Psalm 49
Modern English Version
Psalm 49
For the Music Director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 Hear this, all you people;
give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high,
rich and poor together.
3 My mouth will speak wisdom,
and the meditation of my heart will be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a parable;
I will expound my riddle with a harp.
5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,
when the iniquity of my stalkers surrounds me?
6 Those who trust in their wealth,
and boast in the multitude of their riches,
7 none of them can by any means redeem the other,
nor give to God a ransom for anyone,
8 for the redemption of their souls is costly;
even so people cease to exist forever,
9 making efforts to live eternally,
and not see the pit.
10 For one sees that wise men die,
together the fool and the brute perish,
and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves become their perpetual homes,
and their dwelling places to all generations,
though they call their lands after their own names.
12 But a man does not abide in honor;
mankind is like the beasts that come to ruin.
13 This is their way, it is their folly;
yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
the upright shall rule over them in the morning,
and their form shall waste away in Sheol,
far from their dwelling.
15 But God shall redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,
for He shall receive me. Selah
16 Do not fear when one is made rich,
when the glory of his house is increased,
17 for he takes nothing away in death;
his glory does not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives he blesses his soul—
and men will praise you when you do well for yourself—
19 that soul will go to the generation of his fathers;
they will never see light.
20 A man in honor, and yet without understanding,
is like the animals that perish.
Psalm 49
21st Century 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 Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity at 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 they 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, though he be in honor, 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 be consumed in the grave away 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 for thyself),
19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.
20 Man, though he is in honor but understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.