Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 49:10
For he seeth [that] wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.
10. For he seeth that wise men die ] Experience shews the rich man that all alike come to the grave. Even wisdom cannot deliver its possessor. This rendering is on the whole preferable to that of R.V. marg., Yea, he (the brother or the rich man) shall see it (the pit): wise men die &c. ‘Wise’ and ‘fool’ are words characteristic of the Wisdom literature. The former occurs but once again in the Psalter, and 46 times in Proverbs: the latter but twice in the Psalter, and 49 times in Proverbs.
likewise &c.] Fool and brutish perish together. Perhaps the use of different verbs is intended to distinguish between the end of the wise man and the end of the fool and the brutish, the self-confident braggart and the mere stupid animal.
and leave &c.] Or, abandon. The point of course is not that they can pass on their property to their heirs, but that they must themselves surrender it. Wealth can neither prolong life, nor be retained by its owner at death. Cp. Luk 12:10.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For he seeth that wise men die – He must see this; he does see it. He perceives that no one can be saved from death. It comes on all alike – the wise and the unwise. Nothing saves from it. The allusion is here especially to the rich, whether they are wise or whether they are fools and brutish. The simple fact, as stated, is that no matter what may be the character of the man of wealth, whether wise or foolish, he must certainly die His wealth cannot save him from the grave. The possessor of wealth himself sees this. It cannot be concealed from him.
Likewise the fool – The rich man who is a fool, or who is destitute of wisdom. He who is rich and who is wise – wise in the things of this life and wise unto salvation – (or who is gifted with a high degree of intelligence and who evinces wisdom in respect to the higher matters of existence) – and the rich man who is a fool – (who is regardless of his highest interests, and who evinces no special intelligence, though possessed of wealth) – all, all die alike.
And the brutish person – The rich man who is stupid and dull; who lives like a brute; who lives to eat and drink; who lives for gross sensuality – he dies as well as he who is wise. Wealth cannot in either case save from death. Whether connected with wisdom or folly – whether carefully husbanded or lavishly spent – whether a man employs it in the highest and noblest manner in which it can be devoted, or in the indulgence of the most low and debasing enjoyments – it is alike powerless in saving people from the grave.
And leave their wealth to others – It all passes into other hands. It must be so left. It cannot be carried away by its possessor when he goes into the eternal world. It not only cannot save him from the grave, but he cannot even take it with him. All his houses, his lands, his title-deeds, his silver, his gold, his parks, gardens, horses, hounds – all that he had accumulated with so much care, and worshipped with so idolatrous an affection, is not even his own in the sense that he can take it with him. The title passes absolutely into other hands, and even if he could come back to earth again, he could no longer claim it, for when he dies it ceases to be his forever. How powerless, then, is wealth in reference to the great purposes of human existence!
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. For he seeth that wise men die] Though they may be rich, and their wisdom teach them the best method of managing their riches so as to derive all the good from them they can possibly produce, yet they die as well as the fool and the poor ignorant man; and their wealth is left to others who will be equally disappointed in their expectation from it.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He seeth; an impersonal expression. Every man sees and knows it; it is visible and evident, both from reason and from universal experience, that all men die, without any difference between wise and fools, good and bad. To others; he saith not, to sons or kindred; but indefinitely, to others because he is wholly uncertain to whom he shall leave him, to friends, or strangers, or enemies; which he mentions as a great vanity in riches. They neither can save him from death, nor will accompany him in and after death, and after his death will be disposed he knows not how nor to whom.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. For he seeththat is,corruption; then follows the illustration.
wise . . . fool(Psa 14:1; Pro 1:32;Pro 10:1).
