Psalm 49
The Folly of Trusting
in Riches |
To the chief Musician, A Psalm
for the sons of Korah. |
|
1 |
Hear this, all ye people;
|
give ear, all ye inhabitants of the
world: |
|
|
2 |
both low and high,
|
3 |
My mouth shall speak of wisdom;
|
and the meditation of my heart shall be of
understanding. |
|
|
4 |
I will incline mine ear to a parable:
|
I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
|
|
|
5 |
Wherefore should I fear in the days of
evil,
|
when the iniquity of my heels shall compass
me about? |
|
|
6 |
They that trust in their wealth,
|
and boast themselves in the multitude of their
riches; |
|
|
7 |
none of them can by any means
redeem his brother,
|
nor give to God a ransom for
him: |
|
|
8 |
(for the redemption of their soul is precious,
|
and it ceaseth for
ever:) |
|
|
9 |
that he should still live for ever,
|
10 |
For he seeth that wise men
die,
|
likewise the fool and the brutish person
perish, |
and leave their wealth to
others. |
|
|
11 |
Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever,
|
and their dwelling places to all
generations; |
they call their lands after their own
names. |
|
|
12 |
Nevertheless man being in honor
abideth not:
|
he is like the beasts that perish.
|
|
|
13 |
This their way is their folly:
|
yet their posterity approve their sayings.
Selah. |
|
|
14 |
Like sheep they are laid in the
grave;
|
death shall feed on them; |
and the upright shall have dominion over them in the
morning; |
and their beauty shall consume in the grave from
their
dwelling. |
|
|
15 |
But God will redeem my soul from the
power of the grave:
|
for he shall receive me.
Selah. |
|
|
16 |
Be not thou afraid when one is made
rich,
|
when the glory of his house is
increased; |
|
|
17 |
for when he dieth he shall carry nothing
away:
|
his glory shall not descend after
him. |
|
|
18 |
Though while he lived he blessed his
soul,
|
(and men will praise thee, when thou doest
well to
thyself,) |
|
|
19 |
he shall go to the generation of his
fathers;
|
they shall never see
light. |
|
|
20 |
Man that is in honor, and
understandeth not,
|
is like the beasts that perish. |
|
|