Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble?

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of (A)the Sons of Korah.

49 (B)Hear this, all peoples!
    Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
(C)both low and high,
    rich and poor together!
My mouth shall speak (D)wisdom;
    the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
I will incline my ear to (E)a proverb;
    I will solve my (F)riddle to the music of the lyre.

(G)Why should I fear in (H)times of trouble,
    when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
those who (I)trust in their wealth
    and boast of the abundance of their riches?
Truly no man (J)can ransom another,
    or (K)give to God (L)the price of his life,
for (M)the ransom of their life is costly
    and can never suffice,
that he should live on forever
    and (N)never see the pit.

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

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

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

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 49:11 Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew Their inward thought was that their homes were forever
  2. Psalm 49:13 Or and of those after them who approve of their boasts

Psalm 49

For the music leader. A psalm of the Korahites.

49 Listen to this, all you people!
    Listen closely, all you citizens of the world—
    people of every kind,
    rich and poor alike!
My mouth speaks wisdom;
    my heart’s meditation is full of insight.
I will pay close attention to a proverb;
    I will explain my riddle on the lyre.

Why should I be afraid in times of trouble,
    when the wrongdoing of my bullies engulfs me—
        those people who trust in their fortunes
        and boast of their fantastic wealth?
Wealth? It can’t save a single person!
    It can’t pay a life’s ransom-price to God.
The price to save someone’s life is too high—
    wealth will never be enough—
        no one can live forever
        without experiencing the pit.

10 Everyone knows that the wise die too,
    just like foolish and stupid people do,
        all of them leaving their fortunes to others.
11 Their graves[a] are their eternal homes,
    the place they live for all generations,
        even if they had counties named after them!
12 People won’t live any longer because of wealth;
    they’re just like the animals that pass away.

13 That’s how it goes for those who are foolish,
    as well as for those who follow their lead, pleased with their talk.
    Selah
14 Like sheep, they’re headed straight for the grave.[b]
    Death will be their shepherd—
    but those who do right in their hearts will rule over them come morning!—
    their forms wasting away in the grave
    rather than having some dignified residence.[c]
15 But God will save my life from the power of the grave,
    because he will take me. Selah

16 Don’t be overly impressed when someone becomes rich,
    their house swelling to fantastic proportions,
17     because when they die, they won’t take any of it with them.
    Their fantastic things won’t accompany them down under.
18 Though they consider themselves blessed during their lives,
    and even thank you when you deal well with them,[d]
19     they too will join the ancestors who’ve gone ahead;
    they too will never see the light again.
20 Wealthy people? They just don’t understand;
    they’re just like the animals
    that pass away.

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 49:11 Correction with LXX
  2. Psalm 49:14 Heb Sheol; also again in 49:7, 15
  3. Psalm 49:14 Heb uncertain in 49:13-14
  4. Psalm 49:18 LXX, Syr