"Death is Your Shepherd"

This is the message (Psalms 49.14) from the Sons of Korah to those who live their lives for themselves and reject God. It is a harsh message and it is necessary. Men do not normally evaluate their lives and contemplate their end—they are appointed for Sheol—without being forced to do so. The writer of this Psalm tells them what they do not want to here: You are going to die; in fact, death is your shepherd (notice the stark contrast between these people and David: The Lord is my shepherd. Psalms 23.1); in the grave your form will be consumed; you will have no place to go (which is the essence of the grave).

May we take from this Psalm the stark message of the brevity of life, the certainty of the grave, and the absolute necessity of living for our God and not for ourselves.