Psalms 49
49
Psalm 49
For the music leader. A psalm of the Korahites.
1Listen to this, all you people!
Listen closely, all you citizens of the world—
2people of every kind,
rich and poor alike!
3My mouth speaks wisdom;
my heart’s meditation is full of insight.
4I will pay close attention to a proverb;
I will explain my riddle on the lyre.
5Why should I be afraid in times of trouble,
when the wrongdoing of my bullies engulfs me—
6those people who trust in their fortunes
and boast of their fantastic wealth?
7Wealth? It can’t save a single person!
It can’t pay a life’s ransom-price to God.
8The price to save someone’s life is too high—
wealth will never be enough—
9no one can live forever
without experiencing the pit.
10Everyone knows that the wise die too,
just like foolish and stupid people do,
all of them leaving their fortunes to others.
11Their graves#49.11 Correction with LXX are their eternal homes,
the place they live for all generations,
even if they had counties named after them!
12People won’t live any longer because of wealth;
they’re just like the animals that pass away.
13That’s how it goes for those who are foolish,
as well as for those who follow their lead, pleased with their talk.
Selah
14Like sheep, they’re headed straight for the grave.#49.14 Heb Sheol; also again in 49:7, 15
Death will be their shepherd—
but those who do right in their hearts will rule over them come morning!—
their forms wasting away in the grave
rather than having some dignified residence.#49.14 Heb uncertain in 49:13-14
15But God will save my life from the power of the grave,
because he will take me. Selah
16Don’t be overly impressed when someone becomes rich,
their house swelling to fantastic proportions,
17because when they die, they won’t take any of it with them.
Their fantastic things won’t accompany them down under.
18Though they consider themselves blessed during their lives,
and even thank you when you deal well with them,#49.18 LXX, Syr
19they too will join the ancestors who’ve gone ahead;
they too will never see the light again.
20Wealthy people? They just don’t understand;
they’re just like the animals
that pass away.
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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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