Psalm 49
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 49[a]
Confidence in God Rather than in Riches
1 For the leader. A psalm of the Korahites.[b]
2 Hear this, all you peoples!
Give ear, all who inhabit the world,
3 You of lowly birth or high estate,
rich and poor together.
4 My mouth shall speak words of wisdom,
my heart shall offer insights.(A)
5 I will turn my ear to a riddle,[c]
expound my question on a lyre.
I
6 Why should I fear in evil days,
with the iniquity of my assailants surrounding me,
7 Of those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their abundant riches?(B)
8 [d]No man can ransom even a brother,
or pay to God his own ransom.(C)
9 The redemption of his soul is costly;
and he will pass away forever.
10 Will he live on forever, then,
and never see the Pit of Corruption?
11 Indeed, he will see that the wise die,
and the fool will perish together with the senseless,(D)
and they leave their wealth to others.(E)
12 Their tombs are their homes forever,
their dwellings through all generations,
“They named countries after themselves”
13 —but man does not abide in splendor.
He is like the beasts—they perish.(F)
II
14 This is the way of those who trust in themselves,
and the end of those who take pleasure in their own mouth.
Selah
15 Like a herd of sheep they will be put into Sheol,
and Death will shepherd them.
Straight to the grave they descend,
where their form will waste away,
Sheol will be their palace.
16 But God will redeem my life,
will take me[e] from the hand of Sheol.(G)
Selah
17 Do not fear when a man becomes rich,
when the wealth of his house grows great.
18 At his death he will not take along anything,
his glory will not go down after him.(H)
19 During his life his soul uttered blessings;
“They will praise you, for you do well for yourself.”
20 But he will join the company of his fathers,
never again to see the light.(I)
21 In his prime, man does not understand.
He is like the beasts—they perish.
Footnotes
- Psalm 49 The Psalm affirms confidence in God (cf. Ps 23; 27:1–6; 62) in the face of the apparent good fortune of the unjust rich, cf. Ps 37; 73. Reliance on wealth is misplaced (Ps 49:8–10) for it is of no avail in the face of death (Ps 49:18–20). After inviting all to listen to this axiom of faith (Ps 49:2–5), the psalmist depicts the self-delusion of the ungodly (Ps 49:6–13), whose destiny is to die like ignorant beasts (Ps 49:13, 18; cf. Prv 7:21–23). Their wealth should occasion no alarm, for they will come to nought, whereas God will save the just (Ps 49:14–20).
- 49:1 Korahites: see note on Ps 42:1.
- 49:5 Riddle: the psalmist’s personal solution to the perennial biblical problem of the prosperity of the wicked. Question: parallel in meaning to problem; in wisdom literature it means the mysterious way of how the world works.
- 49:8 No man can ransom even a brother: an axiom. For the practice of redemption, cf. Jb 6:21–23. A play on the first Hebrew word of Ps 49:8, 16 relates the two verses.
- 49:16 Will take me: the same Hebrew verb is used of God “taking up” a favored servant: Enoch in Gn 5:24; Elijah in 2 Kgs 2:11–12; the righteous person in Ps 73:24. The verse apparently states the hope that God will rescue the faithful psalmist in the same manner.
Psalm 49
King James Version
49 Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:
2 Both low and high, rich and poor, together.
3 My mouth shall speak of 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 the iniquity of my heels shall compass 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 soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person 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 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
13 This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.
14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.
16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the 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 will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.
19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.
20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
Псалтир 49
Библия, синодално издание
Псалом на Асафа.
49 (A)Бог на боговете, Господ заговори и призовава земята от изгрев-слънце до запад.
2 (B)От Сион, връх на красотата, се явява Бог;
3 (C)иде нашият Бог, и не в безмълвие: пред Него – всепоядащ огън, и около Него – силна буря.
4 (D)Отгоре Той призовава небе и земя, за да съди Своя народ:
5 (E)съберете при Мене Моите светии, които при жертва са встъпили в завет с Мене.
6 И небесата ще прогласят Неговата правда, защото тоя съдия е Бог.
7 (F)Слушай, народе Мой, Аз ще говоря; Израилю, ще свидетелствувам против тебе: Аз съм Бог, твой Бог.
8 Не за твоите жертви ще те укорявам; твоите всесъжения винаги са пред Мене;
9 (G)няма да приема телец от твоя дом, нито козли от твоите дворове,
10 защото Мои са всички зверове в гората, и добитъкът по хилядите планини;
11 познавам всички птици по планините, и полските животни са пред Мене.
12 (H)Ако бих огладнял, не бих казал на тебе, защото Моя е вселената и всичко, що я пълни.
13 Ям ли Аз волско месо и пия ли козя кръв?
14 (I)Принеси жертва Богу хвала и отдай на Всевишния твоите оброци,
15 (J)и Ме призови в скръбен ден; Аз ще те избавя, и ти ще Ме прославиш.
16 (K)А на грешника Бог говори: защо проповядваш Моите наредби и влагаш в устата си завета Ми,
17 (L)а сам мразиш наставлението Ми и хвърляш зад себе си думите Ми?
18 (M)кога видиш крадец, сближаваш се с него и с прелюбодейци дружиш;
19 (N)устата си отваряш за злодумство, и езикът ти коварство плете;
20 седиш и говориш против брата си, клеветиш майчиния си син;
21 (O)ти върши това, и Аз мълчах; ти помисли, че Аз съм, какъвто си ти. Ще те изоблича и ще представя пред очите ти (твоите грехове).
22 Разберете това вие, които забравяте Бога, за да ви не грабна, – и не ще има избавител.
23 (P)Който принася жертва хвала, той Ме почита, и който следи своя път, нему ще явя Божие спасение.
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