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Study this verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 49:6–14. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
In these verses we have,
I.A description of the spirit and way of worldly people, whose portion is in this life, Psa 17:14.
It is taken for granted that they have wealth, and a multitude of riches (Psa 49:6), houses and lands of inheritance, which they call their own, Psa 49:11. God often gives abundance of the good things of this world to bad men who live in contempt of him and rebellion against him, by which it appears that they are not the best things in themselves (for then God would give most of them to his best friends), and that they are not the best things for us, for then those would not have so much of them who, being marked for ruin, are to be ripened for it by their prosperity, Pro 1:32. A man may have abundance of the wealth of this world and be made better by it, may thereby have his heart enlarged in love, and thankfulness, and obedience, and may do that good with it which will be fruit abounding to his account; and therefore it is not men's having riches that denominates them worldly, but their setting their hearts upon them as the best things; and so these worldly people are here described.
1.They repose a confidence in their riches: They trust in their wealth (Psa 49:6); they depend upon it as their portion and happiness, and expect that it will secure them from all evil and supply them with all good, and that they need nothing else, no, not God himself. Their gold is their hope (Job 31:24), and so it becomes their God. Thus our Saviour explains the difficulty of the salvation of rich people (Mar 10:24): How hard is it for those that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! See Ti1 6:17.
2.They take a pride in their riches: They boast themselves in the multitude of them, as if they were sure tokens of God's favour and certain proofs of their own ingenuity and industry (my might, and the power of my hand, have gotten me this wealth), as if they made them truly great and happy, and more really excellent than their neighbours. They boast that they have all they would have (Psa 10:3) and can set all the world at defiance (I sit as a queen, and shall be a lady for ever); therefore they call their lands after their own names, hoping thereby to perpetuate their memory; and, if their lands do retain the names by which they called them, it is but a poor honour; but they often change their names when they change their owners.
3.They flatter themselves with an expectation of the perpetuity of their worldly possessions (Psa 49:11): Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever, and with this thought they please themselves. Are not all thoughts inward? Yes; but it intimates,
(1.)That this thought is deeply rooted in their minds, is rolled and revolved there, and carefully lodged in the innermost recesses of their hearts. A godly man has thoughts of the world, but they are his outward thoughts; his inward thought is reserved for God and heavenly things: but a worldly man has only some floating foreign thoughts of the things of God, while his fixed thought, his inward thought, is about the world; that lies nearest his heart, and is upon the throne there.
(2.)There it is industriously concealed. They cannot, for shame, say that they expect their houses to continue for ever, but inwardly they think so. If they cannot persuade themselves that they shall continue for ever, yet they are so foolish as to think their houses shall, and their dwelling-places; and suppose they should, what good will that do them when they shall be no longer theirs? But they will not; for the world passes away, and the fashion of it. All things are devoured by the teeth of time.
II.A demonstration of their folly herein.
In general (Psa 49:13), This their way is their folly. Note, The way of worldliness is a very foolish way: those that lay up their treasure on earth, and set their affections on things below, act contrary both to right reason and to their true interest. God himself pronounced him a fool who thought his goods were laid up for many years, and that they would be a portion for his soul, Luk 12:19, Luk 12:20. And yet their posterity approve their sayings, agree with them in the same sentiments, say as t hey say and do as they do, and tread in the steps of their worldliness. Note, The love of the world is a disease that runs in the blood; men have it by kind, till the grace of God cures it. To prove the folly of carnal worldlings he shows,
1.That with all their wealth they cannot save the life of the dearest friend they have in the world, nor purchase a reprieve for him when he is under the arrest of death (Psa 49:7-9): None of them can by any means redeem his brother, his brother worldling, who would give counter-security out of his own estate, if he would but be bail for him: and gladly he would, in hopes that he might do the same kindness for him another time. But their words will not be taken one for another, nor will one man's estate be the ransom of another man's life. God does not value it; it is of no account with him; and the true value of things is as they stand in his books. His justice will not accept it by way of commutation or equivalent. The Lord of our brother's life is the Lord of our estate, and may take both if he please, without either difficulty to himself or wrong to us; and therefore one cannot be ransom for another. We cannot bribe death, that our brother should still live, much less that he should live for ever, in this world, nor bribe the grave, that he should not see corruption; for we must needs die, and return to the dust, and there is no discharge from that war. What folly is it to trust to that, and boast of that, which will not enable us so much as for one hour to respite the execution of the sentence of death upon a parent, a child, or friend that is to us as our own soul! It is certainly true that the redemption of the soul is precious and ceaseth for ever; that is, life, when it is going, cannot be arrested, and when it is gone it cannot be recalled, by any human art, or worldly price. But this looks further, to the eternal redemption which was to be wrought out by the Messiah, whom the Old Testament saints had an eye to as the Redeemer. Everlasting life is a jewel of too great a value to be purchased by the wealth of this world. We are not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, Pe1 1:18, Pe1 1:19. The learned Dr. Hammond applies the Psa 49:8 and Psa 49:9 verses expressly to Christ: "The redemption of the soul shall be precious, shall be high-prized, it shall cost very dear; but, being once wrought, it shall cease for ever, it shall never need to be repeated, Heb 9:25, Heb 9:26; Heb 10:12. And he (that is, the Redeemer) shall yet live for ever, and shall not see corruption; he shall rise again before he sees corruption, and then shall live for evermore," Rev 1:18. Christ did that for us which all the riches of the world could not do; well therefore may he be dearer to us than any worldly things. Christ did that for us which a brother, a friend, could not do for us, no, not one of the best estate or interest; and therefore those that love father or brother more than him are not worthy of him. This likewise shows the folly of worldly people, who sell their souls for that which would never buy them.
