“Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;”
The exhortation not to fear when wealth and glory increase establishes the proper response to the prosperity of the wicked. The reference to increased wealth and glory suggests that the wicked may prosper and achieve external success; circumstantial advantage tempts the observer to envy. Yet the exhortation not to fear suggests that the increase of the wicked's possessions should not trouble the righteous. The affirmation that the wicked cannot take it with them (returning to the theme of verse 11) reorients perspective; temporal prosperity proves meaningless when death approaches. This verse establishes that apparent earthly success of the wicked should not disturb or influence the perspective of the righteous who understand ultimate realities.
Church Fathers on Psalms 49:16
The First Part. 1. ...“Hear ye these things, all you nations” Psalm 48:1. Not then you only who are here. For of what power is our voice so to cry out, as that all nations may hear? For Our Lord Jesus Christ has proclaimed it through the Apostles, has proclaimed it in so many tongues that He sent; and we see this Psalm, which before was only repeated in one nation, in the Synagogue of the Jews, now repeated throughout the whole world, throughout all Churches; and that…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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