Psalm 49

Misplaced Trust in Wealth

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

1 Hear this, all you peoples;

listen, all who inhabit the world, z

2 both low and high, a

rich and poor together. b

3 My mouth speaks wisdom;

my heart’s meditation brings understanding. c

4 I turn my ear to a proverb;

I explain my riddle with a lyre. d

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble?

The iniquity of my foes surrounds me. e

6 They trust in their wealth

and boast of their abundant riches. f

7 Yet these cannot redeem a person g

or pay his ransom to God h—

8 since the price of redeeming him is too costly,

one should forever stop trying i j—

9 so that he may live forever

and not see the * Pit. k

10 For one can see that wise men die;

foolish and stupid men also pass away. l

Then they leave their wealth to others. m

11 Their graves are their eternal homes, n

their homes from generation to generation,

though they have named estates after themselves. o

12 But despite his assets, p man will not last;

he is like the animals that perish. q

13 This is the way of those who are arrogant,

and of their followers,

who approve of their words. r s * Selah

14 Like 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

15 But God will redeem my life

from the power of Sheol,

for He will take me. w Selah

16 Do not be afraid when a man gets rich,

when the wealth x of his house increases. y

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

his wealth z will not follow him down. a

18 Though he praises himself during his lifetime—

and people praise you when you do well for yourself b—

19 he will go to the generation of his fathers;

they will never see the light. c

20 A man with valuable possessions d

but without understanding

is like the animals that perish. e