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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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Psalms 49
49
Misplaced Trust in Wealth
For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who inhabit the world, # Ps 78:1; Mc 1:2
2both low and high, # Lit both sons of Adam and sons of man
rich and poor together. # Ps 62:9
3My mouth speaks wisdom;
my heart’s meditation brings understanding. # Ps 37:30
4I turn my ear to a proverb;
I explain my riddle with a lyre. # Nm 12:8; Mt 13:35
5Why should I fear in times of trouble?
The iniquity of my foes surrounds me. # Ps 23:4; 27:1
6They trust in their wealth
and boast of their abundant riches. # Jb 31:24; Ps 52:7; Pr 11:28
7Yet these cannot redeem a person # Or Certainly he cannot redeem himself, or Yet he cannot redeem a brother
or pay his ransom to God # Jb 36:18-19; Mt 25:8-9 —
8since the price of redeeming him is too costly,
one should forever stop trying # Or costly, it will cease forever # Mt 16:26 —
9so that he may live forever
and not see the Pit. # Jb 33:28; Ps 16:10
10For one can see that wise men die;
foolish and stupid men also pass away. # Ec 2:16
Then they leave their wealth to others. # Ps 39:6; Ec 2:18-19; Lk 12:20
11Their graves are their eternal homes, # LXX, Syr, Tg; MT reads Their inner thought is that their houses are eternal
their homes from generation to generation,
though they have named estates after themselves. # Ps 5:9; 10:6
12But despite his assets, # Or honor man will not last;
he is like the animals that perish. # Ec 3:19
13This is the way of those who are arrogant,
and of their followers,
who approve of their words. # Lit and after them with their mouth they were pleased # Ps 31:23; Pr 16:18; 21:24Selah
14Like sheep they are headed for Sheol;
Death will shepherd them.
The upright will rule over them in the morning, # Rv 2:26
and their form will waste away in Sheol, # Hb obscure
far from their lofty abode. # Jb 24:19; Ps 9:17
15But God will redeem my life
from the power of Sheol,
for He will take me. # Ps 16:10; 56:13; Hs 13:14Selah
16Do not be afraid when a man gets rich,
when the wealth # Or glory of his house increases. # Ps 37:7
17For when he dies, he will take nothing at all;
his wealth # Or glory will not follow him down. # Jb 27:19; Ps 17:14; 1Tm 6:7
18Though he praises himself during his lifetime —
and people praise you when you do well for yourself # Dt 29:19; Ps 10:3,6 —
19he will go to the generation of his fathers;
they will never see the light. # Gn 15:15; Jb 33:30; Ps 56:13
20A man with valuable possessions # Or with honor
but without understanding
is like the animals that perish. # Ec 3:19
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