Psalm 49:12

“Man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish!”

Man, when first he came out of the hands of his Creator, was perfect; and fit to be God’s viceregent, if I may so speak, in this lower world. God put all the rest of the creation under him, and gave him dominion over all the work of his hands.

But from the time that man fell, he became degraded in all his faculties, and in many respects like unto the beasts that perish. True, possessing reason, he still held a superiority over them in those things which belong exclusively to the province of reason; but, in everything which depends on grace, he was reduced to a level with them.

To man converted by the grace of God, this superiority is restored; but to man in his natural and unregenerate state, even though he is exalted to the highest pinnacle of honor among his fellows, this humiliating declaration is fully applicable, “Man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish!”

I. Man is like the beast that perish, in his understanding.

In things pertaining to the body, man is far inferior to the brute creation, being excelled by one or other of them in every faculty and power. In agility and strength he is not to be compared with myriads of beasts, both tame and savage; and in all the senses he falls exceedingly below them! His sight, his smell, his taste, his hearing, his feeling—are in no respect equal to that which exists among the different orders of beasts and birds and insects; so that, in all that is corporeal, they are superior to him.

In what is intellectual, surely man retains his superiority; though, after all, in ten thousand instances, instincts in them leaves man far behind, and enables them to discern and execute things without number which man with all his attainments can never reach!

But it is in things relating to the soul that I am to speak of man; and in these he will be really found as stupid and brutish as the very beasts!

The beasts discern, for the most part, what is conducive to their welfare, and distinguish it from that which would prove injurious. But, waving this, I will admit that the beasts do not discern the comparative value and excellency of the things around them.

And what, I would ask, are the views which men have:
of sin and holiness,
of Heaven and earth,
of time and eternity?

I ask not what their speculative notions may be, but what their practical views are?

Who, in his unregenerate state, regards all earthly things as comparatively vain, empty, worthless?

Who looks upon sin as hateful and abominable?

Who desires holiness as the perfection of his nature, and as a source of the sublimest bliss?

Who accounts everything as dross in comparison with the favor of God, and the enjoyment of the divine presence?

Theoretically, it is true, men know better than the beasts; but practically man is not a whit more than the beasts! Yes, men sink below the beasts in proportion as they act directly contrary to the plainest dictates of their judgment. Unconverted men, notwithstanding they acknowledge a supreme Being, act as much without a reference to his approbation as the very beasts!

Hence David describes and addresses them in these humiliating, but most appropriate terms, “They say, ‘The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed!’ Take heed, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise? Does he who implanted the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see? Psalm 94:7-9.”

Nay, more, the pious Agur, cast down on account of the remains of these infirmities within him, exclaimed, “Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man! Proverbs 30:2.”

I think then, that the assertion in my text is thus far made good; and that not only are the lowest of the people in the state described by him, but the highest and most exalted upon earth! In this respect there is no difference between men; for all, without exception, are practically, and by nature, just as the beasts that perish!

II. Man is like the beast that perish, in his habits.

See what are the habits of the brute creation! All are intent on that only which will gratify their sensual appetites; and all look to present gratifications without any regard to the future.

Just so, what is the state of man, of every man, by nature, whether he be old or young, rich or poor, learned or unlearned? Is not every one living for himself, and seeking the things of time and sense—rather than those enduring riches which are apprehended only by faith, and relate altogether to eternity?

I grant that some are prosecuting chiefly intellectual pursuits; but still it is for themselves, and not for God, that they do it! If I admit that they soar with the eagle, instead of wallowing in the mire as swine, I still recur to my text, and say that, while living for themselves, and not for God, they are only as the beasts that perish!

A man who is taught of God desires higher things than these. He soars far beyond the sun and all created systems, however many or remote they may be; and rises to understand God himself.

Contemplating all of God’s glorious perfections,
searching into all His eternal purposes,
admiring all the wonders of redeeming love,
and anticipating the fruition of God himself
—this is the constant habit of his mind, and the most eager pursuit of his life, from day to day. “Eye has never seen, nor has ear heard, nor has heart conceived,” the things which fill his soul! None can appreciate the engagements of his soul, until they themselves are born from above, and taught by the Holy Spirit; for “he searches the deep things of God,” which none but those who are taught, of God can know, or conceive, or estimate! 1 Corinthians 2:9-10.

But to such habits, I say again: the unenlightened man is as great a stranger as the beasts! “He is of the earth earthy,” even as the beasts themselves are. And this I say of the wise and learned. What, then, are the generality of men? Jude says of them, that, instead of seeking heavenly things, “they speak evil of the things which they know not; but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves! Jude verse 10.” He knows but little of the world, who does not know, that “this witness is true.”

III. Man is like the beast that perish, in his end.

This perhaps is the point more immediately referred to in my text. “Men’s inward thought,” David observes, “is, that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling-places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. Nevertheless, man despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish! For, when he dies he will take nothing with him, his wealth will not descend with him, verses 11, 12, 17.”

To the same effect Solomon also speaks, “I also thought: As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both. As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return! Ecclesiastes 3:18-20.”

But we must not confine our attention to the mere circumstance of the mortality of each. The Psalmist had in his mind the thoughtlessness of men respecting anything beyond this life; agreeably to what he says in another Psalm, “A brutish man does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed!

Psalm 92:6-7.” Here is their folly, their stupidity, their brutishness:
An eternal world is revealed to them, and they will not consider it!
Heaven and Hell are opened to their view, and they will do nothing to avoid the one or obtain the other!

Could they indeed die like the beasts, without any future state of retribution, they would count this a desirable state. And such is the state of mankind at large, that there are very few, comparatively, who would not welcome annihilation as a priceless blessing. But to the bar of judgment every man will be summoned before long; and “all must receive, at the hands of their Judge, according to what they have done in the body, whether it is good or evil.”

If in other things then, men are reduced to a level with the beasts—but in regard to eternal realities, men fall far below the beasts; inasmuch as, with an intellect capable of appreciating eternity, they act as if they had no more interest in it than the beasts themselves!

APPLICATION

1. See what a difference there is between a well-informed Christian and all others!

I will take the one from the lowest, and the other from the highest, walks in life; and say that the well-informed Christian, however poor, resembles God; while the worldling, however elevated, is like the beasts that perish!

In his understanding, the regenerate man sees things as they really are, and knows that the things which are visible and temporal are not worthy of a thought in comparison with those which are unseen and eternal!

In his habits, too, he seeks not the things which are on earth, but those which are in Heaven, where Christ sits at the right hand of God.

In his end, he goes to a world of blessedness and glory, where he shall abide forever in the bosom of his God.

His unenlightened neighbor accounts all this as folly; but the time is coming, and very shortly too, when it will be made to appear which of the two was really wise!

2. See the immense importance of the Gospel!

It is the Gospel alone that changes the hearts of men. God’s appointed means of salvation is the Gospel, with which, in all ages, he has “turned men from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God.”

My dear brethren, I do hope that some at least of you can bear testimony to the truth of what I say.

Once you were as blind as others; but now you see.

Once you had no more concern about your souls than others; and lived, like others, for this world alone. But now, through the grace of God, you are brought to tread in the steps of Christ and his holy Apostles, and to value nothing in comparison with the favor of your God.

And what is it that has made this difference between your present and your former selves? It is the Spirit of Christ who has quickened you, and the love of Christ that yet daily constrains you! By this change you are assimilated to the glorified saints and angels—yes, and to the image of God himself. Bear testimony, then, to the truth and efficacy of the Gospel; and commend that to others which you have found so effectual for your own souls!

Charles Simeon