Psalm 49

Misplaced Trust in Wealth

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

Hear this, all you peoples;

listen, all who inhabit the world,a

2both low and high,

rich and poor together.a

3My mouth speaks wisdom;

my heart’s meditation brings understanding.a

4I turn my ear to a proverb;

I explain my riddle with a lyre.a

5Why should I fear in times of trouble?

The iniquity of my foes surrounds me.a

6They trust in their wealth

and boast of their abundant riches.a

7Yet these cannot redeem a personA

or pay his ransom to Goda —

8since the price of redeeming him is too costly,

one should forever stop tryinga a —

9so that he may live forever

and not see the Pit.a

10For one can see that the wise die;

the foolish and stupid also pass away.a

Then they leave their wealth to others.b

11Their graves are their permanent homes,A

their dwellings from generation to generation,

though they have named estates after themselves.a

12But despite his assets,A mankind will not last;

he is like the animals that perish.a

13This is the way of those who are arrogant,

and of their followers,

who approve of their words.a a

Selah

14Like sheep they are headed for Sheol;

Death will shepherd them.

The upright will rule over them in the morning,a

and their form will waste away in Sheol,A

far from their lofty abode.b

15But God will redeem me

from the power of Sheol,

for he will take me.a

Selah

16Do not be afraid when a person gets rich,

when the wealthA of his house increases.a

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

his wealth will not follow him down.a

18Though he blesses himself during his lifetime —

and you are acclaimed when you do well for yourselfa —

19he will go to the generation of his ancestors;

they will never see the light.a

20Mankind, with his assets

but without understanding,

is like the animals that perish.a