Psalm 49
For the director of music. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.
1Hear this, all you nations.
Listen, all you who live in this world.
2Listen, people, whether you are ordinary or important.
Listen, people, whether you are rich or poor.
3My mouth will speak wise words.
What I think about in my heart will give you understanding.
4I will pay attention to a proverb.
I will explain my riddle as I play the harp.
5Why should I be afraid when trouble comes?
Why should I fear when sinners are all around me?
They are the kind of people who want to take advantage of me.
6They trust in their wealth.
They brag about how rich they are.
7No one can pay for the life of anyone else.
No one can give God what that would cost.
8The price for a life is very high.
No payment is ever enough.
9No one can pay enough to live forever
and not rot in the grave.
10Everyone can see that even wise people die.
People who are foolish and who have no sense also pass away.
All of them leave their wealth to others.
11Their tombs will remain their houses forever.
Their graves will be their homes for all time to come.
Naming lands after themselves won’t help either.
12Even though people may be very rich, they don’t live on and on.
They are like the animals. They die.
13That’s what happens to those who trust in themselves.
It also happens to their followers, who agree with what they say.
14They are like sheep and will end up in the grave.
Death will be their shepherd.
But when honest people come to power, a new day will dawn.
The bodies of sinners will waste away in the grave.
They will end up far away from their princely houses.
15But God will save me from the place of the dead.
He will certainly take me to himself.
16Don’t get too upset when other people become rich.
Don’t be troubled when they become more and more wealthy.
17They won’t take anything with them when they die.
Their riches won’t go down to the grave with them.
18While they lived, they believed they were blessed.
People praised them when things were going well for them.
19But they will die, like their people of long ago.
They will never again see the light of life.
20People who have riches but don’t understand
are like the animals. They die.
Psalm 49In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,
2both low and high,
rich and poor alike:
3My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
4I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle:
5Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
6those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?
7No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
9so that they should live on forever
and not see decay.
10For all can see that the wise die,
that the foolish and the senseless also perish,
leaving their wealth to others.
11Their tombs will remain their houses49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had49:11 Or generations, / for they have named lands after themselves.
12People, despite their wealth, do not endure;
they are like the beasts that perish.
13This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.49:13 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.
14They are like sheep and are destined to die;
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.
15But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;
he will surely take me to himself.
16Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17for they will take nothing with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.
18Though while they live they count themselves blessed—
and people praise you when you prosper—
19they will join those who have gone before them,
who will never again see the light of life.
20People who have wealth but lack understanding
are like the beasts that perish.
