Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options
Close ASV

Psalm 49
American Standard Version

The folly of trusting in riches.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

49 Hear this, all ye peoples;
Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,
2 Both low and high,
Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom;
And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
4 I will incline mine ear to a parable:
I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil,
When [a]iniquity at my heels compasseth me about?
6 They that trust in their wealth,
And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
Nor give to God a ransom for him
8 (For the redemption of their life is costly,
And it faileth for ever),
9 That he should still live alway,
That he should not see [b]corruption.
10 For [c]he shall see it. Wise men die;
The fool and the brutish alike perish,
And leave their wealth to others.
11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever,
And their dwelling-places to all generations;
They call their lands after their own names.
12 But man being in honor abideth not:
He is like the beasts that perish.

13 This [d]their way is [e]their folly:
Yet after them men approve their sayings. Selah
14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd:
And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning;
And their [f]beauty shall be for Sheol to consume,
That there be no habitation for it.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the [g]power of Sheol;
For he will receive me. Selah
16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich,
When the [h]glory of his house is increased:
17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away;
His glory shall not descend after him.
18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul
(And men praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself),
19 [i]He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
[j]They shall never see the light.
20 Man that is in honor, and understandeth not,
Is like the beasts that perish.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 49:5 Or, the iniquity of them that would supplant me compasseth me about, Even of them that trust . . . riches?
  2. Psalm 49:9 Or, the pit
  3. Psalm 49:10 Or, he seeth that wise men etc.
  4. Psalm 49:13 Or, is the way of them that are foolish
  5. Psalm 49:13 Or, their confidence: and after etc.
  6. Psalm 49:14 Or, form
  7. Psalm 49:15 Hebrew hand.
  8. Psalm 49:16 Or, wealth
  9. Psalm 49:19 Hebrew Thou shalt go, or, It shall go.
  10. Psalm 49:19 Or, Who never more see
Listen to Psalm 49
Close NASB1995

Psalm 49
New American Standard Bible 1995

The Folly of Trusting in Riches.

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

49 (A)Hear this, all peoples;
Give ear, all (B)inhabitants of the world,
2 Both (C)low and high,
Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth will (D)speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart will be (E)understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to (F)a proverb;
(G)I will [a]express my (H)riddle on the harp.

5 Why should I (I)fear in days of adversity,
When the iniquity of my [b]foes surrounds me,
6 Even those who (J)trust in their wealth
And boast in the abundance of their riches?
7 No man can by any means (K)redeem his brother
Or give to God a (L)ransom for him—
8 For (M)the redemption of [c]his soul is costly,
And he should cease trying forever—
9 That he should (N)live on eternally,
That he should not [d](O)undergo decay.

10 For he sees that even (P)wise men die;
The (Q)stupid and the senseless alike perish
And (R)leave their wealth to others.
11 Their [e](S)inner thought is that their houses (T)are forever
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have (U)called their lands after their own names.
12 But (V)man in his [f]pomp will not endure;
He is like the [g]beasts that [h]perish.

13 This is the (W)way of those who are foolish,
And of those after them who (X)approve their words. [i]Selah.
14 As sheep they are appointed (Y)for [j]Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
And the (Z)upright shall rule over them in the morning,
And their form shall be for [k]Sheol (AA)to consume
[l]So that they have no habitation.
15 But God will (AB)redeem my soul from the [m]power of [n]Sheol,
For (AC)He will receive me. Selah.

16 Do not be afraid (AD)when a man becomes rich,
When the [o]glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies he will (AE)carry nothing away;
His [p]glory will not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives he (AF)congratulates [q]himself—
And though men praise you when you do well for yourself—
19 [r]He shall (AG)go to the generation of his fathers;
They will never see (AH)the light.
20 (AI)Man in his [s]pomp, yet without understanding,
Is (AJ)like the [t]beasts that [u]perish.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 49:4 Lit open up
  2. Psalm 49:5 Lit supplanters
  3. Psalm 49:8 Lit their
  4. Psalm 49:9 Or see corruption or the pit
  5. Psalm 49:11 Some versions read graves are their houses
  6. Psalm 49:12 Lit honor
  7. Psalm 49:12 Or animals
  8. Psalm 49:12 Lit are destroyed
  9. Psalm 49:13 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
  10. Psalm 49:14 I.e. the nether world
  11. Psalm 49:14 I.e. the nether world
  12. Psalm 49:14 Lit Away from his habitation
  13. Psalm 49:15 Lit hand
  14. Psalm 49:15 I.e. the nether world
  15. Psalm 49:16 Or wealth
  16. Psalm 49:17 Or wealth
  17. Psalm 49:18 Lit his soul
  18. Psalm 49:19 Lit You; or It
  19. Psalm 49:20 Lit honor
  20. Psalm 49:20 Or animals
  21. Psalm 49:20 Lit are destroyed
Listen to Psalm 49
Close NIV

Psalm 49
New International Version

Psalm 49[a]

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

1 Hear(A) this, all you peoples;(B)
    listen, all who live in this world,(C)
2 both low and high,(D)
    rich and poor alike:
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;(E)
    the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.(F)
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;(G)
    with the harp(H) I will expound my riddle:(I)

5 Why should I fear(J) when evil days come,
    when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth(K)
    and boast(L) of their great riches?(M)
7 No one can redeem the life of another
    or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom(N) for a life is costly,
    no payment is ever enough—(O)
9 so that they should live on(P) forever
    and not see decay.(Q)
10 For all can see that the wise die,(R)
    that the foolish and the senseless(S) also perish,
    leaving their wealth(T) to others.(U)
11 Their tombs(V) will remain their houses[b] forever,
    their dwellings for endless generations,(W)
    though they had[c] named(X) lands after themselves.

12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure;(Y)
    they are like the beasts that perish.(Z)

13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,(AA)
    and of their followers, who approve their sayings.[d]
14 They are like sheep and are destined(AB) to die;(AC)
    death will be their shepherd
    (but the upright will prevail(AD) over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
    far from their princely mansions.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;(AE)
    he will surely take me to himself.(AF)
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
    when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing(AG) with them when they die,
    their splendor will not descend with them.(AH)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—(AI)
    and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,(AJ)
    who will never again see the light(AK) of life.

20 People who have wealth but lack understanding(AL)
    are like the beasts that perish.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 49:1 In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.
  2. Psalm 49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
  3. Psalm 49:11 Or generations, / for they have
  4. Psalm 49:13 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.
Next
Psalm 48
Psalm 50
Next
dropdown
American Standard Version (ASV)

Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)

New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV