Psalm 49
Misplaced Trust in Wealth
For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1Hear this, all you peoples;
2both low and high,
rich and poor together.49:2 Ps 62:9
3My mouth speaks wisdom;
my heart’s meditation brings understanding.49:3 Ps 37:30
4I turn my ear to a proverb;
5Why should I fear in times of trouble?
6They trust in their wealth
7Yet these cannot redeem a person49:7 Or Certainly he cannot redeem himself, or Yet he cannot redeem a brother
or pay his ransom to God49:7 Jb 36:18–19; Mt 25:8–9 —
8since the price of redeeming him is too costly,
one should forever stop trying49:8 Or costly, it will cease forever49:8 Mt 16:26 —
9so that he may live forever
10For one can see that the wise die;
the foolish and stupid also pass away.49:10 Ec 2:16
Then they leave their wealth to others.49:10 Ps 39:6; Ec 2:18–19; Lk 12:20
11Their graves are their permanent homes,49:11 LXX, Syr, Tg; MT reads Their inner thought is that their houses are eternal
their dwellings from generation to generation,
12But despite his assets,49:12 Or honor mankind will not last;
he is like the animals that perish.49:12 Ec 3:19
13This is the way of those who are arrogant,
and of their followers,
who approve of their words.49:13 Lit and after them with their mouth they were pleased49:13 Ps 31:23; Pr 16:18; 21:24Selah
14Like sheep they are headed for Sheol;
Death will shepherd them.
The upright will rule over them in the morning,49:14 Rv 2:26
and their form will waste away in Sheol,49:14 Hb obscure
15But God will redeem me
from the power of Sheol,
16Do not be afraid when a person gets rich,
when the wealth49:16 Or glory, also in v. 17 of his house increases.49:16 Ps 37:7
17For when he dies, he will take nothing at all;
18Though he blesses himself during his lifetime —
19he will go to the generation of his ancestors;
20Mankind, with his assets
but without understanding,
is like the animals that perish.49:20 Ec 3:19
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