Psalm 49

Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble?

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1  Hear this, all peoples!
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2  both low and high,
rich and poor together!
3  My mouth shall speak wisdom;
the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4  I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.

5  Why should I fear in times of trouble,
when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6  those who trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7  Truly no man can ransom another,
or give to God the price of his life,
8  for the ransom of their life is costly
and can never suffice,
9  that he should live on forever
and never see the pit.

10  For he sees that even the wise die;
the fool and the stupid alike must perish
and leave their wealth to others.
11  Their graves are their homes forever,t
their dwelling places to all generations,
though they called lands by their own names.
12  Man in his pomp will not remain;
he is like the beasts that perish.

13  This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;
yet after them people approve of their boasts.t Selah
14  Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.
Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
15  But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me. Selah

16  Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
17  For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
his glory will not go down after him.
18  For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed
—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
19  his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,
who will never again see light.
20  Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 49

1 Hear this, all ye peoples; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,

2 Both low and high, Rich and poor together.

3 My mouth shall speak 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 iniquity at my heels compasseth 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 life is costly, And it faileth for ever;)

9 That he should still live alway, That he should not see corruption.

10 For he shall see it. Wise men die; The fool and the brutish alike 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 But man being in honor abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish.

13 This their way is their folly: Yet after them men approve their sayings. Selah

14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be for Sheol to consume, That there be no habitation for it.

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; For he will 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 praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself,)

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

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