49
For the music director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 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.
* 49:11 Some believe the word used here has been misspelled and translate it as “their graves.” † 49:12 “Don't understand” or “don't last a night.” ‡ 49:13 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. § 49:14 The significance of this verse is not clear. * 49:17 “Into the grave” implied.