NIV Psalms 49 Chapter
49:1
Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,
49:2
both low and high, rich and poor alike:
49:3
My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance from my heart will give understanding.
49:4
I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:
49:5
Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me--
49:6
those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
49:7
No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him--
49:8
the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough--
49:9
that he should live on forever and not see decay.
49:10
For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others.
49:11
Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.
49:12
But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
49:13
This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. ((Selah))
49:14
Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.
49:15
But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. ((Selah))
49:16
Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases;
49:17
for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.
49:18
Though while he lived he counted himself blessed-- and men praise you when you prosper--
49:19
he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of life.
49:20
A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.