Psalm 49
December 7, 2025 This morning we celebrate the peace that you brought, and we anticipate the peace that you will bring. And we mourn that lack of complete peace in our world today. Nations goes to war with nations. Factions go to war with other factions. Neighbor against neighbor. We struggle with your promises that you will bring peace, because today we live in turmoil, suffering, poverty, starvation, and oppression. We live among people who cheat and steal from us. We are outraged to hear about billion dollar fraud schemes. We live among people who call that which is good evil, and that which is evil good. We see evil prosper in this world. We fail to see enough goodness in our world. This leads us to despair and lose hope. We need hope and a Savior.
The Psalms are no stranger to dichotomies. The psalmists 3 and 4,000 years ago experienced very similar inequities and they called out to God, Why? How long? Rescue me! We are so thankful that you responded with inspiration and answers to these riddles and dilemmas. The truth is that worldly wealth and security does not satisfy. All the money in the world cannot buy eternal life. The glory one acquires with worldly wealth will just be given to someone else when they die (v16). Without understanding from God, we just perish like beasts (v20). We could be just like a deer walking into the highway, get hit by a car and become road kill that someone else eats.
Verses 7 and 8 tell us no man can ransom another for or give to God the price of his life, it is too costly. And Verse 15 gives us our needed hope, But God will ransom my soul from the power of hell. Help us flee from empty distractions and false promises and cling to you our savior, and remember that we did not accomplish our own salvation, you came to us. You lived and dwelt among us as Jesus. And you sent the Holy Spirit to us to give us wisdom and understanding. Help us to meditate on you and listen.
In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit we pray, Amen.