2.That with all their wealth they cannot secure themselves from the stroke of death. The worldling sees, and it vexes him to see it, that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, Psa 49:10. Therefore he cannot but expect that it will, at length, come to his own turn; he cannot find any encouragement to hope that he himself shall continue for ever, and therefore foolishly comforts himself with this, that, though he shall not, his house shall. Some rich people are wise, they are politicians, but they cannot out-wit death, nor evade his stroke, with all their art and management; others are fools and brutish (Fortuna favet fatuis - Fools are Fortune's favourites); these, though they do no good, yet perhaps do no great hurt in the world: but that shall not excuse them; they shall perish, and be taken away by death, as well as the wise that did mischief with their craft. Or by the wise and the foolish we may understand the godly and the wicked; the godly die, and their death is their deliverance; the wicked perish, and their death is their destruction; but, however, they leave their wealth to others.
(1.)They cannot continue with it, nor will it serve to procure them a reprieve. That is a frivolous plea, though once it served a turn (Jer 41:8), Slay us not, for we have treasures in the field.
(2.)They cannot carry it away with them, but must leave it behind them.
(3.)They cannot foresee who will enjoy it when they have left it; they must leave it to others, but to whom they know not, perhaps to a fool (Ecc 2:19), perhaps to an enemy.
3.That, as their wealth will stand them in no stead in a dying hour, so neither will their honour (Psa 49:12): Man, being in honour, abides not. We will suppose a man advanced to the highest pinnacle of preferment, as great and happy as the world can make him, man in splendour, man at his best estate, surrounded and supported with all the advantages he can desire; yet then he abides not. His honour does not continue; that is a fleeting shadow. He himself does not, he tarries not all night; this world is an inn, in which his stay is so short that he can scarcely be said to get a night's lodging in it; so little rest is there in these things; he has but a baiting time. He is like the beasts that perish; that is, he must as certainly die as the beasts, and his death will be as final a period to his state in this world as theirs is; his dead body likewise will putrefy as theirs does; and (as Dr. Hammond observes) frequently the greatest honours and wealth, unjustly gotten by the parent, descend not to any one of his posterity (as the beasts, when they die, leave nothing behind them to their young ones, but the wide world to feed in), but fall into other hands immediately, for which he never designed to gather them.
