Read Psalm 49:1-4. 1Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 2both low and high, rich and poor together! 3My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 4I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
A wisdom psalm like this one is meant to instruct the reader more than it is to praise God. The intended audience goes beyond the Israelite nation to all the inhabitants of the earth. The psalmist invites low and high, rich and poor to listen as he solves one of life’s great riddles – the futility of worldly wealth.
If our money can’t save us, then what can?
If both rich and poor need the same salvation, then why trust in wealth?
If everyone dies, then why fear what the rich can do to me to oppress me?
All this and more will be answered in the upcoming verses.
As the Proverbs will remind us, God’s wisdom and understanding are found in the fear of the Lord. Honoring, loving, and obeying him. Loving what he loves. Trusting God as our greatest treasure, and treasuring Christ as our greatest good.
In Christ we have not placed our hope in earthly riches or worldly wealth. Rather, to live is Christ is to reject greed in all its forms, to treat both rich and poor as equal in God’s sight, to fear not the opulent oppressor, and to seek the wisdom of Christ’s love as of far more worth than gold and silver.
Prayer. Jesus, give me neither poverty or riches, but give me the wisdom of your love and grace as the treasure of my soul.
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To Live is Christ 