Psalm 49 - Both low and high

Read: Psalm 49 vs 1-20

Listen Up! is our current theme in Ballyhenry Kids, our weekly e-zine sent out for children in our church and community giving them a weekly story to watch, a worksheet to do, and a song to sing in these ongoing days of lockdown. That title comes from a story, a parable, that Jesus told in Matthew’s gospel (chapter 13 verses 1-23). That story, told by Jesus, is a story about listening to Him and to His word. Some people hear God’s word and it goes in one ear and out the other. Some people are all excited about what they hear but quickly forget it. Some people listen for a while and then give up. Some people however, pictured by Jesus hear His word and over time, like good seed in good soil, it grows in their hearts producing transformation and life.

Psalm 49, which we come to today, is a Psalm about listening. It summons people to listen (vs 1). It summons all people (‘low and high, rich and poor’ (vs 2), in all places (‘all the who live in the world’ (vs 1). It summons them to hear ‘wisdom’, wisdom that makes sense of life as we see it and experience it.

In vs 5-11 the writer of these words looks around. He tries to place a value on human life where some people have lots of things in this life and yet where everyone ultimately has to leave everything behind (vs 12).

It is this fact that leads the writer of this Psalm to realise that true wisdom is not found in trusting in anything that comes from ourselves (vs 13) because that can be taken from us. True wisdom comes not from what we own, or the influence we have, or the name we make for ourselves (vs 16-17). True understanding comes from realising that there is a God and He alone can makes sense not just of our lives now, but of life beyond this world. Like all the Psalms, these words point us to Jesus, the One who:

‘will redeem me from the realm of the dead, He will surely take me to Himself.’ (vs 15).

Prayer: Lord Jesus help me to listen to your words. Help me to be curious about what your word says and may that curiosity lead me a new place of understanding and transformation. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.