Week 8 Psalm 49
When you’re rich there’s a double-congratulation happening: a) rich people will consider themselves fortunate. And then b) the world loudly applauds their success. But there’s more to it – a hidden third factor: people who boast of their wealth don’t understand that they will die like the animals. If I’m enjoying my wealth but I don’t understand it’s serious limitations then I’m basically like an animal.
If “A” and “B” then “C”.
I think about the A & B & C that the psalm lays out. I accept that it’s the case. And I also think three other ideas spin-off that main idea. Related – but unstated – principles. They are:
If a poor guy wishes he was rich and doesn’t care how undependable money actually is then he’ll die like an animal.
If a rich guy knows for-a-fact that his wealth isn’t reliable then he won’t die like an animal.
If a poor guy isn’t scrabbling for cash because he realizes that wealth is deceptively over-valued then he won’t die like an animal.
I can rely on that first basic idea. And I think the other three ‘principles’ that I doped out are probably legitimate too. But psalm 49 only actually says the first.
When I land on a verse that emphatically says something definite then I accept that definite something. (But I’m not so confident about implied somethings – even if they make sense & look legitimate. Better to put them on the back-burner for now.)
Note: quotes from Psalm 49:18a 18b 20 (NLT)