Psalms 49:18

_THOUGH WHILE HE LIVED HE BLESSED HIS SOUL: AND MEN WILL PRAISE THEE, WHEN THOU DOEST WELL TO THYSELF._ Though while he lived he blessed his soul - as the rich fool congratulated himself on his own happiness, and blessed his soul (Luke 12:19; cf. note, Psalms 49:11). AND (MEN) WILL PRAISE THEE, WHEN THOU DOEST WELL TO THYSELF - a sudden transition to a direct address to the rich man: 'and (though) men praise thee because thou treatest thyself well'-because thou grudgest thyself no self-indulgence or luxury (Isaiah 5:22). The apodosis follows in Psalms 49:19, '(Yet) he shall go to the generation of his fathers.' H

18_For he will bless his soul in his lifetime _Various meanings have been attached to this verse. Some read, _He ought to have blessed his soul during his life _Others apply the first clause of the verse to the wicked, while they refer the second to believers, who are in the habit of praising God for all his benefits. Others understand the whole verse as descriptive of believers, but without sufficient ground. There can be little doubt that the reference is to the children of the world. In the first part of the verse it is said that _they bless their own soul _(233) so long as they live on earth, by which is meant, that they indulge and pamper themselves with earthly pleasures, giving way to the excesses of brutish intemperance, like the rich man, of whom Christ spoke in the parable, who said, “Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry,”...

15-20 Believers should not fear death. The distinction of men's outward conditions, how great soever in life, makes none at death; but the difference of men's spiritual states, though in this life it may seem of small account, yet at and after death is very great. The soul is often put for the life. The God of life, who was its Creator at first, can and will be its Redeemer at last. It includes the salvation of the soul from eternal ruin. Believers will be under strong temptation to envy the prosperity of sinners. Men will praise thee, and cry thee up, as having done well for thyself in raising an estate and family. But what will it avail to be approved of men, if God condemn us? Those that are rich in the graces and comforts of the Spirit, have something of which death cannot strip them, nay, which death will improve; but as for worldly possessions, as we brought nothing into the world...

Verse Psalms 49:18. _HE BLESSED HIS SOUL_] He did all he could to procure himself animal gratifications, and he was applauded for it; for it is the custom of the world to praise them who pay most attention to their secular interest; and he who attends most to the concerns of his soul is deemed weak and foolish, and is often persecuted by an ungodly world....

THOUGH WHILE HE LIVED - Margin, as in Hebrew, “in his life.” More literally, “in his lives.” The idea is, as long as he lived. HE BLESSED HIS SOUL - That is, he blessed himself; he congratulated himself; he regarded his condition as desirable and enviable. He “took airs” upon himself; he felt that his was a happy lot; he expected and demanded respect and honor from others on account of his wealth. He commended himself as having evinced sagacity in the means by which he acquired wealth - thus imparting honor to himself; and he congratulated himself on the result, as placing him in a conditiOn above want, and in a condition that entitled him to honor. A striking illustration of this feeling is found in the parable of the rich fool, Luke 12:19, “And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; tak

EXPOSITION THIS is a didactic poem, and resembles in some respects Psalms 37:1, and Psalms 73:1. It deals with the same problem—the contrast between the lot of the righteous man, whom the wicked persecute continually (Psalms 73:5), and these wicked themselves, who are wealthy and prosperous, found families, leave them their wealth, and even "call their lands after their own names" (Psalms 73:6, Psalms 73:10, Psalms 73:11). The problem is solve

THOUGH WHILE HE LIVED HE BLESSED HIS SOUL,.... Praised and extolled himself on account of his acquisitions and merit; or proclaimed himself a happy man, because of his wealth and riches; or foolishly flattered himself with peace, prosperity, and length of days, and even with honour and glory after death; AND [MEN] WILL PRAISE THEE, WHEN THOU DOEST WELL TO THYSELF; or "but k men will praise thee", c. both rich and poor, all wise men when, as the Jewish interpreters l generally explain the word, a man regards true wisdom and religion, and is concerned for the welfare of his soul more than that of his body; or "when thou thyself doest well": that is, to others, doing acts of beneficence, communicating to the necessities of the poor; or rather, "when thou doest well to thyself", by enjoying the good things of life, taking his portion, eating the fruit of his labour, which is good and comely...

The chief musician here bids us not to fear the ungodly. However high they may be placed, they are but dying men, and when they die their hope shall perish with them. He gives a very graphic description of the deathbed and of the perdition of ungodly men. Psalms 49:1. _Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: both low and high, rich and poor, together._ Whenever God has a voice for men, it is meant for all sorts of men. No Scripture is of private interpretation. No warning is intended only for a few. Hear ye this, then, all ye people. Whether ye be low, ye are not too low to listen to his voice; or, whether ye be high, ye are not too high to be under his supremacy. Psalms 49:3. My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart sh

Psalms 49 Retrospects and Meditations _ 1. Hear this, all ye peoples! (Psalms 49:1)_ 2. His message of retrospect and encouragement (Psalms 49:5) If such is the outcome and the goal of the purposes of God concerning His people, why should they fear in the days of evil, which precede the coming glory? The ungodly will pass away no matter how great their riches are, nor can they redeem themselves; their way is folly; like sheep they are laid in the grave and death feeds on them. But different is the lot of the righteous. They shall have dominion over them in the morning, when the night of suffering and trouble is ended. They will be redeemed from the power of the grave and He shall receive them, “for He

XLIX. THE IMMORTALITY OF THE RIGHTEOUS. The poet takes a popular proverb for his theme. This proverb recurs as a refrain in Psalms 49:12 and Psalms 49:20, and it probably stood originally after Psalms 49:8 and Psalms 49:15 also. Adopting this supposition we find that the Ps. falls into five parts, Psalms 49:1; Psalms 49:5; Psalms 49:9;...