The Folly of Trusting in Riches.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
49 Hear this, all peoples;
Listen carefully, all 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 and consent to a proverb;
On the lyre I will unfold my riddle.
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Why should I fear in the days of evil,
When the wickedness of those who would betray me surrounds me [on every side],
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Even those who trust in and rely on their wealth
And boast of the abundance of their riches?
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None of them can by any means redeem [either himself or] his brother,
Nor give to God a ransom for him—
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For the ransom of his soul is too costly,
And he should cease trying forever—
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So that he should live on eternally,
That he should never see the pit (grave) and undergo decay.
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For he sees that even wise men die;
The fool and the stupid alike perish
And leave their wealth to others.(A)
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Their inward thought is that their houses will continue forever,
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have named their lands after their own names [ignoring God].
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But man, with all his [self] honor and pomp, will not endure;
He is like the beasts that perish.
13
This is the fate of those who are foolishly confident,
And of those after them who approve [and are influenced by] their words. Selah.
14
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead);
Death will be their shepherd;
And the upright shall rule over them in the morning,
And their form and beauty shall [a]be for Sheol to consume,
So that they have no dwelling [on earth].
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But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol,
For He will receive me. Selah.
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Be not afraid when [an ungodly] man becomes rich,
When the wealth and glory of his house are increased;
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For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
His glory will not descend after him.
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Though while he lives he counts himself happy and prosperous—
And though people praise you when you do well for yourself—
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He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
They shall never again see the light.
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A man [who is held] in honor,
Yet who lacks [spiritual] understanding and a teachable heart, is like the beasts that perish.
Footnotes
- Psalm 49:14 The ancient rabbis read this as “will wear out Sheol,” which also matches the Hebrew, and interpreted it as referring to unending punishment, i.e. punishment even outlasting Gehinnom (hell).