Psalms 49
49
PSALM 49
Common Meter: 8,6,8,6
To the chief Musician,
A Psalm for the sons of Korah.
1Hear this, all people, and give ear,
all in the world that dwell;
2Both low and high, both rich and poor.
3My mouth shall wisdom tell:
My heart shall knowledge meditate.
4I will incline mine ear
To parables, and on the harp
my sayings dark declare.
5Amidst those days that evil be,
why should I, fearing, doubt?
When of my heels th' iniquity
shall compass me about.
6Whoe'er they be that in their wealth
their confidence do pitch,
And boast themselves, because they are
become exceeding rich:
7Yet none of these his brother can
redeem by any way;
Nor can he unto God for him
sufficient ransom pay,
8(Their soul's redemption precious is,
and it can never be,)
9That still he should for ever live,
and not corruption see.
10For why? he seeth that wise men die,
and brutish fools also
Do perish; and their wealth, when dead,
to others they let go.
11Their inward thought is, that their house
and dwelling-places shall
Stand through all ages; they their lands
by their own names do call.
12But yet in honour shall not man
abide continually;
But passing hence, may be compar'd
unto the beasts that die.
13Thus brutish folly plainly is
their wisdom and their way;
Yet their posterity approve
what they do fondly say.
14Like sheep they in the grave are laid,
and death shall them devour;
And in the morning upright men
shall over them have pow'r:
Their beauty from their dwelling shall
consume within the grave.
15But from hell's hand God will me free,
for he shall me receive.
16Be thou not then afraid when one
enriched thou dost see,
Nor when the glory of his house
advanced is on high:
17For he shall carry nothing hence
when death his days doth end;
Nor shall his glory after him
into the grave descend.
18Although he his own soul did bless
whilst he on earth did live;
(And when thou to thyself dost well,
men will thee praises give;)
19He to his fathers' race shall go,
they never shall see light.
20Man honour'd wanting knowledge is
like beasts that perish quite.
maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Psalms 49
49
The Evanescence of Wealth
(Ecclesiastes 5:8–20)
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all inhabitants of the world,
2both low and high,
rich and poor alike.
3My mouth will impart wisdom,
and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.
4I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will express my riddle with the harp:
5Why should I fear in times of trouble,
when wicked usurpers surround me?
6They trust in their wealth
and boast in their great riches.
7No man can possibly redeem his brother #49:7 Or redeem another
or pay his ransom to God.
8For the redemption of his soul is costly,
and never can payment suffice,
9that he should live on forever
and not see decay.
10For it is clear that wise men die,
and the foolish and the senseless both perish
and leave their wealth to others.
11Their graves #49:11 LXX, Syriac, and Aramaic Targum; Hebrew Their inward thoughts are their eternal homes—
their dwellings for endless generations—
even though their lands were their namesakes.
12But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure;
he is like the beasts that perish.
13This is the fate of the self-confident #49:13 Or the way of the foolish
and their followers who endorse their sayings.
Selah
14Like sheep they are destined for Sheol.
Death will be their shepherd.
The upright will rule them in the morning,
and their form will decay in Sheol,
far from their lofty abode.
15But God will redeem my life from Sheol,
for He will surely take me to Himself.
Selah
16Do not be amazed when a man grows rich,
when the splendor of his house increases.
17For when he dies, he will carry nothing away;
his abundance will not follow him down.
18Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul—
and men praise you when you prosper—
19he will join the generation of his fathers,
who will never see the light of day.
20A man who has riches without understanding
is like the beasts that perish.
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