense of security that those people live with their false sense of security. They are living under a delusion, they they think that reality is one way, but it's not like that at all. The false sense of security is found in this they will inevitably die, their wealth will be useless to them on their deathbed. It said of a of a French atheist who lived several centuries ago was it was incredibly wealthy and he was on his deathbed and he was he was having mock Christianity his entire life. He was frightened at the prospect of death, and he told his attending physician. He said I will give you half of my wealth if you will only give me six more months to live a possible not in the hands of the physician to extend life like that in the face of death. His wealth was useless. His mocking of Christianity came back to haunt him at the time when it mattered most. Look at verse seven. Here Psalm 49 verse seven no man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him for the redemption of his soul is costly and he should cease trying forever. What's he saying here with you.

Go on in verse nine. You see, he explains it. He says that he should live on eternally that he should not undergo decay. Verse eight is kind of a parade parenthetical comment. Let's read verses seven and nine together so that you can see the flow of thought. He says no man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him that he should live on eternally that he should not undergo decay what to say he saying it is not possible for a man to buy more days for another fellow human being when death is on his doorsteps. It doesn't matter how wealthy you are.

You cannot extend anybody's life by another moment wealth does not have that power the people who have wealth do not have that power death levels.

Everybody it comes through like a road grader and shoves everything out of its way, and leaves behind its path, and so when you're thinking about all of this wealth. The people pursue the people love the people bow down and worship so to speak.

You ask this question.

If wealth cannot buy you even one more day of life.

What good is it, what good is it when you are on your deathbed. What is the ultimate usefulness of all of these earthly means these earthly resources if when you most need something to produce for you. It's impotent.

It's powerless you can do nothing for you side and yet this pierces to the core of the very nature of life but say it this way, beloved, you cannot buy your way out of dying and you cannot buy anyone else's way out of dying either one commentator says this and I quote, no wealth can save a man from death the life of men is not in their own hands, but only in the hand of God, who cannot be bribed." So what he saying here is that there is nothing that you could pay to God that would allow a man to live eternally and avoid death useless in that regard, and when you see a man of great wealth.

Here's what you do, you look through the illusion you look past the barrage of what seems to be power and influence and ability and you say to yourself I see the outcome of this, I see the endgame in this in the endgame of this is that this does not end well for him in the end. Death is certain, and money cannot buy your way out of it. While wow wow and so what's the point of it, then we have to live before going to have a Christian worldview. We have to think about ultimate matters. This is the way that all men should think they should think about ultimate matters, not the transitory brief window of time that they have on earth for stating a truism here and yet far far more people are thinking about pursuing their their means there wealth or career and all of that than they are about the outcome of death. How foolish is that how much that approach to life collapses when the doctor says you got two months to live, how much it collapses when suddenly, when death unexpectedly shows up on the doorstep and what do you fall back on when you've given all of your life over to that which is transitory and can help you in the matter.

When you most need it. What is left for you. What is left for man. At that time, except utter blackness and hopelessness. When that is the perspective with which they have lived in the power of the Psalm. In one sense going to misunderstand what I say here but to say it anyway. Maybe I can mitigate the misunderstanding. This all in one sense, is merciless it is. It is relentless maybe is a better word in terms of its diagnosis of the human condition.

It states the truth with such utter clarity and without any room to avoid it, that it locks you into that which is true and obvious and undeniable.

Everything in the Psalm is utterly undeniable simply from human observation verse 10 for he sees that even wise men die the stupid and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others. He says he says death is such a great leveler that wise men can't avoid it.

Even if there wealthy wisemen, it still comes to them and so in that sense. Whether you are wise or whether using the biblical word stupid either way, you end up in the same place.

Either way you go through the same exit and your wisdom doesn't spare you. Your wealth doesn't spare you for some even their youth doesn't spare them the status doesn't help them. The poverty makes no difference. A rich wise man goes out in the same with the same lack of dignity that the poor man that no one's ever heard of. Does while almost be depressing couldn't. And yet this is the reality of it. It's the only reason the only reason watch this. The only reason the people would not want to think about this is because they prefer a delusion about life rather than the reality is there anybody in the world that's alive now that was alive 125 years ago hundred years ago. If you do, but you know their end is coming to you can see the universal nature of this by the fact that there is no one living from 300 years ago. No one misses out on this. This is the great certainty of life and what does it mean it means that even the wealthy have no advantage in this regard over the fool their prosperity was temporary. Their doom is permanent. Their memory will be forgotten including you and me, but but they delude themselves in the hope that maybe they'll be remembered.

