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 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.