In studying the Psalms, we need to pay attention to the sequence of the psalms and also to how the psalms are arranged in groups. We have seen that Psalm 45 is a psalm concerning the king and that Psalms 46—48 are a group of psalms concerning the city of the king, Jerusalem. In this message we will consider another group of three psalms—Psalms 49—51.
Psalms 49—51 cover three categories of persons regarding the enjoyment of God in Christ. The first category (Psa. 49) consists of those who trust in their wealth (that is, in anything other than Christ). In the second category (Psa. 50) are those who call upon the Lord according to His covenant. The third category (Psa. 51) is a single person, King David, repenting, confessing his sins to God, and asking God for His purging. Those in the first category have no share in the enjoyment of God in Christ; those in the second category participate in the enjoyment of God; and the one in the third category has a full portion of the enjoyment of God in Christ. We need to ask ourselves where we are. Are we in Psalm 49, Psalm 50, or Psalm 51? If we want to have the full enjoyment of God in Christ, we must be like the one in Psalm 51, the one who thoroughly repented and confessed his sins to God.
Psalm 49 is about those who trust in their wealth (anything other than Christ). According to the Lord's word, in this age wealth, which is mammon, represents the entire world (Matt. 6:24). Some people think that money can do anything; they believe that as long as they have money, they do not need anything else. Instead of trusting in God, they trust in money. They are the ones in Psalm 49.
The word in Psalm 49 should be a warning to us. To trust in money—to trust in anything other than Christ—is to be in Psalm 49. Things such as our education or car may be a kind of wealth, or treasure, to us. If we trust in such things, we have no share in the enjoyment of God in Christ.
Psalm 49 is a word of wisdom, the meditation of understanding (vv. 1-5). In verse 3 the psalmist says, "My mouth will speak wisdom,/And the meditation of my heart will be that of understanding." The Hebrew word translated "meditation" may also be rendered "utterance."
To love money is to be foolish. A person who is lacking in money may be very sober, clear, and full of understanding. However, a person who has a great deal of money is likely to be foolish and use his money to do foolish things. Likewise, those who are greedy and covetous also are foolish. Such persons do not have the wisdom and understanding found in Psalm 49.