Psalms 49 — FBV

For the music director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

49Verse 1Listen to this, everyone! Pay attention, people of the world—
^{Verse 2}whether you are highborn or lowborn, rich or poor!
^{Verse 3}For what I say is wise, and my thinking is perceptive.
^{Verse 4}I pay attention to wise sayings; I answer hard questions to a tune on the harp.
^{Verse 5}Why should I be afraid when trouble comes, when evil enemies surround me?
^{Verse 6}They trust in their wealth; they boast about their riches,
^{Verse 7}but no one can pay to rescue another from death; no one can pay a ransom to God.
^{Verse 8}Redemption is beyond price; no one could ever pay enough
^{Verse 9}that they could live forever and not face the grave.
^{Verse 10}Everyone knows that the wise die, those who are foolish and stupid too, leaving what they have to the next generation.
^{Verse 11}They think⁺their homes will last forever, that where they live will continue for all generations.
^{Verse 12}But human beings, for all their fame, don't understand.⁺They die, just like the animals.
^{Verse 13}This is the way of foolish people, yet those who come after them think they were clever!⁺Selah.
^{Verse 14}Like sheep they are destined for the grave. Death will be their shepherd. Those who live right will rule over them in the morning.⁺Their bodies will decay in the grave, far from their homes.
^{Verse 15}But surely God will rescue me from the power of the grave; he will grab me back. Selah.
^{Verse 16}Don't be disturbed when people become rich, filling their houses with possessions.
^{Verse 17}For they won't take anything with them when they die; their wealth will not go down into the grave⁺with them.
^{Verse 18}They congratulate themselves for all they possess—people always praise you when you do well—
^{Verse 19}but their destiny is the same as their forefathers: they will never again see the light of day.
^{Verse 20}Human beings, for all their fame, don't understand, and they die, just like the animals.