4.That their condition on the other side of death will be very miserable. The world they dote upon will not only not save them from death, but will sink them so much the lower into hell (Psa 49:14): Like sheep they are laid in the grave. Their prosperity did but feed them like sheep for the slaughter (Hos 4:16), and then death comes, and shuts them up in the grave like fat sheep in a fold, to be brought forth to the day of wrath, Job 21:30. Multitudes of them, like flocks of sheep dead of some disease, are thrown into the grave, and there death shall feed on them, the second death, the worm that dies not, Job 24:20. Their own guilty consciences, like so many vultures, shall be continually preying upon them, with, Son, remember, Luk 16:25. Death insults and triumphs over them, as it is represented in the fall of the king of Babylon, at which hell from beneath is moved, Isa 14:9, etc. While a saint can ask proud Death, Where is thy sting? Death will ask the proud sinner, Where is thy wealth, thy pomp? and the more he was fattened with prosperity the more sweetly will death feed on him. And in the morning of the resurrection, when all that sleep in the dust shall awake (Dan 12:2), the upright shall have dominion over them, shall not only be advanced to the highest dignity and honour when they are filled with everlasting shame and contempt, elevated to the highest heavens when they are sunk to the lowest hell, but they shall be assessors with Christ in passing judgment upon them, and shall applaud the justice of God in their ruin. When the rich man in hell begged that Lazarus might bring him a drop of water to cool his tongue he owned that that upright man had dominion over him, as the foolish virgins also owned the dominion of the wise, and that they lay much at their mercy, when the begged, Give us of your oil. Let this comfort us in reference to the oppressions which the upright are now often groaning under, and the dominion which the wicked have over them. The day is coming when the tables will be turned (Est 9:1) and the upright will have the dominion. Let us now judge of things as they will appear at that day. But what will become of all the beauty of the wicked? Alas! that shall all be consumed in the grave from their dwelling; all that upon which they valued themselves, and for which others caressed and admired them, was adventitious and borrowed; it was paint and varnish, and they will rise in their own native deformity. The beauty of holiness is that which the grave, that consumes all other beauty, cannot touch, or do any damage to. Their beauty shall consume, the grave (or hell) being a habitation to every one of them; and what beauty can be there where there is nothing but the blackness of darkness for ever?
Historical interpretation
Three Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
The manner in which they will be cut down, in which they will perish suddenly and betake themselves to hell with ease, with facility, unexpectedly, effortlessly, is the manner in which sheep are cut down. This is death, or, rather, their fate is much worse than death: after such an end undying death will take possession of them, and thus it will not be into Abraham’s bosom they will be seen to repair nor to any place other than hell, the name for retribution, for punishment, for utter destruction. Their end here is vile and despicable, and their sojourn there nothing but punishment. This is the way we, too, customarily speak of those easily lost: Led like sheep to the slaughter. After all, since they lived like brutes, they also die like brutes, with no optimism for the future—and not only that, but that they have come to a bad end … completely under the control of ruin.
"Like sheep laid in hell, death is their shepherd" [Psalm 49:14]. Whose? Of those whose way is a stumbling-block to themselves. Whose? Of those who mind only things present, while they think not of things future: of those who think not of any life, but of that which must be called death. Not without cause, then, like sheep in hell, have they death to their shepherd. What means, "they have death to their shepherd"? For is death either some thing or some power? Yea, death is either the separation of the soul from the body, or a separation of the soul from God, and that indeed which men fear is the separation of the soul from the body: but the real death, which men do not fear, is the separation of the soul from God. And ofttimes when men fear that which does separate the soul from the body, they fall into that wherein the soul is separated from God. This then is death. But how is "death their shepherd"? If Christ is life, the devil is death. But we read in many places in Scripture, how that Christ is life. But the devil is death, not because he is himself death, but because through him is death. For whether that (death) wherein Adam fell was given man to drink by the persuasion of him: or whether that wherein the soul is separated from the body, still they have him for the author thereof, who first falling through pride envied him who stood, and overthrew him who stood with an invisible death, in order that he might have to pay the visible death. They who belong to him have death to their shepherd: but we who think of future immortality, and not without reason do wear the sign of the Cross of Christ on the forehead, have no shepherd but life. Of unbelievers death is the shepherd, of believers life is the shepherd. If then in hell are the sheep, whose shepherd is death, in heaven are the sheep, whose shepherd is life. What then? Are we now in heaven? In heaven we are by faith. For if not in heaven, where is the "Lift up your heart"? If not in heaven, whence with the Apostle Paul, "For our conversation is in heaven"? [Philippians 3:20] In body we walk on earth, in heart we dwell in heaven. We dwell there, if there we send anything which holds us there. For no one dwells in heart, save where thought is: but there his thought is, where his treasure is. He has treasured on earth, his heart does not withdraw from earth: he has treasured in heaven, his heart from heaven does not come down: for the Lord says plainly, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." [Matthew 6:12]
They will be withdrawn from the comely glory of their nature, and their bodies will become a desolate place. Recollect at all times that lamentable sight of corruption, that formless dispersion of your senses, that ruin of the edifice of your body, and how your wholesome constitution will become mud in Sheol. Blessed is the man who greets the recollection of this destruction with joy! Blessed is he who with good hope awaits that deed so replete with mystery wherein is concealed the wonder of the Creator’s power!
