Psalm 49 - Vanity of Riches and the Fate of Death

    [New International Version] Psalm 49 belongs to Book II of the Book of Psalms. In this prayer, the psalmist reflects on the meaning of earthly goods, prosperity and well-being considering that the poor and the rich await the same fate.

    The PS 49 belong to Book II of the book of PS composed of a collection of texts 150 poetry books organized by five. The Book of Psalms, for its wisdom and basic principles of human action , is considered the heart of the Old Testament. Book II comprises the PS 42 the 72 . The PS 49 is divided into 21 verses. The Psalms are poems-prayers addressed to God, being the privileged way to address and speak to Him. These prayers represent human experiences and religious conscience . They portray the common man , with his faults, insecurities, fears and hopes and, even today, we can identify with the Psalmist and draw inspiration from these texts to pray and plead with God when we feel lost and anguished or to express our gratitude for some blessing received. "There are enemies or friends, there is life or death, health or illness, pain or joy and, most of the time, there are no changes or gradations. Words are like stones and poetry like boulders carved by chisel"; "The Psalms are a bit like mountain paths, simple, especially when walking on snow, but they lead to the peaks; they are paths toward the peaks of meeting the Lord." - Carlo Maria Martini, Cardinal of Milan

    Psalm 49 - Vanity of Riches

    1  To the director. For the children of Korah. Psalm . 2  Hear this well, all you peoples; pay attention, inhabitants of the whole world. 3  Let the lowly and the great alike, the rich and the poor a like hear it. 4  My mouth shall speak wise words, and the murmur of my heart understanding. 5 I will  pay attention to the proverbs, I will present my enigma to the sound of the harp. 6  Why should I fear the evil days, when the iniquity of persecutors surrounds me? 7  They trust in their opulence and pride themselves on the enormity of their wealth. 8  However, no human can break free, nor pay God his ransom. 9  The redemption of your life is too expensive, it would always be insufficient. 10  Would that make him live forever, without ever seeing the grave? 11  For he sees that the wise also die, as the fools and fools perish, leaving their riches to others. 12  It is the tomb that will serve them as a home forever, and a dwelling place for centuries without end, despite proclaiming his name over various lands. 13  A man who lives in opulence does not last long; it is similar to animals that are slaughtered. 14  This is the way of the pretentious, the future of those who delight in their words. 15  Like a flock they will be destined for the underworld, and death will be their shepherd. Thus his image is dissolved, and the underworld is his abode. 16  God, however, will rescue my soul and remove me from the clutches of death. 17  Do not be troubled when a man enriches and increases the splendor of his house. 18  For when I die, none of this will take; your splendor will not go down with it. 19  During his life he boasted, saying, "They praise you because you did well." 20  But he must go to his forefathers, who will never see the light again. 21  The man who lives in opulence and does not think is like the animals that are slaughtered.

    Meaning and interpretation

    The Psalm 49 is a prayer of wisdom type , which notes the characteristic and usual way this literary genre to invite listeners to listen to the meditation that follows is developed. Wisdom meditation, in this case, focuses on the fate that awaits both rich and poor, oppressors and oppressed, facing the common fate of all, death . In this perspective, it questions the meaning of earthly goods , prosperity and well-being . The intriguing question raised by the experience is why the bad guys are so successful. The answer is that the success of the wicked is limited to the physical world . In the world of the dead, rich and poor are alike. The Psalmist's hope is to have a different destiny in the Hereafter . This is what he states briefly and explicitly in Verse 16. The Wisdom Psalms analyze human behavior , ethical choices and their consequences . At the same time, they are a meditation on what is involved in the religious orientations of life and thought. These themes appear in Psalm 1; 14; 34; 36; 37; 39; 49; 53; 73; 74. Psalm 119 could be considered a wisdom treatise, in the mold of a long meditation on the law of God.

    The Book of Psalms

    The Joy and Happiness of the Righteous in Communion with God

    The Psalms are prayer-poems addressed to God, being the privileged way to address and speak to Him. Depicting the common man , with his failures, insecurities, fears and hopes, we can still identify with the Psalmist and be inspired today in Psalms to make prayers and supplications to God in times of trouble or express our gratitude for some blessing received. The Psalms, despite being written in Antiquity, still move , sensitize , awaken feelings , inspire and enchant . In them, we can identify anguish and joy , deeply human feelings, praises, supplications, teachings of reflection on spiritual wisdom and prophetic words. Written for different situations , some Psalms are intimate, revealing the author's personal relationship with God; others provide guidelines and advice for life, others are compositions for specific liturgical events such as rituals and pilgrimages. The Book of Psalms is composed of a collection of 150 poetic texts and is divided into five parts, called Psalm Books or Booklets. Each Book closes with short hymns of praise to God . The division into five parts was considered to correspond to the five books of Moses and it is assumed that each passage in the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible, called Torah by the Jews) was read in parallel with the corresponding Psalm. Its main forms are lamentation , supplication , praise and gratitude .

    The Power of Prayer in Dialogue with the Divine

    The Psalms elevate our thoughts to the Divine and prayer is the power of the word . Prayer is the language of faith. Any thought, word or image addressed to God is called prayer . It is through it that we come into contact with our God within and, therefore, it is so powerful in transforming life . Prayer can produce miracles , turn dreams into reality, give us hope for change , harmony and peace with ourselves and the world. Each Psalm has an intention that helps us meditate and walk with our God . For many theologians, the Book of Psalms has a prophetic or messianic tone as its verses refer to the coming of Christ into the world of men to guide them through the uncertainty and doubts of Human existence. The prayer has the power to call the Spiritual Universe full mode, honest, sincere, conscious, for the purpose of spiritual self-protection, family protection and those who are dear to us, to have peace of mind, spiritual and physical, for prosperity and success, to protect health and relationships, to ward off negative energies and, above all, to connect us to something bigger than ourselves. From this peace , well-being, hope and goodness in front of everyone and everything result. The faith can change our lives. It gives us tranquility and spiritual strength to face challenges. It helps us to meditate on our mission in life and to create a balanced and healthy environment for ourselves and those we love. When you pray, fill your heart with love and determination . The Psalms will guide you on a path of peace and communion with the higher energy.