Psalm 49
New American Standard Bible 1995
The Folly of Trusting in Riches.
For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
49 (A)Hear this, all peoples;
Give ear, 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 iniquity of my [b]foes surrounds me,
6 Even those who (J)trust in their wealth
And boast in the abundance of their riches?
7 No man can by any means (K)redeem his brother
Or give to God a (L)ransom for him—
8 For (M)the redemption of [c]his soul is costly,
And he should cease trying forever—
9 That he should (N)live on eternally,
That he should not [d](O)undergo decay.
10 For he sees that even (P)wise men die;
The (Q)stupid and the senseless alike perish
And (R)leave their wealth to others.
11 Their [e](S)inner thought is that their houses (T)are forever
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have (U)called their lands after their own names.
12 But (V)man in his [f]pomp will not endure;
He is like the [g]beasts that [h]perish.
13 This is the (W)way of those who are foolish,
And of those after them who (X)approve their words. [i]Selah.
14 As sheep they are appointed (Y)for [j]Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
And the (Z)upright shall rule over them in the morning,
And their form shall be for [k]Sheol (AA)to consume
[l]So that they have no habitation.
15 But God will (AB)redeem my soul from the [m]power of [n]Sheol,
For (AC)He will receive me. Selah.
16 Do not be afraid (AD)when a man becomes rich,
When the [o]glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies he will (AE)carry nothing away;
His [p]glory will not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives he (AF)congratulates [q]himself—
And though men praise you when you do well for yourself—
19 [r]He shall (AG)go to the generation of his fathers;
They will never see (AH)the light.
20 (AI)Man in his [s]pomp, yet without understanding,
Is (AJ)like the [t]beasts that [u]perish.
Footnotes
- Psalm 49:4 Lit open up
- Psalm 49:5 Lit supplanters
- Psalm 49:8 Lit their
- Psalm 49:9 Or see corruption or the pit
- Psalm 49:11 Some versions read graves are their houses
- Psalm 49:12 Lit honor
- Psalm 49:12 Or animals
- Psalm 49:12 Lit are destroyed
- Psalm 49:13 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
- Psalm 49:14 I.e. the nether world
- Psalm 49:14 I.e. the nether world
- Psalm 49:14 Lit Away from his habitation
- Psalm 49:15 Lit hand
- Psalm 49:15 I.e. the nether world
- Psalm 49:16 Or wealth
- Psalm 49:17 Or wealth
- Psalm 49:18 Lit his soul
- Psalm 49:19 Lit You; or It
- Psalm 49:20 Lit honor
- Psalm 49:20 Or animals
- Psalm 49:20 Lit are destroyed
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
