Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 49 - New International Version (2024)

Psalm 49^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

¹Hear^(A) this, all you peoples;^(B)
listen, all who live in this world,^(C)
2both low and high,^(D)
rich and poor alike:
³My mouth will speak words of wisdom;^(E)
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.^(F)
4I will turn my ear to a proverb;^(G)
with the harp^(H) I will expound my riddle:^(I)

⁵Why should I fear^(J) when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
⁶those who trust in their wealth^(K)
and boast^(L) of their great riches?^(M)
7No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
⁸the ransom^(N) for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—^(O)
9so that they should live on^(P) forever
and not see decay.^(Q)
10For all can see that the wise die,^(R)
that the foolish and the senseless^(S) also perish,
leaving their wealth^(T) to others.^(U)
11Their tombs^(V) will remain their houses^[b] forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,^(W)
though they had^[c] named^(X) lands after themselves.

¹²People, despite their wealth, do not endure;^(Y)
they are like the beasts that perish.^(Z)

¹³This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,^(AA)
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.^[d]
14They are like sheep and are destined^(AB) to die;^(AC)
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail^(AD) over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.
¹⁵But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;^(AE)
he will surely take me to himself.^(AF)
16Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
¹⁷for they will take nothing^(AG) with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.^(AH)
18Though while they live they count themselves blessed—^(AI)
and people praise you when you prosper—
¹⁹they will join those who have gone before them,^(AJ)
who will never again see the light^(AK) of life.

²⁰People who have wealth but lack understanding^(AL)
are like the beasts that perish.^(AM)

Footnotes

1. Psalm 49:1 In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.
2. Psalm 49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
3. Psalm 49:11 Or generations, / for they have
4. Psalm 49:13 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.

Cross references

1. Psalm 49:1 : Isa 1:2
2. Psalm 49:1 : Ps 78:1
3. Psalm 49:1 : S Ps 33:8
4. Psalm 49:2 : Ps 62:9
5. Psalm 49:3 : S Ps 37:30
6. Psalm 49:3 : Ps 119:130
7. Psalm 49:4 : Ps 78:2; Pr 1:6; Eze 12:22; 16:44; 18:2-3; Lk 4:23
8. Psalm 49:4 : S 1Sa 16:16; Ps 33:2
9. Psalm 49:4 : S Nu 12:8
10. Psalm 49:5 : Ps 23:4; 27:1
11. Psalm 49:6 : S Job 22:25; Ps 73:12; Jer 48:7
12. Psalm 49:6 : S Ps 10:3
13. Psalm 49:6 : S Job 36:19
14. Psalm 49:8 : S Nu 35:31
15. Psalm 49:8 : Mt 16:26
16. Psalm 49:9 : Ps 22:29; 89:48
17. Psalm 49:9 : Ps 16:10
18. Psalm 49:10 : Ecc 2:16
19. Psalm 49:10 : Ps 92:6; 94:8
20. Psalm 49:10 : S Job 27:17
21. Psalm 49:10 : Ecc 2:18, 21; Lk 12:20
22. Psalm 49:11 : Mk 5:3; Lk 8:27
23. Psalm 49:11 : Ps 106:31
24. Psalm 49:11 : S Dt 3:14
25. Psalm 49:12 : S Job 14:2
26. Psalm 49:12 : ver 20; 2Pe 2:12
27. Psalm 49:13 : Lk 12:20
28. Psalm 49:14 : Jer 43:11; Eze 31:14
29. Psalm 49:14 : Nu 16:30; S Job 21:13; Ps 9:17; 55:15
30. Psalm 49:14 : Isa 14:2; Da 7:18; 1Co 6:2
31. Psalm 49:15 : Ps 56:13; Hos 13:14
32. Psalm 49:15 : S Ge 5:24
33. Psalm 49:17 : 1Ti 6:7
34. Psalm 49:17 : S Ps 17:14
35. Psalm 49:18 : Ps 10:6; Lk 12:19
36. Psalm 49:19 : S Ge 15:15
37. Psalm 49:19 : S Job 33:30
38. Psalm 49:20 : Pr 16:16
39. Psalm 49:20 : S ver 12