The Bible — World English Bible

Psalm 49

In brief

Psalm 49, by the sons of Korah, meditates on money and death. No one can redeem himself or his brother, and the rich die like the wise, leaving their goods to others. At the center, one sentence changes the tone: God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. The psalm therefore invites us not to fear the one who grows rich.

The chapter in 5 parts

  1. v. 1-4A word of wisdom for all the inhabitants of the world
  2. v. 5-9Why fear those who trust in their wealth?
  3. v. 10-14Death is the great equalizer: the wise, the foolish and the powerful
  4. v. 15But God will redeem my soul
  5. v. 16-20Do not fear the man who grows rich

1Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,

2both low and high, rich and poor together.

3My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.

4I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my riddle on the harp.

5Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

6Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches—

7none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.

8For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,

9that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.

10For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.

11Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.

12But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.

13This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings.

14They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion.

15But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.

16Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

17for when he dies he will carry nothing away. His glory won’t descend after him.

18Though while he lived he blessed his soul— and men praise you when you do well for yourself—

19he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.

20A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.

Key verses

Verse 6-7
Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches— none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.

Those who count on their fortune cannot redeem themselves or pay God on behalf of someone else. Money has a limit, and the psalmist points it out bluntly.

Verse 12
But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.

Human honor does not last. The psalmist compares the man who has only his position to beasts that are slaughtered, to stress how fragile earthly glory is.

Verse 15
But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.

The center of the psalm: only God can redeem the soul from Sheol. Many Christians see in it an announcement of the hope of resurrection, though the text does not develop it.

Verse 17
for when he dies he will carry nothing away. His glory won’t descend after him.

We take nothing with us when we die. The verse speaks to the one who is impressed by the abundance of others and reminds him that it has no sequel.

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Frequently asked questions about Psalm 49

What does Psalm 49 mean?

Psalm 49 teaches that wealth can neither save nor prolong life, because death touches everyone. It invites us not to envy or fear those who grow rich, because their security is fragile. The only real deliverance comes from God, who redeems the soul from Sheol. It is a psalm of wisdom about the true value of things.

Who wrote Psalm 49?

The title attributes it to the sons of Korah, Levites who were singers in the temple. The psalmist says he will speak words of wisdom and open his riddle to the music of the harp: it is teaching set to music, in the style of wisdom books such as Proverbs or Ecclesiastes.

How do you pray Psalm 49?

Meditate on it when you compare yourself to others or when money weighs on you. Tell God what worries you and ask him to give you his view of what lasts. Then make verse 15 your prayer: you entrust your soul to the one who alone can redeem it, and you ask him to help you live for what does not pass away.

Articles quoting Psalm 49

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World English Bible translation — public domain.