Psalm 49:11-20

11 Their ¹inner thought is that their houses ²are forever And their dwelling places to all generations; They have ³called their lands after their own names.

12 But ⁴man in his pomp will not endure; He is like the beasts that perish.

13 This is the ⁵way of those who are foolish, And of those after them who ⁶approve their words. Selah.

14 As sheep they are appointed ⁷for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the ⁸upright shall rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol ⁹to consume So that they have no habitation.

15 But God will ¹⁰redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For ¹¹He will receive me. Selah.

16 Do not be afraid ¹²when a man becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased;

17 For when he dies he will ¹³carry nothing * away; His glory will not descend after him.

18 Though while he lives he ¹⁴congratulates himself - And though men praise you when you do well for yourself-

19 He shall ¹⁵go to the generation of his fathers; They will never * * see ¹⁶the light.

20 ¹⁷Man in his pomp, yet without understanding, Is ¹⁸like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 49:11-20 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Aben Ezra says this psalm is a very excellent one, since in it is explained the Light of the world to come, and of the rational and immortal soul; and Kimchi is of opinion that it respects both this world and that which is to come: and indeed it treats of the vanity of trusting in riches: of the insufficiency of them for the redemption of the soul; of the short continuance of worldly honour and substance; of the certainty of death, and of the resurrection of the dead. And the design of it is to expose the folly of trusting in uncertain riches, and to comfort the people of God under the want of them.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 64:6
• 2. Psalms 10:6
• 3. Genesis 4:17; Deuteronomy 3:14
• 4. Psalms 49:20
• 5. Jeremiah 17:11
• 6. Psalms 49:18
• 7. Psalms 9:17
• 8. Daniel 7:18; Malachi 4:3; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 2:26
• 9. Job 24:19
• 10. Psalms 16:10; Psalms 56:13; Hosea 13:14
• 11. Genesis 5:24; Psalms 16:11; Psalms 73:24
• 12. Psalms 37:7
• 13. Psalms 17:14; 1 Timothy 6:7
• 14. Deuteronomy 29:19; Psalms 10:3, 6; Luke 12:19
• 15. Genesis 15:15
• 16. Job 33:30; Psalms 56:13
• 17. Psalms 49:12
• 18. Ecclesiastes 3:19

Footnotes

• [a] Some versions read "graves are their houses"
• [b] Lit "honor"
• [c] Or "animals"
• [d] Lit "are destroyed"
• [e] "Selah" may mean: "Pause, Crescendo" or "Musical interlude"
• [f] I.e. the nether world
• [g] I.e. the nether world
• [h] Lit "Away from his habitation"
• [i] Lit "hand"
• [j] I.e. the nether world
• [k] Or "wealth"
• [l] Or "wealth"
• [m] Lit "his soul"
• [n] Lit "You;" or "It"
• [o] Lit "honor"
• [p] Or "animals"
• [q] Lit "are destroyed"