สดุดี 49:4 วิจารณ์

This psalm is a sermon, and so is the next. In most of the psalms we have the penman praying or praising; in these we have him preaching; and it is our duty, in singing psalms, to teach and admonish ourselves and one another. The scope and design of this discourse is to convince the men of this world of their sin and folly in setting their hearts upon the things of this world, and so to persuade them to seek the things of a better world; as also to comfort the people of God, in reference to their own troubles and the grief that arises from the prosperity of the wicked. I. In the preface he proposes to awaken worldly people out of their security (Psa 49:1-3) and to comfort himself and other godly people in a day of distress (Psa 49:4, Psa 49:5). II. In the rest of the psalm, 1. He endeavours to convince sinners of their folly in doting upon the wealth of this world, by showing them (1.) That they cannot, with all their wealth, save their friends from death (Psa 49:6-9). (2.) They cannot save themselves from death (Psa 49:10). (3.) They cannot secure to themselves a happiness in this world (Psa 49:11, Psa 49:12). Much less, (4.) Can they secure to themselves a happiness in the other world (Psa 49:14). 2. He endeavours to comfort himself and other good people, (1.) Against the fear of death (Psa 49:15). (2.) Against the fear of the prospering power of wicked people (Psa 49:16-20). In singing this psalm let us receive these instructions, and be wise. To the chief musician. A psalm for the sons of Korah.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 49 To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Aben Ezra says this psalm is a very excellent one, since in it is explained the Light of the world to come, and of the rational and immortal soul; and Kimchi is of opinion that it respects both this world and that which is to come: and indeed it treats of the vanity of trusting in riches: of the insufficiency of them for the redemption of the soul; of the short continuance of worldly honour and substance; of the certainty of death, and of the resurrection of the dead. And the design of it is to expose the folly of trusting in uncertain riches, and to comfort the people of God under the want of them.

I will incline mine ear to a parable,.... In which way of speaking the doctrines of the Gospel were delivered out by Christ, Mat 13:3. Wherefore the prophet, representing his apostles and disciples, signifies that he would listen thereunto, that he might attain to the knowledge thereof, and communicate it to others; I will open my dark saying upon the harp; the enigmas, riddles, and mysteries of the Gospel, being understood by the ministers of it, are opened and explained in a very pleasant and delightful manner; they are made clear and evident, and are as a lovely song upon a harp; see Eze 33:32.

The things that I teach, he says, from the Spirit, these I proclaim to you, saying nothing of my own, nothing human; but, since I have been listening to the propositions of the Spirit, who hands down in mystery to us the wisdom of God, I am opening for you and am making manifest the proposition; moreover, I am opening not otherwise than through psaltery. The psaltery is a musical instrument that gives out its sounds harmoniously with the melody of the voice. Accordingly, the rational psaltery is opened especially at that time when actions in harmony with the words are displayed. And he is a spiritual psaltery who has acted and has taught. He it is who opens the proposition in the psalms, setting forth the possibility of the teaching from his own example.… There is nothing incongruous or out of tune in his life.

The Lord opens up a theme or problem that has been closed when he finds an apt organ and a chosen instrument. Call it a harp. Such as this was Paul. He rang out the sweet canticle of grace, awaking all the strings of his harp in harmonious sound; plucking the inner chords by grace of the Holy Spirit and playing in ringing tones both interiorly and exteriorly.… Excellent harp, where a person’s life is in tune with his faith, and his flesh with his soul. Sweet harp, where discipline of lifestyle sings a canticle.

The term “parable” or “proverb” has many meanings. A parable is a saying, an example, a reproach, as when he says, “You have made us a parable among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.” A parable is also a riddle, which many call a question, suggesting something not immediately clear from the words but containing a meaning hidden within.… A parable also means a comparison: “He proposed another parable to them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man sowing good seed.’ ” A parable also means a figure of speech: “Son of man, tell them this proverb: The great eagle, the one with big wings,” meaning by eagle the king. A parable also means a type, or likeness, as Paul also shows in the words “By faith he sacrificed Isaac … whence also in figure he received him back,” that is, in type and in likeness. What then, does the “parable” mean to him here? It seems to me to refer to the narration.… The parable, you see, sorts out the worthy listener from the unworthy: whereas the worthy takes steps to find the meaning, the unworthy bypasses it.… Do you see the introduction he fashioned? He summoned the world, he abrogated inequality in lifestyle, called their attention to their nature, repressed their arrogance, promised to say something great and noble, denied he was saying anything of his own but what he had heard from him, hinted there was deep obscurity in the message, thus making them more attentive. He promised to teach us spiritual wisdom, on which he had meditated unceasingly. So let us pay attention and not pass it by. If in fact the message is wise, a parable, a riddle, there is need of a mind on the alert.

