Psalm 49:5-50:15

English Standard Version

⁵^(A)Why should I fear in ^(B)times of trouble,
    when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
⁶those who ^(C)trust in their wealth
    and boast of the abundance of their riches?
⁷Truly no man ^(D)can ransom another,
    or ^(E)give to God ^(F)the price of his life,
⁸for ^(G)the ransom of their life is costly
    and can never suffice,
⁹that he should live on forever
    and ^(H)never see the pit.

¹⁰For he sees ^(I)that even the wise die;
    ^(J)the fool and the stupid alike must perish
    and ^(K)leave their wealth to others.
¹¹Their ^(L)graves are their homes forever,^[a]
    their dwelling places ^(M)to all generations,
    though they ^(N)called lands by their own names.
¹²Man in his pomp ^(O)will not remain;
    ^(P)he is like the beasts that perish.

¹³This is the path of those who have ^(Q)foolish confidence;
    yet after them people approve of their boasts.^[b] Selah
¹⁴Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
    death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright ^(R)shall rule over them in the morning.
    ^(S)Their form shall be consumed ^(T)in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
¹⁵But God will ^(U)ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
    for he will ^(V)receive me. Selah

¹⁶Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
    when the glory of his house increases.
¹⁷^(W)For when he dies he will ^(X)carry nothing away;
    his glory will not go down after him.
¹⁸For though, while he lives, he counts himself ^(Y)blessed
    —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
¹⁹his soul will ^(Z)go to the generation of his fathers,
    who will never again ^(AA)see light.
²⁰^(AB)Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

God Himself Is Judge

A Psalm of ^(AC)Asaph.

50 ^(AD)The Mighty One, God the Lord,
    speaks and summons the earth
    ^(AE)from the rising of the sun to its setting.
²Out of Zion, ^(AF)the perfection of beauty,
    ^(AG)God shines forth.

³Our God comes; he ^(AH)does not keep silence;^[c]
    before him is a devouring ^(AI)fire,
    around him a mighty tempest.
⁴^(AJ)He calls to the heavens above
    and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
⁵“Gather to me my faithful ones,
    who made ^(AK)a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
⁶^(AL)The heavens declare his righteousness,
    for ^(AM)God himself is judge! Selah

⁷^(AN)“Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
    O Israel, I will testify against you.
    ^(AO)I am God, your God.
⁸Not for your sacrifices ^(AP)do I rebuke you;
    your burnt offerings are continually before me.
⁹I will not accept a bull from your house
    or goats from your folds.
¹⁰For every beast of the forest is mine,
    the cattle on a thousand hills.
¹¹^(AQ)I know all the birds of the hills,
    and all that moves in the field is mine.

¹²“If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    ^(AR)for the world and its fullness are mine.
¹³Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?
¹⁴^(AS)Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,^[d]
    and ^(AT)perform your vows to the Most High,
¹⁵and ^(AU)call upon me in the day of trouble;
    I will ^(AV)deliver you, and you shall ^(AW)glorify me.”

Footnotes

Psalm 49:11 Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew Their inward thought was that their homes were forever
Psalm 49:13 Or and of those after them who approve of their boasts
Psalm 50:3 Or May our God come, and not keep silence
Psalm 50:14 Or Make thanksgiving your sacrifice to God

Psalm 49:5-50:15

New International Version

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^[a] forever,
    their dwellings for endless generations,^(N)
    though they had^[b] 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.^[c]
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,^(AA)
    who will never again see the light^(AB) of life.

²⁰People who have wealth but lack understanding^(AC)
are like the beasts that perish.^(AD)

Psalm 50

A psalm of Asaph.

¹The Mighty One, God, the Lord,^(AE)
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to where it sets.^(AF)
²From Zion,^(AG) perfect in beauty,^(AH)
    God shines forth.^(AI)
³Our God comes^(AJ)
    and will not be silent;^(AK)
a fire devours^(AL) before him,^(AM)
    and around him a tempest^(AN) rages.
⁴He summons the heavens above,
    and the earth,^(AO) that he may judge his people:^(AP)
⁵“Gather to me this consecrated people,^(AQ)
    who made a covenant^(AR) with me by sacrifice.”
⁶And the heavens proclaim^(AS) his righteousness,
    for he is a God of justice.^[d]^[e]^(AT)

⁷“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
    I will testify^(AU) against you, Israel:
    I am God, your God.^(AV)
⁸I bring no charges^(AW) against you concerning your sacrifices
    or concerning your burnt offerings,^(AX) which are ever before me.
⁹I have no need of a bull^(AY) from your stall
    or of goats^(AZ) from your pens,^(BA)
¹⁰for every animal of the forest^(BB) is mine,
    and the cattle on a thousand hills.^(BC)
¹¹I know every bird^(BD) in the mountains,
    and the insects in the fields^(BE) are mine.
¹²If I were hungry I would not tell you,
    for the world^(BF) is mine, and all that is in it.^(BG)
¹³Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?

¹⁴“Sacrifice thank offerings^(BH) to God,
fulfill your vows^(BI) to the Most High,^(BJ)
¹⁵and call^(BK) on me in the day of trouble;^(BL)
I will deliver^(BM) you, and you will honor^(BN) me.”

Footnotes

Psalm 49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
Psalm 49:11 Or generations, / for they have
Psalm 49:13 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.
Psalm 50:6 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text for God himself is judge
Psalm 50:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

English Standard Version (ESV)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 49:5-50:15

English Standard Version

God Himself Is Judge

A Psalm of ^(AC)Asaph.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 49:5-50:15

New International Version

Psalm 50

A psalm of Asaph.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 49:5-50:15 English Standard Version

God Himself Is Judge

A Psalm of (AC)Asaph.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 49:5-50:15 New International Version

Psalm 50

A psalm of Asaph.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 49:5-50:15

English Standard Version

A Psalm of ^(AC)Asaph.

Psalm 49:5-50:15

New International Version