Psalm 49:1-12 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 49:1-12 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
Verse 2both low and high, rich and poor together.
Verse 3My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
Verse 4I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.
Verse 5Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,
Verse 6those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
Verse 7Truly, no ransom avails for one's life, there is no price one can give to God for it.
Verse 8For the ransom of life is costly, and can never suffice
Verse 9that one should live on forever and never see the grave.
Verse 10When we look at the wise, they die; fool and dolt perish together and leave their wealth to others.
Verse 11Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they named lands their own.
Verse 12Mortals cannot abide in their pomp; they are like the animals that perish.
Devotion
Entitlement seems to be an ever growing point of contention in our culture. Some will say that their riches, status, or fame should give them the right to say whatever comes into their minds, no matter if it is true or hurtful. Some will say that they have been crushed by the wealthy; that their poverty gives them the right to cry foul. There remains a silent majority who are not able to raise their voices above the din, which can sometimes sound like the "Whos in Whoville." The psalmist is calling everyone to listen to a simple message: whatever you feel you have is not enough to buy your way into an alternate future. The fall of Adam and Eve brought sin and death into the world, and subsequently, we will all die. Talk about feelings of futility! However, we are given a sense of hope. If we read beyond where our reading stops to verse 15, we find there the promise: "God will ransom my soul from the pit."
Prayer
Gracious God, it is easier for us to see the dark side of life and lose hope than to look for the light. Allow your Spirit to remind us that we need not despair, for nothing can separate us from your love. Amen.