likewisealikealtogether (Ps 4:8) dieallmeet the same fate.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For he seeth [that] wise men die,…. This is a reason convincing the rich man, that with all his riches he cannot redeem his brother from death; since he must see, by daily and constant experience, that none are exempted from dying, no, not even the wise man; and therefore, not the rich, since wisdom is better than riches, and is said to give life, Ec 7:12; and yet wise men die, yea, Solomon, the wisest of men, died. Worldly wise men, such who are wiser in their generation than the children of light, know how, to get money and estates, and to provide for futurity, and yet cannot secure themselves from death: men that are wise in natural things, know the secrets of nature, the constitution of human bodies, what is proper to preserve health and life, as philosophers and physicians, and yet cannot deliver themselves from death: wise politicians, prudent magistrates, instructors of mankind in all the branches of useful knowledge, who are profitable to themselves and others, and are the most deserving to live because of usefulness, yet these die as well as others: such as are spiritually wise, wise unto salvation, who know themselves, and know Christ, whom to know is life eternal; and the wisest among them, such as are capable of teaching others the hidden and mysterious wisdom of God; even these wise men and prophets do not live for ever. The Targum interprets this of wicked wise men, condemned to hell; or as it is in the king’s Bible,
“the wicked wise men, who die the second death;”
see Re 2:11; and are condemned to hell;
likewise the fool and the brutish person perish; the worldly fool, who trusts in his riches, and boasts of them; his soul is at once required of him. The atheistical fool, who says there is no God, no judgment, no future state; has made a covenant with death, and with hell is at an agreement; this covenant does not stand, he dies, and finds himself dreadfully mistaken: the fool that is so immorally, who makes a mock at sin, a jest of religion, and puts away the evil day far from him; his great wickedness, to which he is given, shall not deliver him from death. Every man is become brutish in his knowledge; but there are some among the people more brutish than others, who are as natural brute beasts, and shall utterly perish in their own corruptions. The wise good man dies, but perishes not; he inherits eternal life; but the wicked fool and brute not only perish by death, but are punished with everlasting destruction in soul and body;
and leave their wealth to others; they cannot carry it with them, so that it will be of no service to them after death any more than at it: if the Judge could be bribed by gold, as he cannot, they will not have it with them to do it; they came into the world naked, and so they will go out, and carry nothing with them, but leave all behind them; either to their babes, their children, and heirs, Ps 17:14; or to strangers, they know not who; and if they do, they do not know whether they will be wise men or fools, or what use they will make of it, Ps 39:6 Ec 2:18.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
10 For he shall see that wise men die. I consider the ninth and tenth verses to be connected, and that it is the intention of the Psalmist to censure the folly of those who dream of spending an eternity in this world, and set themselves seriously to establish a permanent settlement in it, though they cannot but see their fellow-creatures cut down daily before their eyes by the stroke of death. It is a common proverb, that experience teaches fools, and they may be looked upon as something worse who will not lay to heart their mortality, when surrounded by so many convincing illustrations of it. This seems obviously to be the connection. These infatuated enemies of God, as if he had said, cannot fail to perceive that death is the universal lot of mankind, that the wise are equally liable to it with the foolish; and yet they persist in the imagination that they will remain here always, and will live as if they were never to quit with this world! They see what happens to others, that all, without exception or discrimination, are involved in the common mortality; and they must observe how often it happens that wealth passes into the hands of strangers The word אחרים, acherim, I translate strangers, rather than others; for although it may be extended to successors of any kind, yet I think that the Psalmist here supposes the case of wealth passing into the hands of those who are not our natural and lawful heirs, and cannot be considered in any sense as representing us. Many not only die, but die childless, and their name becomes extinct, which is an additional ingredient of bitterness in the cup of the worldling. And yet all these affecting lessons of experience are entirely lost upon them, and they still in their secret thoughts fondly cherish the idea of living here for ever. The Hebrew word קרב, kereb, means the middle of anything; but it is taken metaphorically to signify the heart, or inward parts of the man. Here it denotes that their secret thoughts are occupied with an imaginary eternity which they hope to enjoy upon earth. Another and more ingenious interpretation has been suggested by some, that as the word occasionally means a tomb, the Psalmist may here be satirising those who think to perpetuate their memory after death by rearing expensive mausoleums. (220) This view of the words is strained and unnatural; and what immediately follows proves that the other is the most correct, when it is added, that worldly men call out their names upon the earth; that is, make every exertion in their power to win reputation amongst their fellow-creatures. Their desire should be to have their names written in the book of life, and to be blessed before God and his holy angels; but their ambition is of another kind — to be renowned and extolled upon earth. By the expression, calling out, it is insinuated that the fame of ungodly men is but an empty sound. Some interpreters prefer reading, They have called their lands by their own names, (221) that they might leave some monument of themselves to posterity. But what the Psalmist seems chiefly to insist upon is, that they are wholly bent upon earthly renown.
