Psalm Meditation 521
Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
June 13, 2010

Psalm 49
1 Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high, rich and poor together.
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,
6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly, no ransom avails for one's life, there is no price one can give to God for it.
8 For the ransom of life is costly, and can never suffice
9 that one should live on forever and never see the grave.
10 When we look at the wise, they die; fool and dolt perish together and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they named lands their own.
12 Mortals cannot abide in their pomp; they are like the animals that perish.
13 Such is the fate of the foolhardy, the end of those who are pleased with their lot. Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; straight to the grave they descend, and their form shall waste away; Sheol shall be their home.
15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah
16 Do not be afraid when some become rich, when the wealth of their houses increases.
17 For when they die they will carry nothing away; their wealth will not go down after them.
18 Though in their lifetime they count themselves happy --for you are praised when you do well for yourself--
19 they will go to the company of their ancestors, who will never again see the light.
20 Mortals cannot abide in their pomp; they are like the animals that perish.
(NRSV)

It seems that a common definition of wealth is, anyone who has more than the one currently defining the term. It is a sliding scale that never includes the group of which the speaker is a part. The exception seems to be the folks who are in the millionaire/billionaire category who know they are wealthy and either that they are entitled to it or entrusted with it.

Wealth is often seen as a gift from God, a reward for one’s hard work and diligence. The folks who did at least some of the work to make the money for the wealthy are more likely to feel put upon or oppressed by the one who reaps the reward of their labor.

The psalmist reminds us that we need not worry when another becomes rich because it will not last. We may remember any good they do with their wealth for a generation or two but they will not be able to take their wealth with them beyond the grave. It is wealth in God that makes a lasting difference in people’s lives. When I am touched by one who has a rich relationship with God, I too become rich in God and can touch others with the same legacy of wealth. The riches that God offers last much longer and are more easily spread than the riches the world offers.

There are folks who have both money and a rich relationship with God and there are folks who have neither money or a relationship with God. If one is pressed to pursue one or the other the psalmist encourages us to look toward a lasting and fulfilling relationship with God.

© June 7, 2010