They tried in vain to perpetuate their memory. Look at verse 11 where he says their inner thought is that their houses are forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They have called their lands after their own names they they maybe they attach their names to land you know the Smith triple K ranch or whatever land and monuments may bear their names, but they still die and so what did they really gain what was the point of it verse 12 man in his pomp will not endure is like the beasts, the parish all thought about a road grader over human pride. Talk about that which decimates the puffed out nature of man, you're going to go out like the beasts do, you're going to go out like a cow in a herd of cattle who remembers the cow, the bull in the middle of the stockyards where there were thousands of cows and it goes off and it slaughtered and it goes to wherever they take the six who remembers an animal like that is forgotten what the psalmist is saying man is just like that the billions of people who have died before us. Leave no memory of the fact that they were here and his point is is that death silences the wealthy man, just as it does the beast just as it does at Dom animal. Wow, that's kinda bleak now here's a nice thing about biblical instruction, here's the nice thing about Psalm 49 it doesn't lead us to this accurate diagnosis of the nature of man, simply to leave us there in hopelessness. That's not his point. His point is this, is that he would have it, you would embrace that reality, you would understand that you would see through all of the external trappings of life penetrated with biblical knowledge and discernment and then tethered from that to the perspective that he teaches in verses 13 through 20. So we said that you listen to wisdom. Secondly, that you would look at the outcome of life calculate that into your worldview, then thirdly, he says this live with perspective. Live with perspective. Now you hardly you hardly need to be told that it's the nature of humanity to fawn over wealthy and famous people right somebody famous walked in everybody's head would turn people take tours in Hollywood.

See the homes of the wealthy and the famous and to known walked down Hollywood Boulevard to see the star of a past TV show with fawn over them and what the psalmist saying don't be like that. Beloved, don't be sucked into that false worldview that ends in death.

Don't let that be what you are attracted to. Don't let it shape your affections separate yourself from it, and do not be intimidated by it will be attracted to it. Don't be intimidated by because it's outcome is death verse 13 he says this is the way of those who are foolish and of those after them who approve their words so what's the way death is the way of those who are foolish those who do not calculate death into their perspective of life, and he says it's also the way for those who follow after them, the foolish, mindless way. The people go after celebrity and whatever realm it is there just they're just following in the in the wake of that which is leading them to death, even if they never share in the wealth it's so sad. It's so bad to think it's it's so mad sense of insanity. It's sad. It's bad mad didn't see that this is the way people think and live when all you have to do is think for a moment and say what's the outcome of that. It's death doesn't do them any good on their deathbed, none whatsoever than what is the point of it. Why some of you young people. Why are you giving yourself over why are you thinking that that's what you want out of life when it's so obvious what the outcome of it is and in a graphic piece of imagery. He lays it out in verse 14.

This this is. This verses makes you shudder it it it sends chills down your spine when you realize what it is saying verse 14 as she they are appointed for. She old the realm of the dead and look at this death shall be their shepherd.

You know when we talk about the shepherd in Christian circles, our minds go to Psalm 23 the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He leads me he guides me he provides for me and there's this picture of rest and assurance and confidence and serenity that says the Lord is over me. Jesus said I am the good shepherd. I lay down my life for the sheep.

We find security in the fact that that's our shepherd. Well, by contrast, what this is saying here is that the world is living with death as their shepherd, that death in silence and darkness and judgment is that which is guiding them and providing for them and leading them in their life journey.

It is leading them to destruction.

Those who are not in Christ have Satan as their father and then they have death as their shepherd did. He personifies death and says death is what is animating all of their existence. It's dark, it's sad. It's frightening. What's the outcome for the look at verse 14.

Again death shall be their shepherd in the upright shall rule over them in the morning. There's a calming time where all of these circumstances of life are going to be reversed and the upright the righteous. Those who know Christ will have the prominence they will eventually rule over the wicked and the life to come.

The reversal of fortune will be complete now go back if you would.

