Psalm 49:6-16

6 Even those who ¹trust in their wealth And boast in the abundance of their riches?

7 No man can by any means ²redeem his brother Or give to God a ³ransom for him-

8 For ⁴the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever -

9 That he should ⁵live on eternally, That he should not ⁶undergo decay.

10 For he sees that even ⁷wise men die; The ⁸stupid and the senseless alike perish And ⁹leave their wealth to others.

11 Their ¹⁰inner thought is that their houses ¹¹are forever And their dwelling places to all generations; They have ¹²called their lands after their own names.

12 But ¹³man in his pomp will not endure; He is like the beasts that perish.

13 This is the ¹⁴way of those who are foolish, And of those after them who ¹⁵approve their words. Selah.

14 As sheep they are appointed ¹⁶for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the ¹⁷upright shall rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol ¹⁸to consume So that they have no habitation.

15 But God will ¹⁹redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For ²⁰He will receive me. Selah.

16 Do not be afraid ²¹when a man becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased;

Psalm 49:6-16 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. Job 31:24; Psalms 52:7; Proverbs 11:28; Mark 10:24
• 2. Matthew 25:8, 9
• 3. Job 36:18, 19
• 4. Matthew 16:26
• 5. Psalms 22:29
• 6. Psalms 16:10; Psalms 89:48
• 7. Ecclesiastes 2:16
• 8. Psalms 92:6; Psalms 94:8
• 9. Psalms 39:6; Ecclesiastes 2:18, 21; Luke 12:20
• 10. Psalms 64:6
• 11. Psalms 10:6
• 12. Genesis 4:17; Deuteronomy 3:14
• 13. Psalms 49:20
• 14. Jeremiah 17:11
• 15. Psalms 49:18
• 16. Psalms 9:17
• 17. Daniel 7:18; Malachi 4:3; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 2:26
• 18. Job 24:19
• 19. Psalms 16:10; Psalms 56:13; Hosea 13:14
• 20. Genesis 5:24; Psalms 16:11; Psalms 73:24
• 21. Psalms 37:7

Footnotes

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