Fathers

Psalms 49

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Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together. My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my riddle on the harp. Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me? Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches— none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him. For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough, that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption. For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves. But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish. This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion. But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; for when he dies he will carry nothing away. His glory won’t descend after him. Though while he lived he blessed his soul— and men praise you when you do well for yourself— he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light. A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 49:17

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

"Fear not, though a man be made rich, and though the glory of his house be multiplied." Wherefore "fear not"? "For when he shall die, he shall not receive anything." Thou seest him living, consider him dying. Thou markest what he hath here, mark what he taketh with him. What doth he take with him? He hath store of gold, he hath store of silver, numerous estates, slaves: he dieth, these remain, he knoweth not for whom. For though he leaveth them for whom he will, he keepeth them not for whom he will. …

Exposition on Psalm 49 ↗

Ambrose of Milan

Do not be troubled when you hear that the glory of someone's house has increased. Think deeply about it, and you will see that a house is empty if it is not filled with faith.… Adam, by his ruin, left us void and empty, but Christ's grace has filled the void. Christ emptied himself so that the fullness of virtue might live in human flesh.

Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalm 49 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

"For when he shall die." Here the reason is assigned why the wicked are not to be feared if they become rich. First, because at some point they shall be deprived of all exterior goods; second, they shall also fail in all interior goods. The second is at "For his soul." Therefore he says, they are not to be feared, because God reserves greater things for you. But these things that are given to them are transitory. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