Psalms · Bible in Basic English
Psalm 49 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
1 Alamoth. To the chief music-maker. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm. Give attention to this, all you peoples; let your ears be open, all you who are living in the world.
1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,
2 High and low together, the poor, and those who have wealth.
2 both low and high, rich and poor together.
3 From my mouth will come words of wisdom; and in the thoughts of my heart will be knowledge.
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.
4 I will put my teaching into a story; I will make my dark sayings clear with music.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my riddle on the harp.
5 What cause have I for fear in the days of evil, when the evil-doing of those who are working for my downfall is round about me?
5 Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
6 Even of those whose faith is in their wealth, and whose hearts are lifted up because of their stores.
6 Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches—
7 Truly, no man may get back his soul for a price, or give to God the payment for himself;
7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.
8 (Because it takes a great price to keep his soul from death, and man is not able to give it.)
8 For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,
9 So that he might have eternal life, and never see the underworld.
9 that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.
10 For he sees that wise men come to their end, and foolish persons of low behaviour come to destruction together, letting their wealth go to others.
10 For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.
11 The place of the dead is their house for ever, and their resting-place through all generations; those who come after them give their names to their lands.
11 Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.
12 But man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.
12 But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.
13 This is the way of the foolish; their silver is for those who come after them, and their children get the pleasure of their gold. (Selah.)
13 This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. Selah.
14 Death will give them their food like sheep; the underworld is their fate and they will go down into it; their flesh is food for worms; their form is wasted away; the underworld is their resting-place for ever.
14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion.
15 But God will get back my soul; for he will take me from the power of death. (Selah.)
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah.
16 Have no fear when wealth comes to a man, and the glory of his house is increased;
16 Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
17 For at his death, he will take nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
17 for when he dies he will carry nothing away. His glory won’t descend after him.
18 Though he might have pride in his soul in his life-time, and men will give you praise if you do well for yourself,
18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul— and men praise you when you do well for yourself—
19 He will go to the generation of his fathers; he will not see the light again.
19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.
20 Man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.
20 A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.
Cross references (20)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 78:1; Matthew 11:15; Psalm 33:8; Romans 3:29; Revelation 2:7
- 2 Psalm 62:9; James 2:1–7; 1 Samuel 2:7–8; Job 34:19; Jeremiah 5:4–5
- 3 Psalm 19:14; Matthew 12:35; Proverbs 22:20–21; Proverbs 22:17; Job 33:33
- 4 Psalm 78:2; Matthew 13:35; Numbers 12:8; Numbers 23:7; 2 Corinthians 3:12
- 5 Philippians 1:28; Acts 27:24; Romans 8:33–34; Proverbs 24:10; Psalm 46:1–2
- 6 1 Timothy 6:17; Ezekiel 28:4–5; Jeremiah 9:23; Proverbs 11:28; Psalm 52:7
- 7 Matthew 16:26; Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:6; 1 Peter 1:18; Matthew 25:9
- 8 Matthew 16:26; Job 36:18–19
- 9 Psalm 89:48; Psalm 16:10; Ecclesiastes 8:8; Proverbs 10:2; John 8:51–52
- 10 Psalm 39:6; Luke 12:20; Ecclesiastes 5:13–16; Hebrews 9:27; 1 Timothy 6:6–10
- 11 Genesis 4:17; Psalm 5:9; Psalm 64:6; 2 Samuel 18:18; Ezekiel 38:10
- 12 Ecclesiastes 3:18–21; Psalm 82:7; Psalm 39:5; Psalm 49:20; Ecclesiastes 9:12
- 13 Luke 12:20; 1 Corinthians 3:19; Luke 16:27–28; Jeremiah 44:17; Luke 11:47–48
- 14 Malachi 4:3; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Job 30:23; Job 24:19–20; Daniel 7:22
- 15 Psalm 73:24; Psalm 56:13; Psalm 86:13; Psalm 89:48; Hosea 13:14
- 16 Psalm 37:7; Psalm 37:1; Revelation 21:24; Revelation 21:26; Esther 3:1–6
- 17 1 Timothy 6:7; Job 27:19; Ecclesiastes 5:15; 1 Corinthians 15:43; Luke 16:24
- 18 Luke 12:19; Deuteronomy 29:19; Psalm 10:3; Hosea 12:8; Acts 12:20–22
- 19 Job 33:30; Psalm 56:13; Genesis 15:15; Luke 12:20; Matthew 8:12
- 20 Ecclesiastes 3:18–19; Psalm 49:12; Job 4:21; Esther 7:10; Esther 5:11–14
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The title of this Psalm is, "A song of praise, to the sons of Korah, on the second day of the week." Concerning this what the Lord deigneth to grant receive ye like sons of the firmament.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
… lost the true rationality, and living irrationally, opposed the righteousness of God, giving himself over to every earthly spirit, and serving all lusts; as says the prophet, "Man, being in honour, did not understand: he was assimilated to senseless beasts, and made like to them." Chapter V.--The author returns to his former argument, and shows that there was but one …
For this he doth by the discernment of his mind, whereby he perceiveth the things "of the Spirit of God;" whereas, otherwise, man being placed in honour, had no understanding, and is compared unto the brute beasts, and is become like unto them. In Thy Church, therefore, O our God, according to Thy grace which Thou hast accorded unto it, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
As the prophet too said, intimating the selfsame thing, "A brother redeemeth not, shall a man redeem?" No, not although it were Moses, Samuel, Jeremiah.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
It is of such the Psalmist says, "They call their lands after their own names." Wherefore they incur what is written in another psalm: "Thou, O Lord, in Thy city wilt despise their image." But as for the son of Seth, the son of the resurrection, let him hope to call on the name of the Lord God.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)