Psalms Chapter 49
For the Choir Director
A Psalm of the Sons of Korah
1 Hear this, every nation;
listen, everyone on earth,
2low and high, rich and poor alike.
3 My words are wise;
my thoughts are full of insight.
4 I listen to proverbs
and expound my riddles on a harp.
5 Why should I be afraid when there’s adversity,
when my enemies’ sins are all around me,
6people who trust in their wealth
and brag about how rich they are?
7 Nobody can use wealth to redeem a brother from death
or pay God a ransom for him—
8redeeming a life is too expensive;
you may as well forget about
9living on forever and not seeing the Pit.
Ps 49:1-9
10 Even the wise die—
just like the ignorant and senseless—
and leave their wealth to others.
11 They act like their houses will last forever,
like where they live will be there for all generations;
so they name their lands after themselves.
12 But in all their pomp, they won’t endure;
they’ll perish like animals.
13 This is the fate of the foolish
and those who agree with them:
14like sheep they’re appointed to Sheol;
death will be their shepherd.
The godly will rule them in the morning;
Sheol will consume their form
far from their stately homes.
15 But God will redeem me from its power
and take me to himself.
Ps 49:10-15
16 Don’t be afraid when people get rich,
when their houses appreciate in value;
17 because when they die, they won’t take anything with them;
what they gloried in won’t go down with them to the grave.
18 Though they congratulate themselves while they’re alive,
though other people praise them for being successful,
19they’ll go to their ancestors
and never see the light of day.
20 People in all their pomp who don’t have intelligence
amount to being like animals when they die.
Ps 49:16-20