Psalm 49–50

Psalm 49^a

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

¹Hear^r this, all you peoples;^s

listen, all who live in this world,^t

²both low and high,^u

rich and poor alike:

³My mouth will speak words of wisdom;^v

the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.^w

⁴I will turn my ear to a proverb;^x

with the harp^y I will expound my riddle:^z

⁵Why should I fear^a when evil days come,

when wicked deceivers surround me—

⁶those who trust in their wealth^b

and boast^c of their great riches?^d

⁷No one can redeem the life of another

or give to God a ransom for them—

⁸the ransom^e for a life is costly,

no payment is ever enough—^f

⁹so that they should live on^g forever

and not see decay.^h

¹⁰For all can see that the wise die,ⁱ

that the foolish and the senseless^j also perish,

leaving their wealth^k to others.^l

¹¹Their tombs^m will remain their houses^b forever,

their dwellings for endless generations,ⁿ

though they had^c named^o lands after themselves.

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

they are like the beasts that perish.^q

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

and of their followers, who approve their sayings.^d

¹⁴They are like sheep and are destined^s to die;^t

death will be their shepherd

(but the upright will prevail^u over them in the morning).

Their forms will decay in the grave,

far from their princely mansions.

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

he will surely take me to himself.^w

¹⁶Do not be overawed when others grow rich,

when the splendor of their houses increases;

¹⁷for they will take nothing^x with them when they die,

their splendor will not descend with them.^y

¹⁸Though while they live they count themselves blessed—^z

and people praise you when you prosper—

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

who will never again see the light^b of life.

²⁰People who have wealth but lack understanding^c

are like the beasts that perish.^d

Psalm 50

A psalm of Asaph.

¹The Mighty One, God, the Lord,^e

speaks and summons the earth

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

²From Zion,^g perfect in beauty,^h

God shines forth.ⁱ

³Our God comes^j

and will not be silent;^k

a fire devours^l before him,^m

and around him a tempestⁿ rages.

⁴He 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 covenant^r with me by sacrifice.”

⁶And the heavens proclaim^s his righteousness,

for he is a God of justice.^abt

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

I will testify^u against you, Israel:

I am God, your God.^v

⁸I bring no charges^w against you concerning your sacrifices

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

⁹I have no need of a bull^y from your stall

or of goats^z from your pens,^a

¹⁰for every animal of the forest^b is mine,

and the cattle on a thousand hills.^c

¹¹I know every bird^d in the mountains,

and the insects in the fields^e are mine.

¹²If I were hungry I would not tell you,

for the world^f is mine, and all that is in it.^g

¹³Do I eat the flesh of bulls

or drink the blood of goats?

¹⁴“Sacrifice thank offerings^h to God,

fulfill your vowsⁱ to the Most High,^j

¹⁵and call^k on me in the day of trouble;^l

I will deliver^m you, and you will honorⁿ me.”

¹⁶But to the wicked person, God says:

“What right have you to recite my laws

or take my covenant^o on your lips?^p

¹⁷You hate^q my instruction

and cast my words behind^r you.

¹⁸When you see a thief, you join^s with him;

you throw in your lot with adulterers.^t

¹⁹You use your mouth for evil

and harness your tongue to deceit.^u

²⁰You sit and testify against your brother^v

and slander your own mother’s son.

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

you thought I was exactly^c like you.

But I now arraign^x you

and set my accusations^y before you.

²²“Consider this, you who forget God,^z

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

²³Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,

and to the blameless^d I will show my salvation.^b”