(220) The reading of the Septuagint is, “ Καὶ οἱ τάφοι αὐτῶν ὀικίαι αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν αἰω̑να.” “And their sepulchres are their houses for ever.” The Vulgate, Syriac, and Chaldee, also read “sepulchres.” Kennicott supposes that the authors of these versions must have read קברם, kaberam, their graves, instead of קרבם, kirbam, their inward part The text as it stands admits of a good sense. Some eminent critics, however, are disposed to think that the reading of the ancient versions is the true one.
(221) Some also read the verse thus, “Their grave is their house for ever, their dwelling-place through all generations, though their names are celebrated over countries.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) For he seeth.The clauses are wrongly divided in the Authorised Version. Translate
On the contrary he must see it (the grave),
Wise men must die . . .
Likewise the fool and the stupid must perish.
The wealth of the prudent will not avail any more for indefinite prolongation of life, than that of fools.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Wise men A designation not only of men of learning and mental endowments, but of prudence, virtue, and piety.
Fool brutish person The first is one who is dull, sluggish, of obdurate will, and averse to discipline, and always classed with impious persons; the second, “brutish,” are men who are distinguished for living for appetite, being of strong passions, and savage temper and stupid minds.
Die perish The wise men “die,” but the “fool” and “brutish” perish. There is a wreck of their plans and hopes. They are not annihilated; the word will not bear this sense, and the whole argument contradicts it; for the subject of discourse is moral rewards, not immortality of being. No language could define more diverse characters or rewards.
Leave their wealth to others So that herein they have only a momentary advantage, and that in things of inferior worth.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 49:10. For he seeth that wise men die For he seeth the wise die; as well as the fool and stupid, they perish, &c. As much as to say, “If riches could save at all from death, they would do it when in the hands of wise men: but they do not; for they die alike, the wise man and the fool; the former can make no more use of them than the latter.” Mudge.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
This is a sad, but too true picture of unawakened, careless Christless sinners. How poor, and even like senseless animals for slaughter, is their life. How fearful their end!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 49:10 For he seeth [that] wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.
Ver. 10. For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool ] This to be a truth, etiam muta clamant cadavera, the dead corpses of both do preach and proclaim, by a dumb kind of eloquence. Death maketh no difference; Pallida mors aequo, &c. It is appointed for all men once to die. It lieth as a man’s lot, as the word signifieth, Heb 9:27 , and all men can say, We are all mortal; but, alas, we say it for most part, magis usu quam sensu, more of custom than feeling; for we live as if our lives were riveted upon eternity, and we should never come to a reckoning.
Heu vivunt heroines tanquam mors nulla sequatur,
Aut velut infernus fabula vana foret.
And the brutish person perish
And leave their wealth to others
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 49:10-12
10For he sees that even wise men die;
The stupid and the senseless alike perish
And leave their wealth to others.
11Their inner thought is that their houses are forever
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have called their lands after their own names.
12But man in his pomp will not endure;
He is like the beasts that perish.
Psa 49:10 For he sees that even wise men die;
The stupid and the senseless alike perish Although this metaphor is similar to the one found in Ecc 2:15-16, it is used in a different sense here. Here, the death of all things, including people and animals, is related to their inability to purchase longer life through wealth. There seem to be three different people or groups involved in Psa 49:10; the wise (BDB 314) person, the stupid (BDB 493) person, and the senseless (BDB 129) person. Because animals are mentioned in Psa 49:12; Psa 49:20, some would see them being referred to here in the senseless (BDB 129, animal-like, cf. Psa 73:22).
SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR FOOLISH PEOPLE
And leave their wealth to others Again, Ecc 2:18-23 is very helpful. No matter how wealthy a person is, when he/she dies, he/she leaves it all to others.
Psa 49:11 Their inner thought is that their houses are forever The MT Hebrew text has the idea that the rich person believes he and his wealth will last forever. However, the LXX changes the thought to their graves are their houses forever. Whichever is correct, it still shows the ultimate folly of trusting in riches.
The UBS Text Project (p. 246) has
1. their midst (NASB, inner thought, BDB 899)
2. their graves (BDB 868). It gives a B rating (some doubt) to option #2 (cf. NJB, REB, JPSOA, LXX, Syrian, Vulgate)
The term houses probably refers to elaborately decorated and expensive tombs. These, like the Pharaohs, thought physical monuments to themselves would assure their memory and, in a sense, their immortality.
They have called their lands after their own names One way humans try to assure that they will be remembered is by naming geographical locations after themselves (or legal deeds in their names). This, too, is folly, for the names change from age to age.
Psa 49:12 But man in his pomp will not endure In an attempt to provide a synonymous parallelism in Psa 49:12; Psa 49:20, the NEB and REB change
in honor (NASB, pomp), , preposition and BDB 430, to
cattle (NEB, REB, oven), , BDB 133
The UBS Text Project (p. 247) gives in honor a B rating (some doubt) in Psa 49:12 and an A rating (high probability) in Psa 49:20. It is obvious that the pride and arrogance of the rich are being emphasized here.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
he seeth = it must be seen.
And leave = They leave. Homonym: ‘azab. See note on Exo 23:5; or, fortify, or strengthen by increasing or laying them up.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
wise: Ecc 2:16-21, Ecc 9:1, Ecc 9:2, Rom 5:12-14, Heb 9:27
fool: Psa 73:22, Psa 92:6, Psa 92:7, Psa 94:8, Pro 12:1, Pro 30:2, Jer 10:8
leave: Psa 49:17, Psa 17:14, Psa 39:6, Pro 11:4, Ecc 2:18, Ecc 2:19, Ecc 2:21, Ecc 2:26, Ecc 5:13-16, Jer 17:11, Luk 12:20, 1Ti 6:6-10
Reciprocal: Jos 24:33 – died Job 30:8 – children Psa 37:10 – wicked Psa 94:11 – General Pro 14:24 – foolishness Ecc 2:14 – one Ecc 12:5 – because Jer 9:23 – wise Dan 11:7 – one stand Mat 5:22 – fool Luk 16:8 – in 2Pe 2:12 – as natural
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 49:10. For he seeth Every man sees and knows it; it is visible and evident, both from reason and from universal experience; wise men die, &c. All men die, the wise and good, as well as the foolish and wicked; and leave their wealth to others He saith not to sons or kindred, but indefinitely to others, because it is wholly uncertain to whom they shall leave it, to friends, or strangers, or enemies; which he mentions as a great vanity in riches. They neither can save him from death, nor will accompany him in and after death; and after his death will be disposed of, he knows not how, nor to whom.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
49:10 For he seeth [that] wise men {f} die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to {g} others.
(f) In that that death makes no difference between the persons.
(g) That is, not to their children, but to strangers. Yet the wicked profit not by these examples, but still dream of immortality on earth.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Everyone dies eventually, even though some live with the illusion of immortality. The fact that people try to perpetuate their reputations on the earth forever shows that they want to live forever. However, man-like the animals-will eventually go into the grave. Of course, the psalmist did not mean that man’s fate is identical to that of animals in all respects. He only meant that both die. Later revelation, that saints living at the time of the Rapture will experience translation without dying, does not negate the psalmist’s point.