Psalm 49

Misplaced Trust in Wealth

For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

¹Hear this, all you peoples;

listen, all who inhabit the world, ^a

²both low and high,

rich and poor together. ^b

³My mouth speaks wisdom;

my heart’s meditation brings understanding. ^c

⁴I turn my ear to a proverb;

I explain my riddle with a lyre. ^d

⁵Why should I fear in times of trouble?

The iniquity of my foes surrounds me. ^e

⁶They trust in their wealth

and boast of their abundant riches. ^f

⁷Yet these cannot redeem a person ^g

or pay his ransom to God ^h —

⁸since the price of redeeming him is too costly,

one should forever stop trying ⁱ,^j —

⁹so that he may live forever

and not see the Pit. ^k

¹⁰For one can see that the wise die;

the foolish and stupid also pass away. ^l

Then they leave their wealth to others. ^m

¹¹Their graves are their permanent homes, ⁿ

their dwellings from generation to generation,

though they have named estates after themselves. ^o

¹²But despite his assets, ^p mankind will not last;

he is like the animals that perish. ^q

¹³This is the way of those who are arrogant,

and of their followers,

who approve of their words. ^r,^s Selah

¹⁴Like sheep they are headed for Sheol;

Death will shepherd them.

The upright will rule over them in the morning, ^t

and their form will waste away in Sheol, ^u

far from their lofty abode. ^v

¹⁵But God will redeem me

from the power of Sheol,

for he will take me. ^w Selah

¹⁶Do not be afraid when a person gets rich,

when the wealth ^x of his house increases. ^y

¹⁷For when he dies, he will take nothing at all;

his wealth will not follow him down. ^z

¹⁸Though he blesses himself during his lifetime —

and you are acclaimed when you do well for yourself ^aa —

¹⁹he will go to the generation of his ancestors;

they will never see the light. ^ab

²⁰Mankind, with his assets

but without understanding,

is like the animals that perish. ^ac