Psalm 49

Revised Standard Version

⁵ Why should I fear in times of trouble,
    when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,
⁶ men who trust in their wealth
    and boast of the abundance of their riches?
⁷ Truly no man can ransom himself,^[a]
    or give to God the price of his life,
⁸ for the ransom of his^[b] life is costly,
    and can never suffice,
⁹ that he should continue to live on for ever,
    and never see the Pit.

¹⁰ Yea, he shall see that even the wise die,
    the fool and the stupid alike must perish
    and leave their wealth to others.
¹¹ Their graves^[c] are their homes for ever,
    their dwelling places to all generations,
    though they named lands their own.
¹² Man cannot abide in his pomp,
    he is like the beasts that perish.

¹³ This is the fate of those who have foolish confidence,
    the end of those^[d] who are pleased with their portion.Selah
¹⁴ Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
    Death shall be their shepherd;
straight to the grave they descend,^[e]
    and their form shall waste away;
    Sheol shall be their home.^[f]
15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
    for he will receive me.Selah

¹⁶ Be not afraid when one becomes rich,
    when the glory^[g] of his house increases.
¹⁷ For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
    his glory^[h] will not go down after him.
¹⁸ Though, while he lives, he counts himself happy,
    and though a man gets praise when he does well for himself,
¹⁹ he will go to the generation of his fathers,
    who will never more see the light.
²⁰ Man cannot abide in his pomp,
    he is like the beasts that perish.