"Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments" Psa_49:1-7 Psa 49:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: Psa 49:2 Both low and high, rich and poor, together. Psa 49:3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. Psa 49:4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp. Psa 49:5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about? Psa 49:6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; Psa 49:7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: This Psalm 49 is a real warning to "all ye inhabitants of the world: "as it says and is really speaking to God's elect and warning us to not put our trust in any of the riches of the world (1Ti_6:1-21). 1Ti 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. 1Ti 6:2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. Content in our situation that the Lord gives us because we are "partakers of the benefit" 1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 1Ti 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1Ti 6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; 1Ti 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 1Ti 6:15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 1Ti 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. 1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 1Ti 6:18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 1Ti 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 1Ti 6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 1Ti 6:21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. This Psalm were looking at points and directs us to the solution of being entrapped by the riches of this world by making God's word "the meditation of my [our] heart" by fighting a good fight of faith. This next series of verses in Timothy contrast greatly with the ones we just read above (2Ti_4:1-7). 2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 2Ti 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: We can easily grow weary in well doing if we are not laboring for the meat which does not perish, as any other meat will not quicken us except that which God gives us through Christ and his body (Joh_4:32, Heb_13:13). This Psalm reminds us that our labour in the Lord is not in vain (1Co_15:58) as we learn to incline our ears unto the parables of Christ so we can understand the dark sayings of
Christ which can quicken us and bless us to continue unto salvation (Gal_6:9, Joh_8:32, Heb_12:2). God is working within us as Christ is formed in the new creation that will not grow weary in well doing (2Co_5:17, Eph_2:10, Php_2:13). We will eventually no longer trust in the physical riches as we are brought to believe that there is a continual need to "take heed"(1co_10:12) and fight a good fight of faith today, regardless of how much we have laid up store spiritually in our barns (Luk_12:17-18, Pro_25:27). The fruit of that new creation God is forming is evidenced in our being led by the spirit of God (Rom_8:14, Psa_23:1) as we learn to be content whether we have a little or a lot and yet continue to labour for the meat which does not perish (Mat_3:9, 2Co_5:16, Php_4:12, Joh_6:27). The physical things reveal the spiritual (Rom_1:20) and just as we can easily trust in our physical riches to our own hurt (1Ti_6:17-21) we can also grow rich and increased in spiritual riches (Rev_3:17) and be yet complacent in that we are not doers of the word and only hearers (Rom_2:13, Jas_1:20, Rev_1:3, Joh_8:32 abide). It is through the patience and faith of the saints being developed in this age through Christ (Col_1:24, Col_1:27) that the world will be witnessed to of how the true riches are laid up in heaven through a process which is unfolding (Rev_11:3, Mat_6:20), all to the glory of God. Christ is witnessing through the elect that this salvation is completely and totally dependent on God working His will within us (Eph_1:11) through Christ who is the author and finisher of that faith, to the end that we will obtain salvation (Joh_6:44, Heb_12:2). The first thing that came to mind when I read this psalm was this verse: Psa_127:1 A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is not enough to labour for the word of God, but there needs to be more, and the more aspect of what it is that we are to do is brought out very loudly in this particular Psalm. If we consider these following verses, they will help set the stage for what the Lord is giving the elect to see and understand today about the true riches which are to be laid up in heaven (Mat_6:20-25). Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Mat 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. Mat 6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Mat 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than
meat, and the body than raiment? Christ asks us this question in (Mar_8:36), and knowing that the physical wealth reveals the spiritual (Rom_1:20) we ought to consider this statement in the light of the sum of God's word. What does it therefore profit us if we have all the spiritual riches of this world represented by physical riches? Both can be a trap, and both need to be put in proper perspective otherwise that word will be of no value, and the physical riches will bound us and choke the word as can the spiritual word if it is not applied and tried in our day to day dying daily sojourn in the Lord (1Co_13:1-10, Pro_30:8, 1Co_15:31, Gal_2:20). Thank God that he knows how to create this balance of not giving us riches or poverty within us, and continues to prune the branches from our life so that we can become productive and able to bring forth much fruit in due season. As we read in (1Co_13:10) all the things that we know in part, and prophecy in part are being accomplished in vessels of clay that see through a glass darkly and in part so that one day we can go unto perfection, a perfection that is going to be obtained by the body of Christ learning that all things work together in this body of Christ for the good, which good is God's purpose to give us the Kingdom (Joh_15:2, Psa_92:14, Pro_3:11, Heb_12:7, Rom_8:28). Psa_49:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the worldh2465: Psa 49:2 Both low and high, rich and poor, together. God is no respecter of persons, "all people" will "give ear" one day "all inhabitants of the world" will know God, and His son, each in his own time (Joh_17:3, 1Co_15:22). Both the "low and high, rich and poor, together", which we know represents all the nations which are within us, will come to know God (Rev_7:9, Rev_13:16, Rev_20:7-8). That is the age or the world that the psalmist speaks of in this verse (world:h2465). We also know that all those nations are all guilty of all, including the blood of the prophets from Abel to Zacharias (Mat_23:35). It will only be after we give an account to God of what we are that we will then be able to understand all these dark sayings of Christ and how it is that he was doing all the work within us both to will and to do of God's good pleasure (Php_2:13, 1Co_3:21, Rom_14:8, Mat_7:22, Mat_25:35). 2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; any comments on these first two verses? Psa_49:3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. Psa 49:4 I will incline mine ear to a parableh4912: I will open my dark sayingh2420 upon the harp. God has blessed us to be able to rightly divide the word so that we can "speak of
wisdom" and he has blessed us so that the meditation of our hearts is sound and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword (2Ti_1:7, Heb_4:12, Rev_1:3). We are blessed as Rev 1:3 says because our Lord has enabled us to open up these dark sayings, the hard questions which have kept the sun in our heavens darkened (Christ = the Sun Mal_4:2) (Rev_9:2-3). These locusts of Rev 9 initially are given power over our heavens and become bread for us as we see symbolized by John the Baptist who is a type of the elect making straight the ways of the Lord (Joh_1:23) by being nourished by locusts that have power like a scorpions (Isa_9:15, Eze_2:6, Jer_9:3, Jer_14:14, Rev_9:3, Rev_9:5) and the honey which is a symbol of man and the smooth words of the harlot that are sweet in our mouth but bitter in our belly (Pro_5:3, Rev_10:10-11, Isa_30:10). Both are being consumed little by little (Exo_23:29) so that we can see Christ more clearly in our heavens as he increases and we decrease (Mat_3:4, Gen_9:3, Num_14:9, Joh_3:30). It is only through death that life can manifest (Joh_12:24).