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