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Psalm 49

The sons of Korah wrote this psalm for the music leader.

Riches cannot save you

49 Listen to this, people from every nation.
Yes, listen carefully,
everyone who lives in this world!
2 All people must listen, whoever you are,
whether you are rich people or poor people.
3 I will speak wise words to you.
When you know my thoughts,
you will understand things better.
4 I have studied proverbs.
I explain what they mean
as I make music on my harp.
5 When trouble comes,
why am I afraid?
When cruel people are all round me,
and they want to hurt me,
why am I afraid?
6 Those people think that their money will keep them safe.
They are proud about their riches.
7 Nobody can pay the price to save another person.
Nobody can pay God the price for their life.
8 A human life costs too much to buy it back.
Nobody could ever pay enough.
9 So nobody can live for ever.
Everyone goes to their grave one day.
10 Surely you see that even wise people die,
in the way that fools and stupid people also die.
Then their money will belong to someone else.
11 Their graves will be their homes for ever.
They had their own land,
which was called by their name,
12 but people do not live for ever,
even if they are very rich.
They will die, just like the animals.

13 The same thing will happen to fools,
and to those who copy their way of life.
Selah.
14 They will follow one another like sheep.
Death will be their shepherd
that leads them into their graves.
But when the day arrives,
righteous people will rule over them.
They will no longer live in their great houses,
but death will destroy their bodies in their graves.
15 But God will save my life from the power of death.
He will take me to a safe place with him.
Selah.
16 If somebody becomes rich
and he has more and more things,
do not be afraid! [ a ]
17 He cannot take anything with him when he dies.
His riches cannot go with him into death.
18 While he lived, he was happy with his life.
He thought, ‘People will praise me,
because I am rich.’
19 But he will join his ancestors in death.
He will never see the light of day again.
20 Rich people do not always understand the truth.
They will die, just like the animals.

Footnotes

  1. 49:16 This is the answer to the question in verse 5. There is no need to be afraid of rich people. They may do bad things to us, they may rob us, they may even hurt us, but their money cannot buy life.

To the director: A song from the Korah family.

49 Listen to this, all you nations.
Pay attention, all you people on earth.
2 Everyone, rich and poor, listen to me.
3 I have some very wise words for you.
My thoughts will give you understanding.
4 I listened to these sayings.
And now, with my harp, I will sing and make the hidden meaning clear.

5 Why should I be afraid when trouble comes?
There is no need to fear when evil enemies surround me.
6 They think their wealth will protect them.
They brag about how rich they are.
7 But no one has enough to buy back a life,
and you cannot bribe [ a ] God.
8 You will never get enough money
to pay for your own life.
9 You will never have enough
to buy the right to live forever
and keep your body out of the grave.
10 Look, the wise die the same as fools and stupid people. [ b ]
They die and leave their wealth to others.
11 The grave will be their new home forever.
And how much land they owned will not make any difference.
12 People might be wealthy, but they cannot stay here forever.
They will die like the animals.
13 That is what happens to all who trust in themselves
and to anyone who accepts their way of life. Selah
14 They are just like sheep, but the grave will be their pen.
Death will be their shepherd.
When morning comes, the good people will enjoy victory,
as the bodies of the proud slowly rot in the grave,
far away from their fancy houses.

15 But God will pay the price to save me from the grave.
He will take me to be with him. Selah

16 Don’t be afraid of people just because they are rich.
Don’t be afraid of people just because they have big, fancy houses.
17 They will not take anything with them when they die.
They will not take their wealth with them.
18 A wealthy man might tell himself how well he has done in life.
And other people might praise him.
19 But the time will come for him to die and go to his ancestors.
And he will never again see the light of day.
20 Wealthy people don’t seem to understand
that they will die like the animals.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 49:7 bribe Here, this means offering a gift or sacrifice so that God will not punish a guilty person.
  2. Psalm 49:10 stupid people Or “animals.”

49 Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

2 Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.

12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

13 This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

The Foolishness of Trusting in Riches.

For the music director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

49 ( A ) Hear this, all peoples;
Listen, all ( B ) inhabitants of the world,
2 Both ( C ) low and high,
Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth will ( D ) speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart will be ( E ) understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to ( F ) a proverb;
( G ) I will [ a ] express my ( H ) riddle on the harp.

