← Psalm

Psalm 49

1
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world, Begin Abide·
2
both low and high, rich and poor alike. Begin Abide·
3
My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding. Begin Abide·
4
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp: Begin Abide·
5
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me? Begin Abide·
6
They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches. Begin Abide·
7
No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God. Begin Abide·
8
For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice, Begin Abide·
9
that he should live on forever and not see decay. Begin Abide·
10
For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others. Begin Abide·
11
Their graves are their eternal homes—their dwellings for endless generations—even though their lands were their namesakes. Begin Abide·
12
But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish. Begin Abide·
13
This is the fate of the foolish and their followers who endorse their sayings. Selah Begin Abide·
14
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. Begin Abide·
15
But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. Selah Begin Abide·
16
Do not be afraid when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases. Begin Abide·
17
For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down. Begin Abide·
18
Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul—and men praise you when you prosper— Begin Abide·
19
he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day. Begin Abide·
20
A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish. Begin Abide·