"I will incline mine ear to the parable, I will show my proposition upon the harp" [Psalm 49:4]....And why "to a parable"? Because "now we see through a glass darkly," [1 Corinthians 13:12] as says the Apostle; "while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord." [2 Corinthians 5:6] For our vision is not yet that face to face, where there are no longer parables, where there no longer are riddles and comparisons. Whatever now we understand we behold through riddles. A riddle is a dark parable which it is hard to understand. Howsoever a man may cultivate his heart and apply himself to apprehend mysteries, so long as we see through the corruption of this flesh, we see but in part....But as He was seen by those who believed, and by those who crucified Him, when He was judged; so will He be seen, when He shall have begun to be judge, both by those whom He shall condemn, and by those whom He shall crown. But that vision of divinity, which He has promised to them that love Him, when He says, "He that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and he that loves Me keeps My commandments, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him:" [John 14:21] this the ungodly shall not see. This manifestation is in a certain way familiar: He keeps it for His own, He will not show it to the ungodly. Of what sort is the vision itself? Of what sort is Christ? Equal to the Father. Of what sort is Christ? "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." [John 1:1] For this vision we sigh now, and groan so long as we sojourn here; to this vision we shall be brought home at the last, this vision now we see but darkly. If then we see now darkly, let us "incline our ear to the parable," and then let us "show our proposition upon the harp:" let us hear what we say, do what we enjoin.

The words put forward by me are full of wisdom, he is saying, but I learned them by submitting my hearing to the words hidden in the depths. And what I learned through hearing I put forward through the organ of the tongue. Now, he means to say, I utter nothing of my own; rather, I am an instrument of divine grace.

One who is in a calm spirit sings psalms. Through psalms he opens teaching. Through tranquility of spirit he understands teaching.

"I will incline." Here he treats of the second kind of teaching, namely of obscure words; and two things are necessary concerning them. First, that one study to understand. Second, that one study to explain them to others. With respect to the first he says, "I will incline my ear to a parable." A parable is a certain saying when it has an obscure similitude; as if to say: I will devote study to understanding the sayings of others. Prov. 1: "He will observe the parable and its interpretation, the words of the wise and their riddles." Or, "I will incline my ear to the parable" which God speaks, because he speaks enigmatically; as if to say: I will incline my understanding to the voice of the Lord, who speaks parabolically. "I will open on the Psaltery my proposition." "Proposition" is said in two ways. In one way it means that which I desire above other things, and it is that which I most desire; "I will open it on the Psaltery," that is, in my action, because this is the best way to open one's intention; for if you propose to enter eternal life, you do not manifest your intention if you do not have good works. Or "proposition" is an obscure saying, or one proposed for the sake of testing; thus Samson, Judg. 14, proposed a riddle; hence he says, "If you had not plowed with my heifer"; and so "proposition" is taken here. And therefore Jerome says that it is an obscure saying. The Hebrews have, "my divination," which is the same thing.

This Psalm instructs and consoles. It teaches that earthly advantages are not reliable for permanent happiness, and that, however prosperous worldly men may be for a time, their ultimate destiny is ruin, while the pious are safe in God's care. (Psa. 49:1-20) All are called to hear what interests all. world--literally, "duration of life," the present time.

incline--to hear attentively (Psa 17:6; Psa 31:2). parable--In Hebrew and Greek "parable" and "proverb" are translations of the same word. It denotes a comparison, or form of speech, which under one image includes many, and is expressive of a general truth capable of various illustrations. Hence it may be used for the illustration itself. For the former sense, "proverb" (that is, one word for several) is the usual English term, and for the latter, in which comparison is prominent, "parable" (that is, one thing laid by another). The distinction is not always observed, since here, and in Psa 78:2; "proverb" would better express the style of the composition (compare also Pro 26:7, Pro 26:9; Hab 2:6; Joh 16:25, Joh 16:29). Such forms of speech are often very figurative and also obscure (compare Mat 13:12-15). Hence the use of the parallel word-- dark saying--or, "riddle" (compare Eze 17:2). open--is to explain. upon the harp--the accompaniment for a lyric.