Psalms · Literal Standard Version
Psalm 49 Literal Standard 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.
1 TO THE OVERSEER. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. Hear this, all you peoples, || Give ear, all you inhabitants of 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 Both low and high, together rich and needy.
2 both low and high, rich and poor together.
3 My mouth speaks wise things, || And the meditations of my heart [are] things of understanding.
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.
4 I incline my ear to an allegory, || I open my riddle with a harp:
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my riddle on the harp.
5 Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters surrounds me.
5 Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
6 Those trusting on their wealth, || And in the multitude of their riches, || Show themselves foolish.
6 Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches—
7 A brother ransoms no one at all, || He does not give to God his atonement.
7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.
8 And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, || And it has ceased for all time.
8 For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,
9 And still he lives forever, || He does not see the pit.
9 that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.
10 For he sees wise men die, || Together the foolish and brutish perish, || And have left their wealth to others.
10 For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their heart [is that] their houses [are] for all time, || Their dwelling places from generation to generation. They proclaimed their names over the 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 And man does not remain in honor, || He has been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
12 But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.
13 This their way [is] folly for them, || And their posterity are pleased with their sayings. Selah.
13 This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. Selah.
14 They have set themselves as sheep for Sheol, || Death afflicts them, || And the upright rule over them in the morning, || And their form [is] for consumption. Sheol [is] a dwelling for him.
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 Only, God ransoms my soul from the hand of Sheol, || For He receives me. Selah.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah.
16 Do not fear when one makes wealth, || When the glory of his house is abundant,
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 receives nothing, || His glory does not go down after him.
17 for when he dies he will carry nothing away. His glory won’t descend after him.
18 For he blesses his soul in his life || (And they praise you when 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 It comes to the generation of his fathers, || They do not see the light forever.
19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.
20 Man in honor, who does not understand, || Has been like the beasts, they have been cut off!
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)