Psalm 49

The Folly of Trusting in Riches.

For the choir director. 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 will speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart will be understanding.

4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will express my riddle on the harp.

5 Why should I fear in days of adversity,
When the iniquity of my 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 his soul is costly,
And he should cease trying forever-

9 That he should live on eternally,
That he should not tundergo 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 tinner 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 pomp will not endure;
He is like the beasts that perish.

13 This is the way of those who are foolish,
And of those after them who approve their words. Selah.

14 As sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
And the upright shall rule over them in the morning,
And their form shall be for Sheol to consume
So that they have no habitation.

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,
For He will receive me. Selah.

16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich,
When the tglory of his house is increased;

17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
His tglory will not descend after him.

18 Though while he lives he congratulates himself-
And though men praise you when you do well for yourself-

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