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

For the music director, a psalm by the Korahites.

1 Listen to this, all you nations!
Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world!

2 Pay attention, all you people,
both rich and poor!

3 I will declare a wise saying;
I will share my profound thoughts.

4 I will learn a song that imparts wisdom;
I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp.

5 Why should I be afraid in times of trouble,
when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm me?

6 They trust in their wealth
and boast in their great riches.

7 Certainly a man cannot rescue his brother;
he cannot pay God an adequate ransom price

8 (the ransom price for a human life is too high,
and people go to their final destiny),

9 so that he might continue to live forever
and not experience death.

10 Surely one sees that even wise people die;
fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away
and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their grave becomes their permanent residence,
their eternal dwelling place.
They name their lands after themselves,

12 but, despite their wealth, people do not last,
they are like animals that perish.

13 This is the destiny of fools,
and of those who approve of their philosophy. (Selah)

14 They will travel to Sheol like sheep,
with death as their shepherd.
The godly will rule over them when the day of vindication dawns;
Sheol will consume their bodies and they will no longer live in impressive houses.

15 But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol;
certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah)

16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich
and his wealth multiplies!

17 For he will take nothing with him when he dies;
his wealth will not follow him down into the grave.

18 He pronounces this blessing on himself while he is alive:
“May men praise you, for you have done well!”

19 But he will join his ancestors;
they will never again see the light of day.

20 Wealthy people do not understand;
they are like animals that perish.