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.
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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Psalm 49
49
Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble?
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of #Ps. 42, titlethe Sons of Korah.
1 #
Ps. 78:1; Isa. 1:2; Mic. 1:2 Hear this, all peoples!
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 #
Ps. 62:9
both low and high,
rich and poor together!
3My mouth shall speak #Prov. 1:20; 9:1wisdom;
the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4I will incline my ear to #[Ps. 78:2; Matt. 13:35] a proverb;
I will solve my #Num. 12:8; Prov. 1:6riddle to the music of the lyre.
5 # [Ps. 37:1] Why should I fear in #Ps. 94:13times of trouble,
when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6those who #Ps. 52:7; Prov. 11:28; Mark 10:24, 25; [Job 31:24]trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7Truly no man #[Matt. 25:9] can ransom another,
or #[Matt. 16:26] give to God #See Job 33:24the price of his life,
8for #Job 36:18, 19the ransom of their life is costly
and can never suffice,
9that he should live on forever
and #Ps. 16:10; [Ps. 89:48]never see the pit.
10For he sees #Eccles. 2:16 that even the wise die;
#
Ps. 73:22; 92:6; 94:8; Prov. 30:2 the fool and the stupid alike must perish
and #See Ps. 39:6leave their wealth to others.
11Their #Ps. 5:9; 64:6 graves are their homes forever,#49:11 Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew Their inward thought was that their homes were forever
their dwelling places #Ps. 10:6 to all generations,
though they #[Gen. 4:17]called lands by their own names.
12Man in his pomp #ver. 20; [Ps. 39:5; 82:7] will not remain;
# ver. 20; Eccles. 3:19 he is like the beasts that perish.
13This is the path of those who have #[Luke 12:20]foolish confidence;
yet after them people approve of their boasts.#49:13 Or and of those after them who approve of their boasts Selah
14Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright #[Dan. 7:22; Mal. 4:3; Luke 22:30; 1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 2:26; 20:4] shall rule over them in the morning.
#
Ps. 39:11 Their form shall be consumed #Job 24:19, 20in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
15But God will #Hos. 13:14; [Dan. 12:2] ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will #Ps. 16:11; 17:15; 73:24; [Gen. 5:24]receive me. Selah
16Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
17 # [Job 27:19] For when he dies he will #1 Tim. 6:7carry nothing away;
his glory will not go down after him.
18For though, while he lives, he counts himself #Ps. 10:3; 36:2; Deut. 29:19; Luke 12:19blessed
—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
19his soul will #Gen. 15:15 go to the generation of his fathers,
who will never again #Ps. 56:13; Job 33:30see light.
20 # ver. 12 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
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