5 Why should I ( I ) fear in days of adversity,
When the injustice of those who betray me surrounds me,
6 Those who ( J ) trust in their wealth
And boast in the abundance of their riches?
7 No one can by any means ( K ) redeem another
Or give God a ( L ) ransom for him—
8 For ( M ) the redemption of [ b ] his soul is priceless,
And he should cease imagining forever—
9 That he might ( N ) live on eternally,
That he might not [ c ] ( O ) undergo decay.

10 For he sees that even ( P ) wise people die;
The ( Q ) foolish and the stupid alike perish
And ( R ) leave their wealth to others.
11 Their [ d ] ( S ) inner thought is that their houses ( T ) are forever
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have ( U ) named their lands after their own names.
12 But ( V ) man in his splendor will not endure;
He is like the animals that [ e ] perish.

13 This is the ( W ) way of those who are foolish,
And of those after them who ( X ) approve their words. Selah
14 Like sheep they sink down ( Y ) to [ f ] Sheol;
Death will be their shepherd;
And the ( Z ) upright will rule over them in the morning,
And their form shall be for [ g ] Sheol ( AA ) to consume
[ h ] So that they have no lofty home.
15 But God will ( AB ) redeem my soul from the [ i ] power of [ j ] Sheol,
For ( AC ) He will receive me. Selah

16 Do not be afraid ( AD ) when a person becomes rich,
When the splendor of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies, he will ( AE ) take nothing with him ;
His [ k ] wealth will not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives he ( AF ) congratulates [ l ] himself—
And though people praise you when you do well for yourself—
19 [ m ] He will ( AG ) go to the generation of his fathers;
They will never see ( AH ) the light.
20 ( AI ) Mankind in its splendor, yet without understanding,
Is ( AJ ) like the animals that [ n ] perish.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 49:4 Lit open up
  2. Psalm 49:8 Lit their
  3. Psalm 49:9 Or see corruption ; lit see the pit
  4. Psalm 49:11 Some ancient versions graves are their houses
  5. Psalm 49:12 Lit are destroyed
  6. Psalm 49:14 I.e., the netherworld
  7. Psalm 49:14 I.e., the netherworld
  8. Psalm 49:14 Lit Away from his habitation
  9. Psalm 49:15 Lit hand
  10. Psalm 49:15 I.e., the netherworld
  11. Psalm 49:17 Lit glory
  12. Psalm 49:18 Lit his soul
  13. Psalm 49:19 Lit You ; or It
  14. Psalm 49:20 Lit are destroyed

Psalm 49 [ a ]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 Hear ( A ) this, all you peoples; ( B )
listen, all who live in this world, ( C )
2 both low and high, ( D )
rich and poor alike:
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom; ( E )
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding. ( F )
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb; ( G )
with the harp ( H ) I will expound my riddle: ( I )

5 Why should I fear ( J ) when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth ( K )
and boast ( L ) of their great riches? ( M )
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom ( N ) for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough— ( O )
9 so that they should live on ( P ) forever
and not see decay. ( Q )
10 For all can see that the wise die, ( R )
that the foolish and the senseless ( S ) also perish,
leaving their wealth ( T ) to others. ( U )
11 Their tombs ( V ) will remain their houses [ b ] forever,
their dwellings for endless generations, ( W )
though they had [ c ] named ( X ) lands after themselves.

12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure; ( Y )
they are like the beasts that perish. ( Z )

13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, ( AA )
and of their followers, who approve their sayings. [ d ]
14 They are like sheep and are destined ( AB ) to die; ( AC )
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail ( AD ) over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; ( AE )
he will surely take me to himself. ( AF )
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing ( AG ) with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them. ( AH )
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed— ( AI )
and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them, ( AJ )
who will never again see the light ( AK ) of life.

20 People who have wealth but lack understanding ( AL )
are like the beasts that perish. ( AM )

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 49:1 In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.
  2. Psalm 49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
  3. Psalm 49:11 Or generations, / for they have
  4. Psalm 49:13 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.
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