49

Psalm 49 · Book Two · the sons of Korah

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

The Hebrew title · Berean Standard Bible

For the choirmaster

About this psalm

A wisdom psalm addressed to everybody, low and high, rich and poor together. Its subject is death and what wealth can do about it, which is nothing: none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. The rich man carries nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him. Twice it says a man in honour who does not understand is like the beasts that perish.

Read it when you are afraid of people who have more than you.

My psalms

One verse at a time · it stops at all 2 Selahs

¹Hear this, all ye people;give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:²Both low and high, rich and poor, together.³My mouth shall speak of wisdom;and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.⁴I will incline mine ear to a parable:I will open my dark saying upon the harp.⁵Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?⁶They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;⁷None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:⁸(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)⁹That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.¹⁰For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.¹¹Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations;they call their lands after their own names.¹²Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not:he is like the beasts that perish.¹³This their way is their folly:yet their posterity approve their sayings.

Selah

¹⁴Like sheep they are laid in the grave;death shall feed on them;and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.¹⁵But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave:for he shall receive me.

Selah

¹⁶Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;¹⁷For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away:his glory shall not descend after him.¹⁸Though while he lived he blessed his soul:and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.¹⁹He shall go to the generation of his fathers;they shall never see light.²⁰Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

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