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Psalm 49 is a Psalm of wisdom, a parable and riddle (vv. 3-4). Like other wisdom Psalms, it addresses the question of the prosperity of the wicked \u2013 the ancient Israelite version of the problem of evil (vv. 5-6). <\/p>\n
Being wise when you see the wicked prosper means seeing the end, which is to say, knowing death. The wicked may prosper but they die and leave riches to others (v. 10); they won\u2019t carry anything to the grave, and their glory will slip to Sheol after them (vv. 17-18). They may call their lands by their names, earning eternal fame, but they can\u2019t enjoy it because they are forever in their tomb (v. 11). Death shepherds them down to the pit (v. 14), and their beauty fades in the dwelling of the dead (v. 15). They perish like beasts because they have no understanding (vv. 12, 21). <\/p>\n
How does that help? We might feel some Schadenfreude <\/em> seeing them die in their ignorance, but \u201cthe wise die also\u201d (v. 10). This seems no more than the sardonic wisdom of the cynic: \u201cYeah, you\u2019re prospering now, but you\u2019ll die. I\u2019ll die too, but at least I know that it\u2019s coming.\u201d Or worse: \u201cYou\u2019re enjoying life now, but we\u2019ll meet again on equal terms \u2013 in the grave!\u201d <\/p>\n Acknowledging the universality of death is <\/em> wisdom, according to Psalm 49, not to mention Ecclesiastes. But there\u2019s another thread in the riddle, so brief that one can almost miss it: \u201cGod shall ransom my soul; from the grasp of death he will take me\u201d (v. 16). The wisdom of death can\u2019t stand alone. It requires the wisdom of resurrection for its completion. <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Psalm 49 is a Psalm of wisdom, a parable and riddle (vv. 3-4). Like other wisdom Psalms, it addresses the question of the prosperity of the wicked \u2013 the ancient Israelite version of the problem of evil (vv. 5-6). Being wise when you see the wicked prosper means seeing the end, which is to say, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3021,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-ot-psalms"],"yoast_head":"\n