For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.
When a man dies he takes nothing with him, and the wealth and outward splendor that was his glory does not go down with him beyond the grave. Riches are empty and cannot buy back a soul, because the price of redemption is greater than any fortune. The wicked go down like sheep to the grave to be forgotten, while the morning brings the righteous redemption from the grave and dominion over them in the first resurrection to live and reign with Christ. The warning is therefore not to fear the rich, nor to worship wealth, glorify self by it, or hoard it for luxury, since the lover of money will leave it all behind and find it gives no protection in death. Wealth should instead be used to do good and help the poor, for the only treasure that carries through death is hope of heaven through the atoning blood of Jesus.
Meaning in Context
These are the words of Christ, who is Wisdom, summoning the whole world to listen. Here glory means material abundance and possessions, not lasting honor. Riches can be a person's glory, but earthly riches are not truly his own. When he dies he carries nothing away and his glory does not descend after him. Neither wealth, earthly splendor, success, fame, nor worldly honor accompanies him beyond the grave, for death ends possession of earthly wealth and glory.
Riches are vain and cannot redeem a soul, because the ransom required is greater than wealth. The verse exposes the self-confidence, vain-glory, madness and guilt of wicked men continuing generation after generation. It contrasts their end with the end of the righteous: the wicked are laid like sheep in the grave, buried out of sight, forgotten and unmourned. While the morning brings the righteous dominion over them and redemption from the power of the grave, a share in the first resurrection to live and reign with Christ, the joy set before Jesus and before believers.
Human life and glory do not continue independently after death: the animating life-principle is not immortal, and continued existence depends on the breath of life God gives. Rich and poor alike leave their burdens and treasures at the grave. The fortunes and honors of the rich and powerful end in the same dust as those of the poor.
Trust Wealth Rightly
Psalm 49:17 teaches the necessity of trust in God, warning not to fear the wealthy and not to treat riches as lasting good. Wealth and earthly glory do not accompany a person at death, for the rich carry nothing away and the glory of the house does not follow. To make wealth an object of worship is therefore forbidden, as is glorifying oneself through wealth and keeping riches for personal luxury instead of giving glory to God. Riches may be a person's glory for a time, but death ends that glory and earthly splendor does not follow beyond the grave.
Those who spend their lives hoarding wealth will ultimately leave it behind, whether or not they have chosen to give it away. The lover of money learns that riches cannot protect from death nor accompany into the hereafter, so that trusting in them leaves only anxiety about what comes after life. Death ends possession of wealth and earthly honor, and neither accumulated goods nor attached glory goes with the person beyond death. This is seen in Solomon Ray, who hoarded and saved throughout life, but after he died his heirs took the wealth, quarreled over it, and sold his lands, his riches not passing beyond the grave. So too a man who amassed 200,000 pounds kept it only until he died, then left it to others and their disputes, his fortune neither improving his final condition nor preparing him for the next world.
A lifetime spent gaining more leaves the riches to the heirs and provides the dead man no more than a tomb. Earthly wealth and glory left behind cannot be taken beyond death and may even become a curse to the dead person's children. Wealth should instead be properly used rather than hoarded, used to help the poor and do good, leaving a beneficial influence after death. Rich and poor alike leave their burdens and treasures at the grave, and fame cannot secure what lies beyond death. The one treasure that can carry a person through death is hope of heaven through Jesus' atoning blood, because it is a heavenly inheritance rather than an earthly possession.
When a man dies he takes nothing with him, and the wealth and outward splendor that was his glory does not go down with him beyond the grave. Riches are empty and cannot buy back a soul, because the price of redemption is greater than any fortune. The wicked go down like sheep to the grave to be forgotten, while the morning brings the righteous redemption from the grave and dominion over them in the first resurrection to live and reign with Christ. The warning is therefore not to fear the rich, nor to worship wealth, glorify self by it, or hoard it for luxury, since the lover of money will leave it all behind and find it gives no protection in death. Wealth should instead be used to do good and help the poor, for the only treasure that carries through death is hope of heaven through the atoning blood of Jesus.
Meaning in Context
These are the words of Christ, who is Wisdom, summoning the whole world to listen. Here glory means material abundance and possessions, not lasting honor. Riches can be a person's glory, but earthly riches are not truly his own. When he dies he carries nothing away and his glory does not descend after him. Neither wealth, earthly splendor, success, fame, nor worldly honor accompanies him beyond the grave, for death ends possession of earthly wealth and glory.
Riches are vain and cannot redeem a soul, because the ransom required is greater than wealth. The verse exposes the self-confidence, vain-glory, madness and guilt of wicked men continuing generation after generation. It contrasts their end with the end of the righteous: the wicked are laid like sheep in the grave, buried out of sight, forgotten and unmourned. While the morning brings the righteous dominion over them and redemption from the power of the grave, a share in the first resurrection to live and reign with Christ, the joy set before Jesus and before believers.
Human life and glory do not continue independently after death: the animating life-principle is not immortal, and continued existence depends on the breath of life God gives. Rich and poor alike leave their burdens and treasures at the grave. The fortunes and honors of the rich and powerful end in the same dust as those of the poor.
Trust Wealth Rightly
Psalm 49:17 teaches the necessity of trust in God, warning not to fear the wealthy and not to treat riches as lasting good. Wealth and earthly glory do not accompany a person at death, for the rich carry nothing away and the glory of the house does not follow. To make wealth an object of worship is therefore forbidden, as is glorifying oneself through wealth and keeping riches for personal luxury instead of giving glory to God. Riches may be a person's glory for a time, but death ends that glory and earthly splendor does not follow beyond the grave.
Those who spend their lives hoarding wealth will ultimately leave it behind, whether or not they have chosen to give it away. The lover of money learns that riches cannot protect from death nor accompany into the hereafter, so that trusting in them leaves only anxiety about what comes after life. Death ends possession of wealth and earthly honor, and neither accumulated goods nor attached glory goes with the person beyond death. This is seen in Solomon Ray, who hoarded and saved throughout life, but after he died his heirs took the wealth, quarreled over it, and sold his lands, his riches not passing beyond the grave. So too a man who amassed 200,000 pounds kept it only until he died, then left it to others and their disputes, his fortune neither improving his final condition nor preparing him for the next world.
A lifetime spent gaining more leaves the riches to the heirs and provides the dead man no more than a tomb. Earthly wealth and glory left behind cannot be taken beyond death and may even become a curse to the dead person's children. Wealth should instead be properly used rather than hoarded, used to help the poor and do good, leaving a beneficial influence after death. Rich and poor alike leave their burdens and treasures at the grave, and fame cannot secure what lies beyond death. The one treasure that can carry a person through death is hope of heaven through Jesus' atoning blood, because it is a heavenly inheritance rather than an earthly possession.