For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish
and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their homes forever,
their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names.
Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.
This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah
Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.
For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.
Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Comment: The portion above in italics was included in yesterday’s passage and my final comment on that was “ – the foolish and stupid, even though wealthy, die like animals but with none of their claims to fame worth a jot! Does the phrase ‘their dwelling places to all generations‘ mean in Eternity?
This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. – It all ends with a failure but still ignorant people follow their way that they have cheated, become wealthy and arrogantly boastful! Selah – (think about that!) Is this the answer to the author’s riddle as stated above – has he found out why he fears? Is it that he fears because he doesn’t know how he will pay the price of his own failures?
Prayer: Help me to understand your illustrations and yet not lose any of the underlying truth behind them, Lord Jesus.
Continuing on the author says that death like a shepherd will guide the ‘wicked’ into eternity where the ‘upright’ shall have the upper hand! Compare that he indicates to what the evil doers thought about the upright before death! Jesus quotes hell being like worms (maggots) persistently eating away. His statement was almost certainly referring back to the concluding verses of Isaiah’s prophecy “For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” This is not a nice thought but a very dramatic illustration of the end if life for those who don’t seek God’s Way! But the author does say this “But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me”. And that of course is a Messianic promise – for that is exactly what Jesus did in the Easter event for those who turn to Him in trust! Selah – He ends up with another ‘Now, think about that!’
Mark 9: 47/48 – And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’
AMEN
As I read it! 