Psa 49 | HCSB | STEP | For the choir director . A psalm of the sons of Korah . Hear this , all you peoples ; listen , all who inhabit the world ,

Psalms 49

Misplaced Trust in Wealth

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

Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who inhabit the world, ^a
2 both low and high, ^{▼▼Lit both sons of Adam and sons of man}
rich and poor together. ^c
3 My mouth speaks wisdom;
my heart’s meditation brings understanding. ^d
4 I turn my ear to a proverb;
I explain my riddle with a lyre. ^e

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble?
The iniquity of my foes surrounds me. ^f
6 They trust in their wealth
and boast of their abundant riches. ^g
7 Yet these cannot redeem a person ^{▼▼Or Certainly he cannot redeem himself, or Yet he cannot redeem a brother}
or pay his ransom to God ⁱ –
8 since the price of redeeming him is too costly,
one should forever stop trying ^{▼▼Or costly, it will cease forever
,} ^k –
9 so that he may live forever
and not see the ^{▼▼Pit: Either the grave or the realm of the dead}Pit. ^m

10 For one can see that wise men die;
foolish and stupid men also pass away. ⁿ
Then they leave their wealth to others. ^o
11 Their graves are their eternal homes, ^{▼▼LXX, Syr, Tg; MT reads Their inner thought is that their houses are eternal}
their homes from generation to generation,
though they have named estates after themselves. ^q
12 But despite his assets, ^{▼▼Or honor} man will not last;
he is like the animals that perish. ^s

13 This is the way of those who are arrogant,
and of their followers,
who approve of their words. ^{▼▼Lit and after them with their mouth they were pleased
,} ^{u
,} ^{▼▼Selah: A Hebrew word whose meaning is uncertain; various interpretations include: (1) a musical notation, (2) a pause for silence, (3) a signal for worshipers to fall prostrate on the ground, (4) a term for the worshipers to call out, and (5) a word meaning "forever"}
Selah

14 Like sheep they are headed for ^{▼▼Sheol: A Hebrew word for either the grave or the realm of the dead}Sheol;
Death will shepherd them.
The upright will rule over them in the morning, ^x
and their form will waste away in Sheol, ^{▼▼Hb obscure}
far from their lofty abode. ^z
15 But God will redeem my life
from the power of Sheol,
for He will take me. ^{aa
,} ^{▼▼Selah: A Hebrew word whose meaning is uncertain; various interpretations include: (1) a musical notation, (2) a pause for silence, (3) a signal for worshipers to fall prostrate on the ground, (4) a term for the worshipers to call out, and (5) a word meaning "forever"}
Selah

16 Do not be afraid when a man gets rich,
when the wealth ^{▼▼Or glory} of his house increases. ^ad
17 For when he dies, he will take nothing at all;
his wealth ^{▼▼Or glory} will not follow him down. ^af
18 Though he praises himself during his lifetime –
and people praise you when you do well for yourself ^ag –
19 he will go to the generation of his fathers;
they will never see the light. ^ah
20 A man with valuable possessions ^{▼▼Or with honor}
but without understanding
is like the animals that perish. ^aj