Psalms 49
1 For the end, a Psalm for the sons of Core. Hear these words, all you nations, listen, all you that dwell upon the earth:
For the music director. A psalm of the sons of Korah. Listen to this, everyone! Pay attention, people of the world—
2 both the sons of mean men, and sons of [great] men; the rich and poor [man] together.
whether you are highborn or lowborn, rich or poor!
3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall bring [forth] understanding.
For what I say is wise, and my thinking is perceptive.
4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my riddle on the harp.
I pay attention to wise sayings; I answer hard questions to a tune on the harp.
5 Therefore should I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall compass me.
Why should I be afraid when trouble comes, when evil enemies surround me?
6 They that trust in their strength, and boast themselves in the multitude of their wealth—
They trust in their wealth; they boast about their riches,
7 A brother does not redeem, shall a man redeem? he shall not give to God a ransom for himself,
but no one can pay to rescue another from death; no one can pay a ransom to God.
8 or the price of the redemption of his soul, though he labour for ever,
Redemption is beyond price; no one could ever pay enough
9 and live to the end, [so] that he should not see corruption.
that they could live forever and not face the grave.
10 When he shall see wise men dying, the fool and the senseless one shall perish together; and they shall leave their wealth to strangers.
Everyone knows that the wise die, those who are foolish and stupid too, leaving what they have to the next generation.
11 And their sepulchres are their houses for ever, [even] their tabernacles to all generations: they have called their lands after their own names.
They think their homes will last forever, that where they live will continue for all generations.
12 And man being in honour, understands not: he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like to them.
But human beings, for all their fame, don't understand. They die, just like the animals.
13 This their way is an offence to them: yet afterwards men will commend their sayings. (Pause)
This is the way of foolish people, yet those who come after them think they were clever! (Selah)
14 They have laid [them] as sheep in Hades; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, and their help shall fail in Hades from their glory. (Sheol h7585)
Like sheep they are destined for the grave. Death will be their shepherd. Those who live right will rule over them in the morning. Their bodies will decay in the grave, far from their homes. (Sheol h7585)
15 But God shall deliver my soul from the power of Hades, when he shall receive me. (Pause) (Sheol h7585)
But surely God will rescue me from the power of the grave; he will grab me back. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Fear not when a man is enriched, and when the glory of his house is increased.
Don't be disturbed when people become rich, filling their houses with possessions.
17 For he shall take nothing when he dies; neither shall his glory descend with him.
For they won't take anything with them when they die; their wealth will not go down into the grave with them.
18 For his soul shall be blessed in his life: he shall give thanks to you when you do well to him.
They congratulate themselves for all they possess—people always praise you when you do well—
19 [Yet] he shall go in to the generation of his fathers; he shall never see light.
but their destiny is the same as their forefathers: they will never again see the light of day.
20 Man that is in honour, understands not: he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like them.
Human beings, for all their fame, don't understand, and they die, just like the animals.
