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Psalms 49

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[1]The Psalmist calleth upon all the earth to join him in his meditations: [5]he sheweth the vanity of trusting in worldly wealth.

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, rich and poor, together.

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, and not see corruption.

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 honour 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 honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

Metrical version

Psalm 49

C.M. Wigtown

Hear this, all people, and give ear,
all in the world that dwell;
Both low and high, both rich and poor.
My mouth shall wisdom tell;

My heart shall knowledge meditate.
I will incline mine ear
To parables, and on the harp
my sayings dark declare.

Amidst those days that evil be,
why should I, fearing, doubt?
When of my heels th' iniquity
shall compass me about.

Whoe'er they be that in their wealth
their confidence do pitch,
And boast themselves, because they are
become exceeding rich:

Yet none of these his brother can
redeem by any way;
Nor can he unto God for him
sufficient ransom pay,

(Their soul's redemption precious is,
and it can never be,)
That still he should for ever live,
and not corruption see.

For why? he seeth that wise men die,
and brutish fools also
Do perish; and their wealth, when dead,
to others they let go.

Their inward thought is, that their house
and dwelling-places shall
Stand through all ages; they their lands
by their own names do call.

But yet in honour shall not man
abide continually;
But passing hence, may be compared
unto the beasts that die.

Thus brutish folly plainly is
their wisdom and their way;
Yet their posterity approve
what they do fondly say.

Like sheep they in the grave are laid,
and death shall them devour;
And in the morning upright men
shall over them have power:

Their beauty from their dwelling shall
consume within the grave.
But from hell's hand God will me free,
for he shall me receive.

Be thou not then afraid when one
enriched thou dost see,
Nor when the glory of his house
advanced is on high:

For he shall carry nothing hence
when death his days doth end;
Nor shall his glory after him
into the grave descend.

Although he his own soul did bless
whilst he on earth did live;
(And when thou to thyself dost well,
men will thee praises give;)

He to his fathers' race shall go,
they never shall see light.
Man honoured wanting knowledge is
like beasts that perish quite.
This psalm is a mirror calculated to exhibit the emptiness of all worldly enjoyments. Observe, (1.) David's earnest attempt to awaken all ranks of mankind to a serious consideration of this matter, as a point of great importance and universal concern, ver. 1-4. (2.) His irrefragable proofs of the vanity of earthly enjoyments - viz., that they cannot save from death either a man's self or his friend; and that they cannot make men wise or happy in this world, and far less render them happy in the future state, ver. 6-14. (3.) His attempt to comfort himself and other saints, under the sense of their daily infirmities, and of the chastisements received on account of their sins; and against the slavish fears of death, and temptations arising from the prosperity of the wicked, ver. 5, 15-18.


While I sing, let me bewail my sinful minding of, and idolatrous attachment to earthly things. Let me be henceforth as a weaned child, setting my affections on things above, where Christ is at the right hand of God. Let no uncertain riches or honours, but the living God, be the object of all my trust and joy.