Psalm 49a

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 Hearr this, all you peoples;s

listen, all who live in this world,t

2 both low and high,u

rich and poor alike:

3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;v

the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.w

4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;x

with the harpy I will expound my riddle:z

5 Why should I feara when evil days come,

when wicked deceivers surround me—

6 those who trust in their wealthb

and boastc of their great riches?d

7 No one can redeem the life of another

or give to God a ransom for them—

8 the ransome for a life is costly,

no payment is ever enough—f

9 so that they should live ong forever

and not see decay.h

10 For all can see that the wise die,i

that the foolish and the senselessj also perish,

leaving their wealthk to others.l

11 Their tombsm will remain their housesb forever,

their dwellings for endless generations,n

though they hadc namedo lands after themselves.

12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure;p

they are like the beasts that perish.q

13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,r

and of their followers, who approve their sayings.d

14 They are like sheep and are destineds to die;t

death will be their shepherd

(but the upright will prevailu over them in the morning).

Their forms will decay in the grave,

far from their princely mansions.

15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;v

he will surely take me to himself.w

16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,

when the splendor of their houses increases;

17 for they will take nothingx with them when they die,

their splendor will not descend with them.y

18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—z

and people praise you when you prosper—

19 they will join those who have gone before them,a

who will never again see the lightb of life.

20 People who have wealth but lack understandingc

are like the beasts that perish.d

Psalm 50

A psalm of Asaph.

1 The Mighty One, God, the Lord,e

speaks and summons the earth

from the rising of the sun to where it sets.f

2 From Zion,g perfect in beauty,h

God shines forth.i

3 Our God comesj

and will not be silent;k

a fire devoursl before him,m

and around him a tempestn rages.

4 He summons the heavens above,

and the earth,o that he may judge his people:p

5 “Gather to me this consecrated people,q

who made a covenantr with me by sacrifice.”

6 And the heavens proclaims his righteousness,

for he is a God of justice.a,b t

7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak;

I will testifyu against you, Israel:

I am God, your God.v

8 I bring no chargesw against you concerning your sacrifices

or concerning your burnt offerings,x which are ever before me.

9 I have no need of a bully from your stall

or of goatsz from your pens,a

10 for every animal of the forestb is mine,

and the cattle on a thousand hills.c

11 I know every birdd in the mountains,

and the insects in the fieldse are mine.

12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,

for the worldf is mine, and all that is in it.g

13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls

or drink the blood of goats?

14 “Sacrifice thank offeringsh to God,

fulfill your vowsi to the Most High,j

15 and callk on me in the day of trouble;l

I will deliverm you, and you will honorn me.”

16 But to the wicked person, God says:

“What right have you to recite my laws

or take my covenanto on your lips?p

17 You hateq my instruction

and cast my words behindr you.

18 When you see a thief, you joins with him;

you throw in your lot with adulterers.t

19 You use your mouth for evil

and harness your tongue to deceit.u

20 You sit and testify against your brotherv

and slander your own mother’s son.

21 When you did these things and I kept silent,w

you thought I was exactlyc like you.

But I now arraignx you

and set my accusationsy before you.

22 “Consider this, you who forget God,z

or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:a

23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,

and to the blamelessd I will show my salvation.b”