Does Psalm 49:7 mean that Jesus could not have redeemed us on the cross?

(2) The blood of Christ was the price, or ransom, paid for our deliverance or redemption from this state of bondage and captivity. (See the passages already cited, especially 1 Peter 1:18-19; Matthew 20:28.) For He died in our stead, 'the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God' (1 Peter 4:18). Thereby He met and satisfied all the claims which a Holy God had against us: He accepted the whole of our responsibilities: 'He bare our sins in His own body on the tree' (1 Peter 2:24): in a word, He paid the whole of our debt, and the price was His own blood. And thus His blood-shedding — the offering up of His own life for us — availed both to vindicate the holiness of God, yea, to glorify Him even about our sins, and to secure for us eternal redemption. Well, therefore, might it be termed precious blood! So precious as to exceed all finite estimate. It is precious according to the infinite judgment of God; and yet nothing less would have availed. Had there been collected all the wealth, the gems, and costly stones, all the diamonds of Africa and Brazil — all these riches would have been as dust before God. For 'they that trust themselves 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 soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever): that he should still live for ever, and not see corruption' (Ps. 49:6-9). God only could provide the ransom. He gave it in the gift of His Son; and the ransom was paid in the blood-shedding on the Cross. Blessed be His name!

No claim is connected with the glory on the face of the Lord Jesus. It was never revealed there till every claim of broken law and outraged holiness had been gone into and settled for ever. It is the witness to us of God's infinite satisfaction with the settlement made in the propitiatory work of the cross. Moses had, indeed, proposed to make such a settlement, "Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin." (Ex. 32:30-32) But no creature effort was of any avail. "None can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." (Ps. 49:7) The Lord Jesus did not go up to God till He had come down and given His life a ransom for many. Hence He could go up with no "peradventure" on His lips, but in the full consciousness of the indisputable claim He had established by His finished work to take His place as Man in the glory — a place He had won for us in divine righteousness.

But if God is to bring His people out of Egypt, He must do so righteously; His own character must be vindicated. And therefore the death of Christ must, in figure, be brought before us. The sentence of God upon man for sin is death; that is sin's wages; but, if a man die for himself, how can he redeem himself? That is the difficulty. Psalm 49 declares that "none can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." Therefore we are shut up to the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, redemption through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, God's own Son, who has died, and "once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18).

The explicit purpose of God as the fruit of redemption was to bring us to Himself. As He declares in Exodus 19:4, "Ye have seen what I have done to the Egyptians, and how I have borne you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself." Surely those redeemed become the property of the One who has redeemed them. And does it not touch our hearts beloved saint of God to consider the mighty ransom price that was paid to secure our redemption. Man could not pay it, he is a bankrupt sinner, whether as a fifty or five hundred pence debtor. Listen to what the psalmist says, "None can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. For the redemption of their soul is costly, and must be given up forever" (Ps. 49:7-8). There are those who, in their altruistic and benevolent activities toward their fellowmen have conferred many benefactions upon them, but in this solemn matter, in which they would have bestowed the greatest of all benefits, their resources were wholly insufficient, and any attempt to ransom his brother must be given up for ever, it is "too costly." But the great Creditor has in righteousness met the whole condition of man's moral and spiritual bankruptcy — we were unable to meet the debt — "through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus": "Not by corruptible things as silver or gold … but by precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, the blood of Christ, foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world" (1 Peter 1:18-20).

We observe that the kinsman redeemer who could claim closer relationship than Boaz was certainly willing to redeem (see ch. 4:4), but his willingness was limited by his ability.Whilst he could say, "I will redeem it" he had to twice admit "I cannotredeem it." He had his own inheritance to attend to, and he found in that more than enough for him to deal with, and to attempt his brother's redemption was beyond him. I suggest for my readers careful consideration that something akin to this was in the Psalmist's mind when he wrote "None of them canby any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him" (Ps. 49:7). He did not suggest that none of them wouldredeem his brother if able to do so, but that it was an impossible task. How many of us, like the nearer kinsman of Naomi, wouldgladly redeem our near of kin if we could, but, alas, like him we have to admit "I cannot." Seeing that the nearer kinsman was one who was more closely related to Naomi than Boaz, he seems to typify our fellow man rather than the law, for surely man has no nearer kinsman than those who are of the same kith and kin.