With that in mind to the question that he asked in verse five. Why should I fear and days of adversity when the iniquity of my foes surrounds me. When you think through these things, and Psalm 49 here's what you're left with you are left with this question.

Why should I be provoked. Why should I be upset. Why should I be fearful when the wicked oppress me watch this. I'm not the one with the problem they are looking at the outcome of their existence.

Look at what is shepherding them through life. It is the principle of death, their wealth will perish with them.

What good is I don't have a problem here.

They do once you seen through it. All of a sudden the power of their intimidating presence is gone. You see through them and you can silently look at that and say that does not scare me. That does not disturb me. I'm not troubled by that no matter what earthly circumstances may be why because I have a biblical worldview that helps me see the outcome of it in the a look at verse 15. He says that's their portion in life. Verse 15 but God, the great contrast reminiscence of Ephesians chapter 2 verse four that says that God, being rich in mercy. Here he says but God.

They are like that.

But God will deal with me differently. There will be a different outcome for me first person singular. But God will redeem my soul from the power she old, for he will receive me. You see beloved. Here's the thing you have got to make this the most precious thing in all of your affections. Nothing else matters. But this is to realize that when your life is done as a believer in Christ when your life is over is one ransomed by the precious blood of Christ. God says I will receive you personally into my presence.

And you rather than leaving wealth in your best things behind. As you enter through a dark door of death you see it from this perspective, I'm leaving behind the trials and difficulties of life in order to be received by the one who laid down his life on the cross for muscle it's completely different for me. You say to yourself, the outcome for me is not death. Death is not my shepherd the Lord Jesus Christ is my shepherd, and he will receive me when I die, and therefore there is no fear. He gives me hope beyond the grave. He will receive me and as we said in other places. This means for you that death rather than being an instrument of fear in your life.

You can look at death and say just one breath beyond this life. My God's going to receive me and therefore I rest I am at complete peace. I have perfect confidence of the outcome of my existence and whatever wicked people do to me is like it is is like a a cardinal bird pecking on granite doesn't matter doesn't change a thing because my God will receive me verse 15 look at the end of it there so law stop and think on that when you're under the oppression of people who oppose you the certain hope that you have in Christ is the exact opposite of what awaits the wicked, those who live for wealth will be buried and quickly forgotten those who belong to Christ will have fellowship with him forever. It's the great dividing line. Death is watch this beloved watch this young people you specially just as your forming your affections informing your patterns and habits that are going to determine the character and outcome of your life. Watch this death is going to be the great and unavoidable day of reckoning for the life that you choose isn't it obvious, isn't it obvious that it would be far better for you to live for Christ and have him receive you in the end, than it is to live for wealth. Even if you enjoy temporary prosperity, only to find that death and Satan are waiting for you on the other side waiting to receive you into that dark judgment that awaits those who refuse the gospel.

This is the great day of reckoning. Death is the final moment that is that separates us and moves us into the ultimate reward is in it obvious beloved young people.

Isn't it obvious that it would be better for you to seek Christ and to live for him with your life than it would be for you to live for wealth and money and fame and fortune or whatever else it is it's polluting your priorities. Why on earth why on earth would you reject God's word on this point by what possible way.

Even in your own self-interest. Could you say I don't care what Psalm 49 says I'm going to go my own way, why, why would you why would you sign a suicide pact with the devil over your own soul. Why would you do that the Psalm is with the psalmist encouraging you to consider the results of his meditation. This has practical implications for living life today. Verse 16. Having said all of these things. Consider the outcome.

Look at where life leads for the wicked.

It ends up in death and judgment. For them, for us, God will receive us in the end.

So what's the outcome I say these kinds of things all the time for you to live life well you must be able to reach into the future and grasp it. There and then bring it back into daily life. You don't simply live in the course of daily life, and then whatever happens, happens. No, that's not a Christian worldview that is not a good way to live.

That is a really rotten way to think and to live know you have to take the time beloved to think, to meditate, to grasp what Scripture says and says okay this is the future outcome. I don't know the timing whether one year or 30 or 50, but I know the certainty of the outcome. I think through that.

Okay I dealt with the implications of that I belong to Christ.

I've repented I put my faith in Christ.

