Psalm 49 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Confidence of the Foolish

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

49 Hear this, all peoples;
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 Both low and high,
Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will disclose my [a]dark saying on the harp.

5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,
When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
6 Those who (A)trust in their wealth
And boast in the multitude of their riches,
7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
Nor (B)give to God a ransom for him—
8 For (C)the redemption of their souls is costly,
And it shall cease forever—
9 That he should continue to live eternally,
And (D)not [b]see the Pit.

10 For he sees wise men die;
Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish,
And leave their wealth to others.
11 [c]Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever,
Their dwelling places to all generations;
They (E)call their lands after their own names.
12 Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not [d]remain;
He is like the beasts that perish.

13 This is the way of those who are (F)foolish,
And of their posterity who approve their sayings. Selah
14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave;
Death shall feed on them;
(G)The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning;
(H)And their beauty shall be consumed in [e]the grave, far from their dwelling.
15 But God (I)will redeem my soul from the power of [f]the grave,
For He shall (J)receive me. Selah

16 Do not be afraid when one becomes rich,
When the glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away;
His glory shall not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives (K)he blesses himself
(For men will praise you when you do well for yourself),
19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
They shall never see (L)light.[g]
20 A man who is in honor, yet does not understand,
(M)Is like the beasts that perish.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 49:4 riddle
  2. Psalm 49:9 experience corruption
  3. Psalm 49:11 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. Their graves shall be their houses forever
  4. Psalm 49:12 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. understand (cf. v. 20)
  5. Psalm 49:14 Or Sheol
  6. Psalm 49:15 Or Sheol
  7. Psalm 49:19 The light of life

Cross references

  1. Psalm 49:6 : Job 31:24; Ps. 52:7; [Prov. 11:28; Mark 10:23, 24]
  2. Psalm 49:7 : Job 36:18, 19
  3. Psalm 49:8 : [Matt. 16:26]
  4. Psalm 49:9 : Ps. 89:48
  5. Psalm 49:11 : Gen. 4:17; Deut. 3:14
  6. Psalm 49:13 : [Luke 12:20]
  7. Psalm 49:14 : Ps. 47:3; [Dan. 7:18; 1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 2:26]
  8. Psalm 49:14 : Job 4:21
  9. Psalm 49:15 : [Hos. 13:4]; Mark 16:6, 7; Acts 2:31, 32
  10. Psalm 49:15 : Ps. 73:24
  11. Psalm 49:18 : Deut. 29:19; Luke 12:19
  12. Psalm 49:19 : Job 33:30
  13. Psalm 49:20 : Eccl. 3:19

You Might Also Like:

Psalm 49 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

49 To the Overseer. -- By sons of Korah. A Psalm. Hear this, all ye peoples, Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world. 2 Both low and high, together rich and needy. 3 My mouth speaketh wise things, And the meditations of my heart [are] things of understanding. 4 I incline to a simile mine ear, I op...
Read More

Psalm 49 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

49 To victory, a psalm to the sons of Korah. All ye folks, hear these things; all ye that dwell in the world, perceive with ears. (To victory, a song for the sons of Korah. All ye nations, hear these things; all ye who live in the world, listen!) 2 All the sons of earth, and the sons of men; togethe...
Read More

Psalm 49 - World English Bible (WEB)

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.49 Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,2 both low and high, rich and poor together.3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.4 I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my rid...
Read More

Psalm 49 - The Voice (VOICE)

Psalm 49For the worship leader. A song of the sons of Korah.Some songs are described as “wisdom psalms.” Similar in theme to the short sayings of Proverbs or the reflective essays of Ecclesiastes, these songs offer practical advice to the worshiper of the one True God. In Psalm 49 we find a meditati...
Read More

Psalm 49 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Rich and Poor AlikePsalm 491 For the music director: a psalm of the sons of Korah.2 Hear this, all you peoples.Give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,3 both low and high, rich and poor together.4 My mouth speaks wisdom,My heart’s meditation is understanding.5 I will turn my ear to a proverb.I wi...
Read More

Psalm 49 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Folly of Trust in RichesTo the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.49 Hear this, all peoples!Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,2 both low and high, rich and poor together!3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.4 I will incline my ear to a prov...
Read More

Psalm 49 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Folly of Trust in RichesTo the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.49 Hear this, all peoples!Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,2 both low and high, rich and poor together!3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.4 I will incline my ear to a prov...
Read More

Psalm 49 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Psalm 49The Folly of Trust in RichesTo the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.1 Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world,2 both low and high, rich and poor together.3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.4 I will incline my ear to a ...
Read More

Psalm 49 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Psalm 49The Folly of Trust in RichesTo the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.1 Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world,2 both low and high, rich and poor together.3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.4 I will incline my ear to a ...
Read More

Psalm 49 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Psalm 49The Folly of Trust in RichesTo the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.1 Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world,(A)2 both low and high, rich and poor together.3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.(B)4 I will incline my ear...
Read More

Psalm 49 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Psalm 49For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.1 Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world!2 High and low, rich and poor—listen!3 For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight.4 I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles wit...
Read More

Psalm 49 - New Life Version (NLV)

A Fool Trusts in Riches49 Hear this, all people. Listen, all who live in the world, 2 both small and great, rich and poor together. 3 My mouth will speak wisdom. And the thoughts of my heart will be understanding. 4 I will turn my ear to a wise saying. With a harp, I will tell what is hard to und...
Read More

Psalm 49 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Confidence of the FoolishTo the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.49 Hear this, all peoples;Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,2 Both low and high,Rich and poor together.3 My mouth shall speak wisdom,And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.4 I will incline my ear t...
Read More

Psalm 49 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Psalm 49[a]For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.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 prover...
Read More

Psalm 49 - New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 49[a]For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.1 Hear(A) this, all you peoples;(B) listen, all who live in this world,(C)2 both low and high,(D) rich and poor alike:3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;(E) the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.(F)4 I will turn ...
Read More

Psalm 49 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Psalm 49For the director of music. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.1 Hear this, all you nations. Listen, all you who live in this world.2 Listen, people, whether you are ordinary or important. Listen, people, whether you are rich or poor.3 My mouth will speak wise words. What I think about in my heart ...
Read More

Psalm 49 - New English Translation (NET)

Psalm 49[a]For the music director, a psalm by the Korahites.49 Listen to this, all you nations.Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world.[b]2 Pay attention, all you people,[c]both rich and poor.3 I will declare a wise saying;[d]I will share my profound thoughts.[e]4 I will learn a song that im...
Read More