Psalms 49
49
PSALM 49
Common Meter: 8,6,8,6
To the chief Musician,
A Psalm for the sons of Korah.
1Hear this, all people, and give ear,
all in the world that dwell;
2Both low and high, both rich and poor.
3My mouth shall wisdom tell:
My heart shall knowledge meditate.
4I will incline mine ear
To parables, and on the harp
my sayings dark declare.
5Amidst those days that evil be,
why should I, fearing, doubt?
When of my heels th' iniquity
shall compass me about.
6Whoe'er they be that in their wealth
their confidence do pitch,
And boast themselves, because they are
become exceeding rich:
7Yet none of these his brother can
redeem by any way;
Nor can he unto God for him
sufficient ransom pay,
8(Their soul's redemption precious is,
and it can never be,)
9That still he should for ever live,
and not corruption see.
10For why? he seeth that wise men die,
and brutish fools also
Do perish; and their wealth, when dead,
to others they let go.
11Their inward thought is, that their house
and dwelling-places shall
Stand through all ages; they their lands
by their own names do call.
12But yet in honour shall not man
abide continually;
But passing hence, may be compar'd
unto the beasts that die.
13Thus brutish folly plainly is
their wisdom and their way;
Yet their posterity approve
what they do fondly say.
14Like sheep they in the grave are laid,
and death shall them devour;
And in the morning upright men
shall over them have pow'r:
Their beauty from their dwelling shall
consume within the grave.
15But from hell's hand God will me free,
for he shall me receive.
16Be thou not then afraid when one
enriched thou dost see,
Nor when the glory of his house
advanced is on high:
17For he shall carry nothing hence
when death his days doth end;
Nor shall his glory after him
into the grave descend.
18Although he his own soul did bless
whilst he on earth did live;
(And when thou to thyself dost well,
men will thee praises give;)
19He to his fathers' race shall go,
they never shall see light.
20Man honour'd wanting knowledge is
like beasts that perish quite.
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Psalms 49: MP1650
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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Tehillim (Psa) 49
49
1For the leader. A psalm of the descendants of Korach:
2Hear this, all you peoples!
Listen, everyone living on earth,
3regardless of whether low or high,
regardless of whether rich or poor!
4My mouth is about to speak wisdom;
my heart’s deepest thoughts will give understanding.
5I will listen with care to [God’s] parable,
I will set my enigma to the music of the lyre.
6Why should I fear when the days bring trouble,
when the evil of my pursuers surrounds me,
7the evil of those who rely on their wealth
and boast how rich they are?
8No one can ever redeem his brother
or give God a ransom for him ,
9because the price for him is too high
(leave the idea completely alone!)
10to have him live on eternally
and never see the pit.
11For he can see that wise men will die,
likewise the fool and the brute will perish
and leave their wealth to others.
12They think their homes will last forever,
their dwellings through all generations;
they give their own names to their estates.
13But people, even rich ones, will live only briefly;
then, like animals, they will die.
14This is the manner of life of the foolish
and those who come after, approving their words. (Selah)
15Like sheep, they are destined for Sh’ol;
death will be their shepherd.
The upright will rule them in the morning;
and their forms will waste away in Sh’ol,
until they need no dwelling.
16But God will redeem me from Sh’ol’s control,
because he will receive me. (Selah)
17Don’t be afraid when someone gets rich,
when the wealth of his family grows.
18For when he dies, he won’t take it with him;
his wealth will not go down after him.
19True, while he lived, he thought himself happy —
people praise you when you do well for yourself —
20but he will join his ancestors’ generations
and never again see light.
21People, even rich ones, can fail to grasp
that, like animals, they will die.
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