Prayer - Unusual Song

 Heavenly Father, it is with some solemnity I lift up my voice to You this morning in the "green pastures" of Your Word.  Reading Psalm 49 (ESV) is ironic as this is a song!  One of those written by the Sons of Korah.  The lyrics seem unusual, for a song.  Yet, it is an excellent teaching song for young and old alike.

Teaching for the young with dollar signs in their eyes, to know that riches, although of some importance in life, are not all what they are cracked up to be.  Also a warning that riches potentially make a person proud, greedy, arrogant and bossy.  A treatment to medicate such pomp with is to have understanding that riches cannot go to the grave with them.  It is only You, Father God, who can "ransom our souls from the power of Sheol" when we have faith and trust in Jesus, our Good Shepherd.  Death, is their hireling shepherd, otherwise.

For the old, to be reminded again and again, even in song, of the treachery that riches can weave, in web, around a person's heart and soul in an imperative exercise.  Father, thank-You for Your servants, the Korah brothers, who were faithful to You.  They had firsthand experience of these things--too close for comfort--while they were young.  In their older ages, I picutre them singing this song, this throughout their remaining years to solidify the lessons in their minds.  The rest of us "older ones" can too.

Think of the disparity between the rich man and Lazarus.  In life the rich man had his luxury and Lazarus his abject poverty.  In death, the opposite was the case.  Was it because of the number on their respective balance sheets that they ended up in the places they did in the afterlife?  Not exactly.  The rich man allowed his wealth to be his 'god' whereas I believe, that Lazarus' wealth was his trust and faith in God.

The Sons of Korah perceived this scenario for themselves, therefore they wrote they did not need to be afraid of death and Sheol then or of those who increase in riches and the type of home they lived in:  shack or palatial abodes.  They knew the fleeting-ness of it all.  They fixed their hope and trust in You and directed their singers to the fact that You,

"...will ransom [our] souls from the power of Sheol, and [You] will receive [us]" (Psalm 49:15 ESV).

When our trust is in You and Your Son Jesus Christ, we, people of the Day of Grace, have the treasure that counts and that is laid up in Heaven's safe-keeping; salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  The power of the grave was burst when Jesus rose again from the dead so we have confidence, should 'sleep' before we are called to go up to be with Jesus, He will bring us up too.  We do not fear.  May we live our lives in obedience to You and Your Word though and honor You with our lives, building up treasure in Heaven, until then, using whatever worldly wealth we may be able to earn, for such purposes as You see fit.

Their prayer, no doubt, and mine, is that all people everywhere, will know their experience from the lesson of their father's disobedience to You, and not fix their hope in riches but in You.  Also, that it is You who redeem and not ever the amount of riches one might have.  

May one and all have this understaning and insight, and choose the proper response.  Then they too can attest to this and tell the message of their own personal experience and lesson learned:  God is the faithful One; Jesus is the One in Whom to put our trust and it is through Him, our souls are ransomed.  Then we and they can sing this unusual song.

Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ Your Son, we give You our praise and thanksgiving.

                                                         ~ERC  January 2021~

Based on Psalm 49:1-20 (ESV).

Sing, Psalm 49, with St. Dustan-acapella.

Note:  For excellent examples of ones who put their trust in riches vs ones who put their trust in the LORD, read:  Luke 16:19-31.  Also the parable of the rich young fool, Luke 12:13-21; and the rich young ruler, Luke 18:18-30.