Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 49:6-14

"They that trust in their wealth, And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None [of them] can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him; (For the redemption of their life is costly, And it faileth for ever;) That he should still live alway, That he should not see corruption. For he shall see it. Wise men die; The fool and the brutish alike perish, And leave their wealth to others. Their inward thought is, [that] their houses [shall continue] for ever, [And] their dwelling-places to all generations; They call their lands after their own names. But man [being] in honor abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish. This their way is their folly: Yet after them men approve their sayings. Selah They are appointed as a flock for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be for Sheol to consume, That there be no habitation for it." — Psalms 49:6-14 (ASV)

Here is a description of the spirit and way of worldly people. A person may have wealth and have their heart enlarged in love, thankfulness, and obedience, and may do good with it. Therefore, it is not a person's having riches that proves them to be worldly, but their setting their hearts on them as the best things. Worldly people have only some floating thoughts about the things of God, while their fixed thoughts, their inward thoughts, are about the world; that lies nearest the heart.

But with all their wealth, they cannot save the life of the dearest friend they have. This looks further, to the eternal redemption to be accomplished by the Messiah. The redemption of the soul will be very costly; but, once accomplished, it will never need to be repeated. And He, the Redeemer, will rise again before He sees corruption, and then will live forevermore (Revelation 1:18). This also shows the folly of worldly people, who sell their souls for that which will never buy them.

With all their wealth, they cannot secure themselves from the stroke of death. Yet one generation after another applauds their maxims; and the character of a fool, as drawn by heavenly Wisdom itself (Luke 12:16–21), continues to be followed even among professed Christians. Death will ask the proud sinner, "Where is your wealth, your pomp?" And in the morning of the resurrection, when all that sleep in the dust will awake, the upright will be advanced to the highest honor, when the wicked will be filled with everlasting shame and contempt (Daniel 12:2). Let us now judge things as they will appear in that day.

The beauty of holiness is that alone which the grave cannot touch or damage.