Psalms 49

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 [a]Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,
2 both low and high, rich and poor alike:
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:
5 Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
7 No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—
9 so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
10 For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others.
11 Their tombs will remain their houses[b] forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had[c] named lands after themselves.
12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.[d]
14 They 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.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed— and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.
20 People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.

Cross References 39

  • 1. Isaiah 1:2
  • 2. Psalms 78:1
  • 3. S Psalms 33:8
  • 4. Psalms 62:9
  • 5. S Psalms 37:30
  • 6. Psalms 119:130
  • 7. Psalms 78:2; Proverbs 1:6; Ezekiel 12:22; Ezekiel 16:44; Ezekiel 18:2-3; Luke 4:23
  • 8. S 1 Samuel 16:16; Psalms 33:2
  • 9. S Numbers 12:8
  • 10. Psalms 23:4; Psalms 27:1
  • 11. S Job 22:25; Psalms 73:12; Jeremiah 48:7; Job 31:24
  • 12. S Psalms 10:3
  • 13. S Job 36:19
  • 14. S Numbers 35:31
  • 15. Matthew 16:26
  • 16. Psalms 22:29; Psalms 89:48
  • 17. Psalms 16:10
  • 18. Ecclesiastes 2:16
  • 19. Psalms 92:6; Psalms 94:8
  • 20. S Job 27:17
  • 21. Ecclesiastes 2:18,21; Luke 12:20
  • 22. Mark 5:3; Luke 8:27
  • 23. Psalms 106:31
  • 24. Genesis 4:17; S Deuteronomy 3:14
  • 25. S Job 14:2
  • 26. ver 20; 2 Peter 2:12
  • 27. Luke 12:20
  • 28. Jeremiah 43:11; Ezekiel 31:14
  • 29. Numbers 16:30; S Job 21:13; Job 24:19; Psalms 9:17; Psalms 55:15
  • 30. Isaiah 14:2; Daniel 7:18; Malachi 4:3; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 2:26
  • 31. Psalms 56:13; Hosea 13:14
  • 32. S Genesis 5:24; Psalms 73:24
  • 33. 1 Timothy 6:7
  • 34. S Psalms 17:14; 1 Timothy 6:7
  • 35. Deuteronomy 29:19; Psalms 10:6; Luke 12:19
  • 36. S Genesis 15:15
  • 37. S Job 33:30
  • 38. Proverbs 16:16
  • 39. S ver 12; Ecclesiastes 3:19

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.
  • [b]. Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew "In their thoughts their houses will remain"
  • [c]. Or "generations," / "for they have"
  • [d]. The Hebrew has "Selah" (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.

Psalms 49 Commentaries

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