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Psalm 49 :: New International Version (NIV)

Psa 49:1

Psa 49:1[fn]For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,

Psa 49:2

Psa 49:2both low and high, rich and poor alike:

Psa 49:3

Psa 49:3My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.

Psa 49:4

Psa 49:4I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:

Psa 49:5

Psa 49:5Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—

Psa 49:6

Psa 49:6those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?

Psa 49:7

Psa 49:7No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—

Psa 49:8

Psa 49:8the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—

Psa 49:9

Psa 49:9so that they should live on forever and not see decay.

Psa 49:10

Psa 49:10For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others.

Psa 49:11

Psa 49:11Their tombs will remain their houses[fn] forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had[fn] named lands after themselves.

Psa 49:12

Psa 49:12People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.

Psa 49:13

Psa 49:13This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.[fn]

Psa 49:14

Psa 49:14They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.

Psa 49:15

Psa 49:15But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.

Psa 49:16

Psa 49:16Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;

Psa 49:17

Psa 49:17for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.

Psa 49:18

Psa 49:18Though while they live they count themselves blessed— and people praise you when you prosper—

Psa 49:19

Psa 49:19they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.

Psa 49:20

Psa 49:20People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
See the NIV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
NIV Footnotes
In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.
Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
Or generations, / for they have
The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.
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Psalm Chapter 49 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New King James Version New Living Translation English Standard Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 2020 New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Westminster Leningrad Codex Septuagint Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Open New Arabic Version Brenton's English Septuagint Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras