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