Psalm 49

Psalm 49

For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

1 Listen to this, all you people!
Pay attention, everyone in the world!2 High and low,
rich and poor—listen!3 For my words are wise,
and my thoughts are filled with insight.4 I listen carefully to many proverbs
and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.5 Why should I fear when trouble comes,
when enemies surround me?6 They trust in their wealth
and boast of great riches.7 Yet they cannot redeem themselves from deatht
by paying a ransom to God.8 Redemption does not come so easily,
for no one can ever pay enough9 to live forever
and never see the grave.10 Those who are wise must finally die,
just like the foolish and senseless,
leaving all their wealth behind.11 The grave is their eternal home,
where they will stay forever.
They may name their estates after themselves,12 but their fame will not last.
They will die, just like animals.13 This is the fate of fools,
though they are remembered as being wise.t
Interlude14 Like sheep, they are led to the grave,t
where death will be their shepherd.
In the morning the godly will rule over them.
Their bodies will rot in the grave,
far from their grand estates.15 But as for me, God will redeem my life.
He will snatch me from the power of the grave.
Interlude16 So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich
and their homes become ever more splendid.17 For when they die, they take nothing with them.
Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.18 In this life they consider themselves fortunate
and are applauded for their success.19 But they will die like all before them
and never again see the light of day.20 People who boast of their wealth don’t understand;
they will die, just like animals.

Psalm 49

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

1 Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,

2 both low and high,
rich and poor alike:

3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the utterance from my heart will give understanding.

4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle:

5 Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—

6 those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?

7 No man can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for him—

8 the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—

9 that he should live on forever
and not see decay.

10 For all can see that wise men die;
the foolish and the senseless alike perish
and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had named lands after themselves.

12 But man, despite his riches, does not endure;
he is like the beasts that perish.

13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
Selah

14 Like sheep they are destined for the grave,
and death will feed on them.
The upright will rule over them in the morning;
their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.

15 But God will redeem my life from the grave;
he will surely take me to himself.
Selah

16 Do not be overawed when a man grows rich,
when the splendor of his house increases;

17 for he will take nothing with him when he dies,
his splendor will not descend with him.

18 Though while he lived he counted himself blessed—
and men praise you when you prosper—

19 he will join the generation of his fathers,
who will never see the light of life .

20 A man who has riches without understanding
is like the beasts that perish.