But, more especially, David is here celebrating the truth of God;—that God faithfully fulfils his promise; ‘According to thy name, (saith he) so is thy glory, and so are thy works unto the ends of the earth:’ that is, according as thou hast promised us, “I will be your God,” and accordingly as we have believed that word, so hast thou given us to experience the fulfilment of it;—thou hast been with us, and delivered and defended us; our city and our temple stand in the midst of enemies, as if in the midst of flames, preserved and unhurt. _We_ sing this Psalm, because God is pleased to preserve his church and gospel against the roaring and hatred of kings and princes; who cease not from attacking them by violence and craft with all their might: and yet, they shall perish and be confounded, and covered with shame, while the gospel shall remain as it was before, unhurt and unhindered. PSALM XLIX. _An earnest persuasion to build the faith of resurrection, not on worldly power, but on God.—Worldly prosperity is not to be admired._ To the chief Musician. A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Hear this, all _ye_ people; give ear, all _ye_ inhabitants of the world. Both low and high, rich and poor together. My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart _shall be_ of understanding. I will incline mine ear to a parable; I will open my dark saying upon the harp. Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, _when_ the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about? They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches. None _of them_ can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. (For the redemption of their soul _is_ precious, and it ceaseth for ever.) That he should still live for ever, _and_ not see corruption. For he seeth _that_ wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inward thought _is_, _that_ their houses _shall continue_ for ever, _and_ their dwelling-places to all generations: they call _their_ lands after their own names. Nevertheless, man _being_ in honour, abideth not: he is like the beasts _that_ perish. This their way _is_ their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah. Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning: and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave; for he shall receive me. Selah. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased. For, when he dieth, he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him. Though, while he lived, he blessed his soul: (and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself.) He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.