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Psalm 49

The Folly of Trusting in Riches.

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

1Hear this, all peoples;
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 Both low and high,
Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth will speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart will be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will [a]express my riddle on the harp.

5 Why should I fear in days of adversity,
When the iniquity of my [b]foes surrounds me,
6 Even those who trust in their wealth
And boast in the abundance of their riches?
7 No man can by any means redeem his brother
Or give to God a ransom for him—
8 For the redemption of [c]his soul is costly,
And he should cease trying forever—
9 That he should live on eternally,
That he should not [d]undergo decay.

10 For he sees that even wise men die;
The stupid and the senseless alike perish
And leave their wealth to others.
11 Their [e]inner thought is that their houses are forever
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have called their lands after their own names.
12 But man in his [f]pomp will not endure;
He is like the [g]beasts that [h]perish.

13 This is the way of those who are foolish,
And of those after them who approve their words. [i]Selah.
14 As sheep they are appointed for [j]Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
And the upright shall rule over them in the morning,
And their form shall be for [k]Sheol to consume
[l]So that they have no habitation.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the [m]power of [n]Sheol,
For He will receive me. Selah.

16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich,
When the [o]glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
His [p]glory will not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives he congratulates [q]himself—
And though men praise you when you do well for yourself—
19 [r]He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
They will never see the light.
20 Man in his [s]pomp, yet without understanding,
Is like the [t]beasts that [u]perish.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 49:4 Lit open up
  2. Psalm 49:5 Lit supplanters
  3. Psalm 49:8 Lit their
  4. Psalm 49:9 Or see corruption or the pit
  5. Psalm 49:11 Some versions read graves are their houses
  6. Psalm 49:12 Lit honor
  7. Psalm 49:12 Or animals
  8. Psalm 49:12 Lit are destroyed
  9. Psalm 49:13 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
  10. Psalm 49:14 I.e. the nether world
  11. Psalm 49:14 I.e. the nether world
  12. Psalm 49:14 Lit Away from his habitation
  13. Psalm 49:15 Lit hand
  14. Psalm 49:15 I.e. the nether world
  15. Psalm 49:16 Or wealth
  16. Psalm 49:17 Or wealth
  17. Psalm 49:18 Lit his soul
  18. Psalm 49:19 Lit You; or It
  19. Psalm 49:20 Lit honor
  20. Psalm 49:20 Or animals
  21. Psalm 49:20 Lit are destroyed
Psalm 49