Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble?

 

 

 

Psalm 49:1-20

 

June 14, 2023

 

Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble?

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

Hear this, all peoples!  Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together!   My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.  Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth
 and boast of the abundance of their riches?  Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit.  For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.  Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names.  Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.  This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them, people approve of their boasts. Selah
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.
Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.  But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah

Be not afraid when a man becomes rich when the glory of his house increases.   For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.  For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.  Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

 

 

Often, we read a Psalm like this one and said that true even today, but the sad news is it may be more so than you understand.  The opening verse is very inclusive; Hear this, all peoples!  Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together!  He asked a question that each of us who is a follower of Christ should be asking of ourselves.   Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth
 and boast of the abundance of their riches?   Each day someone is telling you to fear, it may be the people selling gold, or the climate change, telling you to buy an electric car, to save the world, and the list keeps going, and yet God has told us to fear not, for He is with us, what can man do to us.

 

We are told in the Word of God, that we have brought nothing into this world and we sure will not take anything out.

 

Today we see many who believe they are in control of everything, they have more wealth than most would dream about and they come across as if they are gods.  The Psalmist states it so correctly.  Man, in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.  They are not to be fear, but they are in need of prayer, in that eternity in utter darkness with no light, and yes, they should fear for God keep His Word.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice