The Threat of Money
Do not be afraid when a person becomes rich, when the splendor of his house is increased; For when he dies, he will take nothing with him; his wealth will not descend after him. Psalm 49:16-17 NASB
Do not be afraid – Does this seem odd to you? We would have expected “Do not be envious” or “Do not be resentful.” But “Do not be afraid”? Why would anyone be afraid of a person who becomes rich? The verb is familiar (yārēʾ). You will remember that it has five different senses:
- The emotion of fear
- The anticipation of something evil without an emphasis on the emotional aspect
- Reverence or awe
- Righteous behavior
- Formal religious worship[1]
Clearly, the application in this psalm must be either the first or second sense. But what’s the difference? Imagine the social structure of ancient Israel. Nearly all the inhabitants were not rich. In fact, survival was a constant companion. When someone became rich (notice that), Torah required that person to care for those who were in need. After all, becoming rich had just as much to do with God’s intervention as it did with a man’s effort. Riches brought obligation, not self-determination.
But what was the actual experience of the society? Riches brought power and power was addictive. Ezekiel expresses it like this: “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy” (Ezekiel 16:49). Yes, of course, the citizens of Sodom were sexually immoral, but Ezekiel’s point is that immorality is but a symptom of something worse—indifference. They were rich but they showed no compassion for the poor. This is the nightmare of human history. It is still with us today. The rich take care of themselves. The poor are left to deal with life as best they can. Torah seeks social justice. Man seeks social insolation.
There is good reason to be afraid. When someone becomes rich, that person is likely to forget what it meant to be poor—and to remove himself from any reminder. That’s why God requires His people to remember “that you were once slaves in Egypt.”
Now the sons of Korah bring good news for the poor. “Do not be afraid.” God is on the side of the poor. Oh, He allows some to become rich (for purposes He doesn’t often reveal), perhaps in the hope that the rich person will remember he was once a slave in Egypt. But even if he doesn’t, God remembers. In fact, the single most important task of the king is to represent the voice of the poor, as God would. Most of us will never be rich, but God’s care is more than enough. We are blessed by not having to deal with the temptation of riches.
Topical Index: afraid, yārēʾ, rich, Sodom, Psalm 49:16-17
[1] Cf. TWOT 907 (yārēʾ) I