In the O.T., except in Ex. 21:30, the word is kopher, lit. 'a covering,' a cognate word to kaphar, often translated 'atonement.' None "can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." Ps. 49:7. But God could say, "Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom." Job 33:24. The word occurs also in Ex. 30:12; Job 36:18; Prov. 6:35; Prov. 13:8; Prov. 21:18; Isa. 43:3. In the N.T. it is λύτρον, or ἀντίλυτρον, from 'to loose, set free.' Christ gave Himself, His life, a ransom for many: the precious blood of Christ witnesses that every claim of God against the believer has been answered. Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45; 1 Tim. 2:6.

Well might a believer question, "Why should I fear in the days of evil?" Even when he feels the shame of the iniquity of his heels (v. 5), for he does not trust in himself, but in the living God. It may seem that those who are rich and increased with goods are secure (v. 60), but the child of God is far more secure than they are. They may boast in the multitude of their riches, but what kind of riches do they have? All the wealth they have is useless as to redeeming one precious soul; or securing the ransom of anyone from the guilt of his sins (v. 7). Yet the poorest believer is able to communicate to others the good news that Christ has paid the full ransom price of their redemption, and that they will be perfectly redeemed by receiving Him.

For the redemption of their souls is costly." Only the great sacrifice of the Lord• Jesus was able o accomplish such a redemption — a cost infinitely beyond the ability of any other to pay. The proper translation of the last phrase is not, "it shall cease forever," but "it must be let alone forever," that is, such a redemption must be left forever in its solitary dignity, — alone as the only means of redemption.

(v. 5) The psalmist opens his warning with a word of encouragement for the godly man who finds himself living in an evil day, surrounded by those who seek to trip him up. Why should such fear? The exposure that follows, of the utter vanity of those who confide in their riches, answers this question. For the one who trusts in God there is no fear.

(vv. 6-14) The psalmist proceeds to show the folly of trusting in wealth, and boasting in riches. Man cannot, with all his wealth, redeem his brother from death or secure blessing from God. The redemption of the soul is costly, beyond the wealth of the world; God alone can redeem from death. Man cannot but see one thing is common to all, whether wise, or fools, or brutes — all die, and dying will leave their wealth to others. They may seek to make provision for the continuance of their line, the maintenance of their dwelling places, and the perpetuation of their name. Nevertheless, though man may rise to honour in this life, he cannot abide. Death spoils the plans of man, and proves the folly of their ways, even though the living approve their sayings. In spite of their inward thoughts, expressed in their “sayings,” their wealth is left behind, and their magnificent dwellings shrink down to the narrow grave. Their beauty ends in corruption.

(v. 15) Here then is the answer to the question asked by the poor man who trusts in God. “Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil?” In contrast to those who trust in riches, the one who trusts in God can say, “God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me.” The soul redeemed by God will be received by God after death has closed the present life.

One of the chief aspects presented to us in the Scriptures is, that the blood of Christ was our ransom. This is expressed most clearly in several passages in the Word of God. 'Forasmuch as ye know,' says Peter, 'that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold … but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot' (1 Peter 1:18-19). Again, 'In whom we have redemption through His blood' (Eph. 1:7). The redeemed also sing, 'Thou hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood,' etc. Rev. 5:9). The Lord Himself expresses the same truth when He says, 'The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many' (Matt. 20:28). Now, the meaning of 'ransom' is a price paid for redemption; of 'redemption,' to buy back or out of a state of captivity or bondage. If, therefore, the blood of Christ was our ransom, it involves several things.

Again we read: "The Son of Man came … to give His life a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28). "His life," someone may exclaim, "see it says 'His life a ransom for many.'" True, but that is not all it says. He "came … to give His life." It was the giving of His life — the yielding of it up in death — that affected the ransom. The perfection and spotlessness of His life made the offering up of it so acceptable to God, and thus was one of His great qualifications for the sacrificial work. He was indeed the Lamb "without blemish."