Canon Rob's Reflections

In the first chapter of the Book of Job, Satan sees how much Job loves God and is blameless and upright. Being cynical though, Satan believes it is because God blesses Job with all that he needs. So he asks God if he can test Job to see that when everything is taken away from him, he will turn his back on God. This great story is about how one good person suffers total disaster but, whilst he never loses his faith, he challenges God. No easy answers are given but Job eventually realises how wise and great God is and is sorry for questioning Him. As a result, Job’s former way of life is restored to him. Psalm 49, which is set for Morning Prayer today, asks a fundamental question which affects all human beings; rich and poor alike. In verse 4 the author describes his psalm as “a parable” and “my riddle” and it is meant for everyone as verses 1 and 2 make clear: “Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all you that dwell in the world, You of low or high degree, both rich and poor together.” The psalmist then offers words of wisdom, which he has received from meditating upon God, who is the Fount of all Wisdom. [Verse 3.]


Whilst the psalm is addressed to everyone, as you reflect upon it, you will see that its message is primarily a warning to those who, like Job, were rich and have everything they could desire during their earthly life. Verse 6 speaks of those who “trust in their goods and glory in the abundance of their riches.” Then in verses 7 and 8 the author reminds those who are wealthy that no amount of money can “pay to God the price of deliverance” for “To ransom a soul is too costly…” Whilst these words may be difficult to understand, verse 9 goes on to explain that not even the richest of people can pay their way out of dying. No payment may be made “So that they might live for ever, and never see the grave.” The one certainty when we are born is that we will die and, as the author of today’s psalm emphasises, this applies to everyone: those who are rich as mentioned above, but also “..the wise die also; with the foolish and ignorant they perish..” [verse 10] and, “Those who have honour; but lack understanding are like beasts that perish.” [Verse 12.] This is all pretty grim and as if to drive it home, verse 14 adds to the misery: “Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die; death is their shepherd; they go down straight to the Pit.” Here is confirmation of our mortality in black and white!


Yet, from verse 16, the mood changes and, as you read these final verses, you will see that there is hope, and especially so for those with faith in God. Riches, wisdom and being honoured will not ransom us, but God will! “But God shall ransom my soul; from the grasp of death he will save me.” [Verse 16.] The hymn “There is a green hill far away” expresses this theology of ransom well.


It is about Jesus dying on the cross to save us and verse 4 puts it this way:


“There was no other good enough

to pay the price of sin;

he only could unlock the gate

of heav’n and let us in.”

[Hymn 657 in Complete Anglican Hymns Old & New]


Final verses of today’s psalm continue with equally encouraging words. Verses 17 and 18 say: “Be not afraid if some grow rich and the glory of their house increases, For they will carry nothing away when they die, nor will their glory follow after them.” Envying those who have everything is a common reaction. However, as the psalmist believes, they – like everyone else – cannot take it with them when they die! So, they gain nothing. They may indeed we worse off. As a rabbi once wrote of the man who has everything in this life. “…he glories only in material prosperity and fails to appreciate the value of the spiritual….he then lacks the understanding of life with its God-given purpose.” Then, probably thinking about Psalm 49 the rabbi concludes, “His existence is merely animal and he perishes like the beast.” [Rabbi Martin Cohen.]