Read New International Version, 2011 Psalm 49 Bible Online

Psalm 49 - New International Version, 2011 bible

Psalm 49

¹For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. [1] Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,

²both low and high, rich and poor alike:

³My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.

⁴I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:

⁵Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me —

⁶those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?

⁷No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them —

⁸the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough —

⁹so that they should live on forever and not see decay.

¹⁰For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others.

¹¹Their tombs will remain their houses [83] forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had [84] named lands after themselves.

¹²People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.

¹³This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. [85]

¹⁴They 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.

¹⁵But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.

¹⁶Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;

¹⁷for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.

¹⁸Though while they live they count themselves blessed — and people praise you when you prosper —

¹⁹they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.

²⁰People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.