BROADCASTS.com

People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish (Psalm 49:20).

Ray Romano, star of Everyone Loves Raymond, addressed the studio audience after the last episode of the show was filmed. He spoke about his years as a struggling stand up comedian and then read from a note his brother had stuck in his luggage the day he moved from New York to Hollywood. "My older brother Richard wrote, 'What does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?'" said a tearful Romano. "Now I'm going to work on my soul."

Psalm 49 is an interesting twist in the book of prayers. It is not a typical prayer since it doesn't address God. Yet it was used by the Jews in their worship. Notice that some of our songs similarly don't address God but each other.

This psalm is a proverb or a reflection on a proverb (4). Our text is the proverb, "People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish." A proverb invites us to reflect on life and to live wisely. You might want to pause here and read Psalm 49.

This proverb notices that wealth and power tend to coalesce in the same people or group of people. The wealthy tend to grab power to maintain their wealth, often using this power to keep their wealth from others. Those who have neither, often live in fear of those who have both.

The psalm also notes that the righteous are at a significant disadvantage. They do not live to increase their wealth and power, rather, they follow Jesus\u2019 directive to store up treasures in heaven. This way of living makes no sense if one believes that this current existence is all we get.

When the wealthy, power hungry schemers die, they are dead. That is the end of their story. Nobody will do anything for them. But, says the psalmist, those who are righteous have another chapter.

Righteous here refers not to those who simply do what is right but to those who trust in God. While the evil will remain dead, the righteous will be redeemed from death. God will redeem their lives from the grave and give them a new home with himself.

Here we have an Old Testament allusion to Jesus. Old Testament writers did not know much about how God would redeem the world, but on occasion there are some hints. Now we know that this redeeming would come through Jesus\u2019 death and resurrection.

So, the wisdom offered in this proverb reflection is, "Don't be easily impressed by people and their wealth. All of us will lose what we gather here on this earth. But the righteous will be redeemed from death."

Maybe Jesus had this psalm in mind when he said, \u201cDo not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin don\u2019t destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also\u201d (Matthew 6:19-21).

It is not wealth that is the problem, but the lack of wisdom. Do you know where you are storing your treasure? Will you find wisdom before you die? Will you work on your soul before it is too late?