Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 49:9
That he should still live forever, [and] not see corruption.
9. The preceding verse is a parenthesis, and this verse is to be connected with Psa 49:7 and rendered,
That he should live on perpetually,
(And) should not see the pit.
‘To see the pit’ = to experience death. The word shachath, rendered corruption in the A.V., must mean ‘pit’ in some passages where it occurs (e.g. Psa 7:15; Psa 30:9), and may have this meaning always. Cp. note on Psa 16:10.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That he should still live for ever – That his brother whom he could not redeem – or that he himself – should not die, Psa 49:8. The idea is, that the price of life is so great that no wealth can rescue it so that a man shall not die.
And not see corruption – Should not return to dust, or moulder away in the grave. See the notes at Psa 16:10.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Or, the pit, or the grave, i.e. not die, as that phrase is oft used, as has been noted before.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. corruptionliterally,”pit,” or, “grave,” thus showing that “soul”is used for “life” [Ps49:8].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
That he should still live for ever,…. Or “though he should live”, c. w. Though the rich man should live ever so long, a thousand years twice told, as in Ec 6:6 yet he could not in all this time, with all his riches, redeem his brother; and at last must die himself, and so must his brother too, as his own experience and observation may assure him, Ps 49:10. Or the meaning is, he cannot so redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him, that he should live a corporeal life for ever, and never die; since all men die, wise men and fools, rich and poor; and much less that he should live and enjoy an “eternal life”, as the Targum; a life of happiness and bliss hereafter, which is not to be obtained by gold and silver, but is the pure gift of God;
[and] not see corruption; the grave, the pit of corruption, the house appointed for all living: or “the judgment of hell”, according to the Chaldee paraphrase.
w “etiamsi vivat”, Gejerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(9) Thati.e., in order that; introducing the purpose of the imagined ransom in Psa. 49:7. Others connect it consecutively with Psa. 49:8, He must give up for ever the hope of living for ever.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 49:9 That he should still live for ever, [and] not see corruption.
Ver. 9. That he should still live for ever ] As every wicked man would, if it might be had for money; for he knoweth no happiness but to have and to hold; on the other side of the grave he looketh for no good; whereas a godly man holdeth mortality a mercy, as Phi 1:23 , he hath Mortem in desiderio et vitam in patientia, as Fulgentius saith, he desireth to die, and yet is content to live; accepting of life rather than affecting it, enduring it rather than desiring it.
And not see corruption
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
That, &c. Connect this with the end of Psa 49:7.
still live for ever = live on continually.
corruption. Hebrew. sahath = destruction (with Art.): i.e. in the grave.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 49:9-12
Psa 49:9-12
MORE THINGS WEALTH CANNOT DO
“That he should still live always.
That he should not see corruption.
For he shall see it. Wise men die;
The fool and the brutish alike perish,
And leave their wealth to others.
Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue forever,
And their dwelling-places to all generations;
They call their lands after their own name.
But man being in honor abideth not:
He is like the beasts that perish.”
In addition to the things allready mentioned which riches cannot do, there are some additional inabilities mentioned here.
(6) They do not enable the owner to live always (Psa 49:9).
(7) They do not enable `their houses’ to continue forever (Psa 49:11).
(8) Riches do not enable the owner to determine what shall happen to them after his death (Psa 49:10).
The picture of the man who trusts in riches here is that of a man who is living in this world exactly as if he fully intended to live here for ever! What a tragic blindness!
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 49:9. Man’s body dies in spite of his wealth while the soul continues to exist. That proves that material wealth is not good enough to save the soul from the judgment of God.
Psa 49:10. All classes of humanity are subject to death. Brutish is from an original that means, “subject to consumption or decay,” and is a characteristic of mortal man. When the human being succumbs to the universal rule of death, all his wealth must be left behind and hence cannot benefit him after death. Paul gives us this same truth in 1Ti 6:7.
Psa 49:11. It would be no particular wrong for a man to call his land by his own name. The point David was making was on the motive that caused him to do so. He seemed to think that future generations would make no change in their property, and that the personal name of a former owner would always be appropriate.
Psa 49:12. In many respects man is honored above the beasts. But in the matter of physical death he is no better than the beasts of the field.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
That he: Psa 89:48, Pro 10:2, Pro 11:4, Ecc 8:8, Zec 1:5, Luk 16:22, Luk 16:23
see: Psa 16:10, Joh 8:51, Joh 8:52, Act 2:27, Act 2:31, Act 13:33, Act 13:35-37
Reciprocal: Gen 47:29 – must die Job 17:14 – corruption Joh 11:39 – Lord Act 13:36 – and saw 1Co 15:42 – in corruption 1Pe 4:14 – reproached