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Summary
Psalm 49:14 delivers a profound and somber reflection on the ultimate destiny of those who place their trust in fleeting earthly wealth and status, contrasting their inevitable decay and consumption by death with the future vindication and triumph of the righteous. This verse serves as a powerful reminder of the inherent futility of material possessions in the face of mortality and underscores God's sovereign justice in reversing the fortunes of the proud while exalting the humble.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 49 is a wisdom psalm, part of Book 2 of the Psalter, which frequently addresses themes of suffering, divine justice, and God's faithfulness amidst human transience. The psalm opens with a universal summons, inviting all humanity to attend to its deep wisdom concerning the ephemeral nature of life and riches (Psalm 49:1-4). It then directly confronts those who boast in their abundant wealth and trust in their riches (Psalm 49:6), asserting that no amount of material possessions can ransom a soul or purchase eternal life (Psalm 49:7-9). The preceding verses emphasize the universal dominion of death, demonstrating that both the wise and the foolish, the rich and the poor, inevitably succumb to it (Psalm 49:10-12). Verse 13 sets the stage for our focal verse by lamenting the profound folly of those who, despite witnessing this inescapable reality, persist in their self-deception. Thus, Psalm 49:14 provides a stark and grim depiction of the fate awaiting those who cling to earthly things, contrasting it sharply with the hope reserved for the upright.
Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israelite society, as in many cultures of the ancient Near East, material prosperity and wealth were often perceived as tangible indicators of divine blessing, while poverty could be associated with divine disfavor or a lack of God's favor. This psalm, along with other wisdom literature such as the books of Job and Ecclesiastes, actively challenges this simplistic correlation, advocating for a deeper theological truth about God's justice and the ultimate vanity of earthly pursuits. The imagery of sheep being led to slaughter would have been a deeply familiar and viscerally impactful metaphor in an agrarian society, making the comparison of helpless humanity before death particularly poignant. The "grave" (Hebrew: Sheol) in the Old Testament refers to the common destination for all the dead, a shadowy realm of silence and inactivity, distinct from later theological developments of heaven and hell as places of conscious reward or torment. The concept of "morning" (Hebrew: boker) can denote simply dawn, but in prophetic and eschatological contexts, it frequently symbolizes a new era, divine intervention, or a time of judgment and vindication, as seen in passages like Isaiah 21:12 or Psalm 30:5.
Key Themes:
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Sheol refers to Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates. In this context, Sheol emphasizes the finality and universality of death, consuming all earthly distinctions and rendering all human efforts to escape it futile. It is the common destination for all, regardless of wealth or status.
This primitive root means to tread down, subjugate, or rule. It signifies having authority, prevailing against, or reigning. In Psalm 49:14, it implies a dramatic reversal of power, where the formerly oppressed righteous will exercise authority or triumph over those who once seemed powerful and secure in their wealth, pointing to a future vindication or judgment by God.
A primitive root meaning to fail; by implication to wear out, decay (causatively, consume, spend). This word vividly describes the process of physical decay and the utter destruction of earthly glory. It underscores that the "beauty" and vitality of the unrighteous will not merely fade but will be actively worn out and wasted in the grave, leaving no lasting trace.
Verse Breakdown
"Like sheep they are laid in the grave"
This poignant simile likens the unrighteous, who live without regard for God and trust in their wealth, to sheep being led to slaughter. Just as sheep are helpless before their predetermined fate, so too are these individuals powerless before the inevitability of death. They are "laid" or appointed to the grave (Sheol), emphasizing their inescapable end, regardless of their earthly status or attempts to secure their lives with riches.
"death shall feed on them"
This powerful personification portrays death not as a passive state but as an active, ravenous shepherd or predator that devours and completely consumes the unrighteous. It highlights the grim reality that their earthly possessions and self-reliance offer no protection from this ultimate devourer, rendering them utterly helpless and consumed.
"and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning"
This clause introduces a profound contrast and a pivotal turning point. "The upright" (Hebrew: yesharim) refers to those who live righteously before God, placing their trust in Him rather than in wealth. Their "dominion" over the unrighteous signifies a future reversal of fortunes, a divine vindication. "In the morning" (Hebrew: boker) symbolizes a new day, a time of clarity, judgment, and ultimately, the triumph of God's justice, perhaps pointing to a resurrection or an eschatological day of reckoning where the righteous are exalted.
"and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling"
This final clause reinforces the theme of decay and the futility of earthly glory. "Their beauty" (Hebrew: tsiyr, their form/strength, from H6736) refers to their physical vitality, outward splendor, and perhaps even the magnificent homes and possessions they boasted in. The verse declares that this physical form, along with all earthly glory and possessions, will utterly decay and be consumed in the grave, leaving no lasting trace of their earthly "dwelling" or magnificent status.