I know that he has my soul covered with his redemptive blood. You take that and then you bring it back into the present and that's what he does in verse 16, having led us to the outcome. He now says here's how it applies to life and how does it apply.

Verse 16 for you. He speaks to matters of the heart. He speaks to matters of affections and in fear and intimidation. Verse 16 he says do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house is increased. Don't don't sweat over who gets elevated in the next presidential election.

Don't worry about that don't get all bent out of shape on that. You don't have to be shortened. You cannot biblically because you know the outcome of these things and so don't be afraid when the glory of his house is increased don't dishonor God by going about with this fearful spirit that says look at what's happening all around me don't be that way. Verse 17 don't be afraid for because the because this is true when he dies he will carry nothing away his glory will not descend after him. Though while he lives he congratulates himself. Verse 18. He says parenthetically, and though men praise you when you do well for yourself. Verse 19 he shall go to the generation of his father's, they will never see the plight says don't be jealous of them. Don't be afraid of them don't. Don't let that distract you from your devotion to Christ from walking with the one true God of the Bible.

Don't lose perspective when you see him prosper for a time.

Why, because you know the outcome. That's why because when he takes his last breath and they wrap up his body and they put him in his casket or whatever they do to dispose of his remains. You know what his glory isn't going with him.

His wealth isn't going with him. He's leaving it all behind and going into darkness and death alone.

So why would you be fearful or jealous of him. Why would you want to be like that, why would you be fearful of what he does in the short window of time here on earth don't do that.

He says his destiny is sealed and it cannot be avoided.

There will be no light to alleviate the darkness. He will end up dead just like those who went before him in his own ancestry did.

He'll be with his father's where they are nowhere to be found sober. But it's also liberating.

And that's the whole point of the song. This song written to the righteous as this application says this takes all the fear of man out of your life. This is how you overcome your fear of man. This is the key to understanding that they hold no power over your life, and an ultimate sense. So the Psalm ends on a somber note that is designed to drive it all home. Verse 20 says man in his pomp, yet without understanding, is like the beasts that perish. Men are like dumb animals there headed for death in his point here is to say this to the reader of the Psalm to say this to you and me to warning says if you reject the wisdom of this song, you too will perish and be destroyed. So what you want out of life. Why when the way of life is presented to you in the gospel of Christ, why would you allow yourself to go down that dark path have death, is your shepherd.

When Jesus Christ freely calls you and says come to me and I will save you to the uttermost.

I will guide you through life and I will receive you at death and bring you into eternal blessing forever and ever. Amen.

Why would you turn away from that kind of free invitation to blessing so beloved are you trusting Christ or this world for satisfaction. What are you trying to get out of life.

This is existential. This is about the very reason that you are, what are you trying to get out of life. The Psalm says choose wisely because the consequences are great let's pray together. Father, we ask you to give word to give wing to your word in our hearts.

Help us to appropriate rightly, the teaching of Psalm 49. For those of us that are in Christ and that have been delivered from death and sin and judgment father, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts and we gladly affirm together and individually, our confidence that you will receive us when we die and therefore there is no fear in life no fear in death father for those who hear these things and say I don't know Christ and my priorities are all mixed up and I'm like that wealthy man who built barns, only to have his soul required of him that very night. Father, we ask you to have mercy on such ones that they would turn to Christ in repentance and faith while they still have time. Thank you that in your mercy, you bring your word to those who don't know Christ and freely offer your son to them for the salvation of their eternal souls. Father, we ask that their hearts would be turned to Christ. While there still time that they would not assume tomorrow they would not put off Christ for another day.

But seeing the reality of certainty of death they would fall at his feet and say yes Lord, save me the center of ranch rebel like me, save me and feed my shepherd deliver me from the shepherding of death, the good Shepherd sees me all the way through commend these things to you, our Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Well, friend. Thank you for joining us on through the Psalms. Did you know that we also offer a daily podcast. It's a shorter format that is a perfect companion for you as you start your day drive to work or maybe have your workout on your treadmill. You can find that daily podcast at the truth. Pulpit.com look for the link that says radio podcast again that's found on the truthful.com God bless you.

Thanks.Efrain be sure to join us each weekend as we continue through the son with pastor Don Greene could find church information Don's complete sermon library and other helpful materials that the truth pulpit.com this message is copyrighted by don't bring all rights reserved