Psalms 49

Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

1Listen to this, all you people. Everyone who lives on earth, listen well.

2Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

2Important people and ordinary people. Rich people and poor people. All of you together.

3My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

3My mouth will speak wise words. My heart has thought about things worth knowing.

4I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

4I will listen closely to a wise saying. I will play my puzzle on the harp.

NoteThe old English says "dark saying." That means a riddle or a puzzle, not something evil.

5Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

5Why should I be afraid when hard days come? Wicked men crowd all around me.

NoteThe old English here says "the iniquity of my heels." It is a hard phrase. It seems to mean the wrong done by people who crowd around him.

6They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

6They are people who trust their money. They brag about all the things they own.

7None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

7No one can buy his brother's life back. No one can pay God for him.

8(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

8A life costs far too much to buy back. No payment will ever be enough.

9That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

9No amount of money can make a person live forever and never rot in the grave.

10For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

10Everyone can see that wise men die. Foolish men die too. They leave their money to others.

11Their 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.

11Deep inside they think their houses will last forever. They name their lands after themselves.

12Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

12But an important man does not last. He dies, just like the animals do.

13This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

13This is their foolish way. Yet people who come after them agree with their words. Selah.

Note"Selah" is a word left in from the old song. Nobody today knows for sure what it meant. It may have been a sign to pause or to play music.

14Like 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.

14They go down to the grave like sheep. Death will be their shepherd. In the morning, good people will rule over them. Their bodies will rot in the grave, far from their fine houses.

15But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

15But God will save my life from the grave. He will take me to himself. Selah.

16Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

16Do not be upset when a man becomes rich. Do not worry when his house grows grand.

17For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

17When he dies, he takes nothing with him. His riches will not go down with him.

18Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

18While he lived, he told himself he was happy. People praise you when you do well for yourself.

19He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

19He will go where his fathers went. They will never see the light again.

20Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

20A man may be important and still not understand. He dies, just like the animals do.