Misplaced Trust in Wealth
For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who inhabit the world, 49:1 Ps 78:1; Mc 1:2
2 both low and high,
rich and poor together. 49:2 Ps 62:9
3 My mouth speaks wisdom;
my heart’s meditation brings understanding. 49:3 Ps 37:30
4 I turn my ear to a proverb;
I explain my riddle with a lyre. 49:4 Nm 12:8; Mt 13:35
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble?
The iniquity of my foes surrounds me. 49:5 Ps 23:4; 27:1
6 They trust in their wealth
and boast of their abundant riches. 49:6 Jb 31:24; Ps 52:7; Pr 11:28
7 Yet these cannot redeem a person 49:7 Or Certainly he cannot redeem himself, or Yet he cannot redeem a brother
or pay his ransom to God 49:7 Jb 36:18–19; Mt 25:8–9 —
8 since the price of redeeming him is too costly,
one should forever stop trying 49:8 Or costly, it will cease forever, 49:8 Mt 16:26 —
9 so that he may live forever
and not see the Pit. 49:9 Jb 33:28; Ps 16:10
10 For one can see that the wise die;
the foolish and stupid also pass away. 49:10 Ec 2:16
Then they leave their wealth to others. 49:10 Ps 39:6; Ec 2:18–19; Lk 12:20
11 Their graves are their permanent homes, 49:11 LXX, Syr, Tg; MT reads Their inner thought is that their houses are eternal
their dwellings from generation to generation,
though they have named estates after themselves. 49:11 Ps 5:9; 10:6
12 But despite his assets, 49:12 Or honor mankind will not last;
he is like the animals that perish. 49:12 Ec 3:19
13 This is the way of those who are arrogant,
and of their followers,
who approve of their words. 49:13 Lit and after them with their mouth they were pleased, 49:13 Ps 31:23; Pr 16:18; 21:24Selah
14 Like sheep they are headed for Sheol;
Death will shepherd them.
The upright will rule over them in the morning, 49:14 Rv 2:26
and their form will waste away in Sheol, 49:14 Hb obscure
far from their lofty abode. 49:14 Jb 24:19; Ps 9:17
15 But God will redeem me
from the power of Sheol,
for he will take me. 49:15 Ps 16:10; 56:13; Hs 13:14Selah
16 Do not be afraid when a person gets rich,
when the wealth 49:16 Or glory, also in v. 17 of his house increases. 49:16 Ps 37:7
17 For when he dies, he will take nothing at all;
his wealth will not follow him down. 49:17 Jb 27:19; Ps 17:14; 1Tm 6:7
18 Though he blesses himself during his lifetime —
and you are acclaimed when you do well for yourself 49:18 Dt 29:19; Ps 10:3,6 —
19 he will go to the generation of his ancestors;
they will never see the light. 49:19 Gn 15:15; Jb 33:30; Ps 56:13
20 Mankind, with his assets
but without understanding,
is like the animals that perish. 49:20 Ec 3:19