Literary Devices
Psalm 49:14 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message with striking imagery and profound impact. The most prominent is Simile, comparing the unrighteous to "sheep" being led to the grave, which powerfully evokes their helplessness and the inevitability of their fate before death. This is immediately followed by Personification, where "death" is depicted as an active, predatory entity that "shall feed on them," transforming death from an abstract concept into a grotesque, consuming force. This imagery intensifies the sense of dread and finality for those who trust in themselves. The psalm also uses Contrast as a core structural element, starkly juxtaposing the grim destiny of the unrighteous ("like sheep... death shall feed on them") with the future vindication and "dominion" of the upright. This contrast is further emphasized by the symbolic use of "morning," representing light and a new era of divine justice, against the darkness and decay of the grave. Finally, Metonymy is present in "their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling," where "beauty" stands for their physical form, outward splendor, and all the temporary glories of their earthly existence, which are ultimately lost to the grave.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalm 49:14 is a profound theological statement on eschatological justice and the nature of true security. It challenges the common ancient Near Eastern (and often modern) assumption that material prosperity equates to divine favor or guarantees a blessed future. Instead, it asserts that death is the great equalizer, rendering all earthly distinctions meaningless for those who place their trust in them. The psalm's declaration that "the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning" introduces a crucial element of divine vindication and future hope. This is not merely a social reversal but points to God's ultimate sovereignty over life and death, where the humble and righteous will be exalted, and the proud and self-reliant will face judgment. It underscores the biblical truth that true life and lasting inheritance are found not in temporal possessions but in a right relationship with God, who alone can redeem from the power of the grave.
Reflection and Application
Psalm 49:14 serves as a sobering mirror, inviting us to critically examine the foundations of our security and hope. In a world that often measures success by wealth, status, and outward appearance, this verse forcefully reminds us that all these are fleeting and ultimately consumed by the grave. It challenges us to ask: Where is our ultimate trust placed? Are we building barns for earthly treasures that will perish, or are we investing in eternal realities? The stark contrast between the grim fate of the unrighteous and the vindication of the upright calls us to reorient our priorities. It encourages perseverance in faith, even when the wicked seem to prosper, assuring us that God's justice will prevail and that true glory belongs to those who walk in integrity before Him. This psalm is a call to humility, a warning against the idolatry of wealth, and a powerful affirmation of the enduring hope found in God alone, who promises ultimate triumph to His faithful and redeems them from the power of Sheol.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "dominion" imply the righteous will literally rule over the wicked after death?
The "dominion" of the upright "in the morning" in Psalms 49:14 is best understood not as a literal, physical rule of the righteous over the wicked in the grave, but as a symbolic expression of ultimate vindication and triumph. "Morning" often symbolizes a new era, divine judgment, or resurrection. It suggests a reversal of fortunes where the righteous, who may have been oppressed or overlooked in this life, will be exalted by God, while those who trusted in their wealth and power will face ultimate decay and insignificance. This concept aligns with New Testament teachings about the meek inheriting the earth (Matthew 5:5) and the righteous shining like the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matthew 13:43).
What is the significance of "death shall feed on them"?
The phrase "death shall feed on them" is a powerful personification that vividly portrays the absolute power and consuming nature of death over those who trust in earthly things. It suggests that death is not merely an end but an active, predatory force that devours and utterly annihilates the earthly existence and glory of the unrighteous. This imagery underscores the futility of their wealth, as it cannot protect them from this ultimate devourer. It stands in stark contrast to the hope offered to the righteous, who are not consumed by death but are ultimately delivered by God, as implied in Psalms 49:15, which speaks of God redeeming the psalmist's soul from the power of Sheol.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalm 49:14, with its stark contrast between the perishing rich and the vindicated upright, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The "dominion" of the upright "in the morning" foreshadows Christ's resurrection, which is the "morning" of eternal life and the dawn of a new creation. Jesus, though "rich, yet for your sakes he became poor" (2 Corinthians 8:9), perfectly embodied the "upright" who trusted not in earthly riches but in God. His death and resurrection demonstrate God's ultimate power over death, swallowing it up in victory and proclaiming, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Through Christ, believers are given true dominion, not over the dead in the grave, but over sin and death itself (Romans 6:9-11). The "beauty" or physical form that consumes in the grave is transformed for those in Christ, who await a glorious resurrection body when He "will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body" (Philippians 3:20-21). Thus, the hope of the upright is secured not by their own righteousness, but by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, granting them an inheritance that is "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven" (1 Peter 1:3-4). In Him, the fleeting nature of earthly life is overcome by the promise of eternal life, and the fear of death is conquered by the resurrection power of the Lamb of God, who "takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).