• Psalm 49In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.

  • 1 Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,
  • 2 both low and high, rich and poor alike:
  • 3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
  • 4 I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:
  • 5 Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—
  • 6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
  • 7 No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—
  • 8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—
  • 9 so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
  • 10 For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others.
  • 11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.
  • 12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.
  • 13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
  • 14 They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail 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; he will surely take me to himself.
  • 16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;
  • 17 for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.
  • 18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed— and people praise you when you prosper—
  • 19 they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.
  • 20 People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.