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Psalm 49
New International Version

### Psalm 49[a]

#### For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 Hear(A) this, all you peoples;(B)
listen, all who live in this world,(C)
2 both low and high,(D)
rich and poor alike:
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;(E)
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.(F)
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;(G)
with the harp(H) I will expound my riddle:(I)

5 Why should I fear(J) when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth(K)
and boast(L) of their great riches?(M)
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom(N) for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—(O)
9 so that they should live on(P) forever
and not see decay.(Q)
10 For all can see that the wise die,(R)
that the foolish and the senseless(S) also perish,
leaving their wealth(T) to others.(U)
11 Their tombs(V) will remain their houses[b] forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,(W)
though they had[c] named(X) lands after themselves.

12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure;(Y)
they are like the beasts that perish.(Z)

13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,(AA)
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.[d]
14 They are like sheep and are destined(AB) to die;(AC)
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail(AD) over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;(AE)
he will surely take me to himself.(AF)
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing(AG) with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.(AH)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—(AI)
and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,(AJ)
who will never again see the light(AK) of life.

20 People who have wealth but lack understanding(AL)
are like the beasts that perish.(AM)

#### Footnotes

1. Psalm 49:1 In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.
2. Psalm 49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
3. Psalm 49:11 Or generations, / for they have
4. Psalm 49:13 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.

#### Cross references

1. Psalm 49:1 : Isa 1:2
2. Psalm 49:1 : Ps 78:1
3. Psalm 49:1 : S Ps 33:8
4. Psalm 49:2 : Ps 62:9
5. Psalm 49:3 : S Ps 37:30
6. Psalm 49:3 : Ps 119:130
7. Psalm 49:4 : Ps 78:2; Pr 1:6; Eze 12:22; 16:44; 18:2-3; Lk 4:23
8. Psalm 49:4 : S 1Sa 16:16; Ps 33:2
9. Psalm 49:4 : S Nu 12:8
10. Psalm 49:5 : Ps 23:4; 27:1
11. Psalm 49:6 : S Job 22:25; Ps 73:12; Jer 48:7
12. Psalm 49:6 : S Ps 10:3
13. Psalm 49:6 : S Job 36:19
14. Psalm 49:8 : S Nu 35:31
15. Psalm 49:8 : Mt 16:26
16. Psalm 49:9 : Ps 22:29; 89:48
17. Psalm 49:9 : Ps 16:10
18. Psalm 49:10 : Ecc 2:16
19. Psalm 49:10 : Ps 92:6; 94:8
20. Psalm 49:10 : S Job 27:17
21. Psalm 49:10 : Ecc 2:18, 21; Lk 12:20
22. Psalm 49:11 : Mk 5:3; Lk 8:27
23. Psalm 49:11 : Ps 106:31
24. Psalm 49:11 : S Dt 3:14
25. Psalm 49:12 : S Job 14:2
26. Psalm 49:12 : ver 20; 2Pe 2:12
27. Psalm 49:13 : Lk 12:20
28. Psalm 49:14 : Jer 43:11; Eze 31:14
29. Psalm 49:14 : Nu 16:30; S Job 21:13; Ps 9:17; 55:15
30. Psalm 49:14 : Isa 14:2; Da 7:18; 1Co 6:2
31. Psalm 49:15 : Ps 56:13; Hos 13:14
32. Psalm 49:15 : S Ge 5:24
33. Psalm 49:17 : 1Ti 6:7
34. Psalm 49:17 : S Ps 17:14
35. Psalm 49:18 : Ps 10:6; Lk 12:19
36. Psalm 49:19 : S Ge 15:15
37. Psalm 49:19 : S Job 33:30
38. Psalm 49:20 : Pr 16:16
39. Psalm 49:20 : S ver 12

New International Version (NIV)

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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

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