Psalms 49
1 For the music director. A psalm of the sons of Korah. Listen to this, everyone! Pay attention, people of the world—
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world,
2 whether you are highborn or lowborn, rich or poor!
both low and high, rich and poor alike.
3 For what I say is wise, and my thinking is perceptive.
My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.
4 I pay attention to wise sayings; I answer hard questions to a tune on the harp.
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:
5 Why should I be afraid when trouble comes, when evil enemies surround me?
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?
6 They trust in their wealth; they boast about their riches,
They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
7 but no one can pay to rescue another from death; no one can pay a ransom to God.
No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
8 Redemption is beyond price; no one could ever pay enough
For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
9 that they could live forever and not face the grave.
that he should live on forever and not see decay.
10 Everyone knows that the wise die, those who are foolish and stupid too, leaving what they have to the next generation.
For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.
11 They think their homes will last forever, that where they live will continue for all generations.
Their graves are their eternal homes— their dwellings for endless generations— even though their lands were their namesakes.
12 But human beings, for all their fame, don't understand. They die, just like the animals.
But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the way of foolish people, yet those who come after them think they were clever! (Selah)
This is the fate of the self-confident and their followers who endorse their sayings.
14 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)
Like 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. (Sheol h7585)
15 But surely God will rescue me from the power of the grave; he will grab me back. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. (Sheol h7585)
16 Don't be disturbed when people become rich, filling their houses with possessions.
Do not be amazed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.
17 For they won't take anything with them when they die; their wealth will not go down into the grave with them.
For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.
18 They congratulate themselves for all they possess—people always praise you when you do well—
Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul— and men praise you when you prosper—
19 but their destiny is the same as their forefathers: they will never again see the light of day.
he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day.
20 Human beings, for all their fame, don't understand, and they die, just like the animals.
A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
