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 chief musician. A psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,
2 whether you are highborn or lowborn, rich or poor!
both low and high, rich and poor together.
3 For what I say is wise, and my thinking is perceptive.
My mouth will speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart will be of 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 parable; I will begin my parable with the harp.
5 Why should I be afraid when trouble comes, when evil enemies surround me?
Why should I fear the days of evil, when iniquity surrounds me at my heels?
6 They trust in their wealth; they boast about their riches,
Why should I fear those who trust in their wealth and boast about the amount of their riches?
7 but no one can pay to rescue another from death; no one can pay a ransom to God.
It is certain that no one can redeem his brother or give God a ransom for him,
8 Redemption is beyond price; no one could ever pay enough
For the redemption of one's life is costly, and no one can pay what we owe.
9 that they could live forever and not face the grave.
No one can live forever so that his body should not decay.
10 Everyone knows that the wise die, those who are foolish and stupid too, leaving what they have to the next generation.
For he will see decay. Wise men die; the fool and the brute alike 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 inner thought is that their families will continue forever, and the places where they live, to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.
12 But human beings, for all their fame, don't understand. They die, just like the animals.
But man, having wealth, does not remain alive; 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, their way, is their folly; yet after them, men approve of their sayings. (Selah)
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 appointed for Sheol, and death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule over them in the morning, and their bodies will be consumed in Sheol, with no place for them to live. (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 the power of Sheol; he will receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Don't be disturbed when people become rich, filling their houses with possessions.
Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, and the glory 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 take nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
18 They congratulate themselves for all they possess—people always praise you when you do well—
He blessed his soul while he lived— and men praise you when you live for yourself—
19 but their destiny is the same as their forefathers: they will never again see the light of day.
he will go to the generation of his fathers and they will never see the light again.
20 Human beings, for all their fame, don't understand, and they die, just like the animals.
One who has wealth but no understanding is like the beasts, which perish.
