Hear This, All You Peoples
Psalm 49 summary: what it means
Psalm 49 speaks to everyone at once, low and high, rich and poor. The speaker promises words of wisdom and sets out a riddle on the harp. The subject is people who trust in their wealth and name their lands after themselves. The psalm's answer is plain: no one can pay God a ransom for another person's life. The wise and the foolish both die and leave their wealth to others, and like the animals, people do not endure.
Verse 15 is where the psalm turns. Death is the shepherd of the foolish, but God will redeem the speaker's soul from the power of Sheol and receive him. So there is no need to fear a rich man, because he carries nothing away. The psalm ends by repeating its refrain with one change: it is riches without understanding that make a person like the animals.
Psalm 49: Hear This, All You Peoples
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-49
Psalm 49 commentary: explained verse by verse
Hear this, all you peoples.Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,
Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:
The psalm addresses all peoples and everyone who lives in the world. It is not written for one nation or group, and verse 2 adds low and high, rich and poor together.
Also read Matthew 13:9, Psalm 46:1, Isaiah 1:2, Psalm 78:1
both low and high,rich and poor together.
Both low and high, rich and poor, together.
Also read James 2:1-7, Proverbs 22:2, Job 34:19, Jeremiah 5:4-5
My mouth will speak words of wisdom.My heart will utter understanding.
My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
The speaker says what kind of speech is coming: wisdom from his mouth and understanding from his heart. The psalm presents itself as teaching.
Also read Proverbs 8:6-11, Psalm 19:14, Psalm 119:130, Proverbs 22:17
I will incline my ear to a proverb.I will solve my riddle on the harp.
I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
He will listen to a proverb and solve his riddle on the harp. The riddle is the question the psalm works through: what wealth can and cannot do in the face of death.
Also read Ezekiel 20:49, Matthew 13:11-15, 2 Corinthians 3:12, Numbers 12:8
Why should I fear in the days of evil,when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?
Also read Hosea 7:2, Acts 27:24, 1 Samuel 26:20, Psalm 27:1-2
Those who trust in their wealth,and boast in the multitude of their riches—
They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
The subject is named: those who trust in their wealth and boast in their riches. The sentence runs on into verse 7, where the psalm says what that wealth cannot do.
Also read 1 Timothy 6:17, Psalm 52:7, Mark 10:24, Job 31:24-25
none of them can by any means redeem his brother,nor give God a ransom for him.
None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
No one can redeem his brother or give God a ransom for him. Money that buys almost anything cannot buy another person's life.
Also read 1 Peter 1:18, Matthew 20:28, Matthew 25:9, Matthew 16:26
For the redemption of their life is costly,no payment is ever enough,
(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
Also read Job 36:18-19, Matthew 16:26
that he should live on forever,that he should not see corruption.
That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
The ransom would have to buy a life that goes on forever and never sees corruption. Verse 8 has already said that no payment is ever enough for that.
Also read Acts 13:33, Acts 2:31, Proverbs 11:4, Psalm 22:29
For he sees that wise men die;likewise the fool and the senseless perish,and leave their wealth to others.
For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.
Wise men die, and the fool and the senseless perish too. All of them leave their wealth to others. Death does not sort people by intelligence or income.
Also read Psalm 39:6, Proverbs 30:2, Romans 5:12-14, Psalm 73:22
Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever,and their dwelling places to all generations.They name their lands after themselves.
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.
The rich privately think their houses will last forever, and they name their lands after themselves. The verse shows the hope of being remembered through property.
Also read 1 Samuel 15:12, Deuteronomy 3:14, Luke 11:39, Psalm 5:9
But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure.He is like the animals that perish.
Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
Also read Psalm 82:7, 1 Peter 1:24, James 1:10-11, Psalm 39:5
This is the destiny of those who are foolish,and of those who approve their sayings. Selah.
This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.
This is the destiny of the foolish and of those who approve their sayings. The verse ends with Selah, just before the psalm calls death their shepherd.
Also read Luke 12:20, 1 Corinthians 3:19, Luke 11:47-48, Jeremiah 44:17
They 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.
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.
Also read Job 21:26, Daniel 7:22, Revelation 2:26-27, Hosea 6:3
But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,for he will receive me. Selah.
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.
This is the turning point. God will redeem the speaker's soul from the power of Sheol and receive him, doing what no payment could do in verse 7. The King James Version has "from the power of the grave".
Also read Psalm 86:13, Hosea 13:14, Psalm 73:24, John 14:3
Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich,when the glory of his house is increased;
Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
Do not be afraid when a man grows rich and the glory of his house increases. The advice follows from everything before it: his wealth will not go with him.
Also read Esther 3:1-6, Psalm 49:5, Psalm 37:7, Revelation 21:24
for when he dies he will carry nothing away.His glory won’t descend after him.
For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.
Also read Job 27:19, 1 Corinthians 15:43, Luke 16:24, Job 1:21
Though while he lived he blessed his soul—and men praise you when you do well for yourself—
Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.
Also read Acts 12:20-22, Hosea 12:8, Luke 12:19, Revelation 13:3-4
he shall go to the generation of his fathers.They shall never see the light.
He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.
Also read Ecclesiastes 12:7, Jude 1:13, Matthew 8:12, Ecclesiastes 3:21
A man who has riches without understanding,is like the animals that perish.
Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
The last line repeats verse 12 with one change. It is a man who has riches without understanding who is like the animals that perish. The problem named is wealth without understanding.
Also read Job 4:21, Psalm 49:12, Esther 5:11-14, Esther 7:10
A prayer from Psalm 49
God, I listen to this wisdom, whether I am low or high, rich or poor. Help me not to fear in the days of evil. No one can redeem a brother or give you a ransom for him, and no payment is ever enough. The wise die, and so do fools, and all of them leave their wealth to others. Keep me from trusting in riches or naming lands after myself. When someone around me grows rich, do not let me be afraid, for he will carry nothing away. I put my hope in you to redeem my soul from the power of Sheol and to receive me. Amen.
Psalm 49 Bible study questions
- In verses 1 and 2, who is the psalm addressed to, and how wide is that audience?
- In verses 7 to 9, what does the psalm say that wealth cannot buy?
- Verse 11 says the rich name their lands after themselves; in what ways do people still try to make their names last?
- Verse 16 says do not be afraid when a man is made rich; why might someone feel afraid in that situation?
- Psalm 73:17 describes a turning point after envying the prosperity of the wicked; how does it compare with verse 15 of Psalm 49?
Questions about Psalm 49
What is Psalm 49 about?
It is a wisdom psalm about wealth and death. It says no amount of money can ransom a life, that the wise and the foolish die alike, and that God will redeem the speaker from the power of Sheol.
Who wrote Psalm 49?
The heading attributes it to the sons of Korah and addresses it to the Chief Musician.
What does Psalm 49:15 mean?
It says God will redeem the speaker's soul from the power of Sheol and receive him. It answers verse 7, which says no person can pay a ransom for another's life.
What does Psalm 49:15 say in the KJV?
"But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah."
What does Psalm 49:20 mean?
It says a man who has riches without understanding is like the animals that perish. It repeats verse 12 but makes the lack of understanding the point.
Psalm 49 KJV: the King James Version
Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:1
Both low and high, rich and poor, together.2
My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.3
I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.4
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?5
They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;6
None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:7
(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)8
That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.9
For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.10
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.11
Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.12
This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.13
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.14
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.15
Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;16
For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.17
Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.18
He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.19
Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.20
Psalm 49 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֬רַח מִזְמֽוֹר׃
2 שִׁמְעוּ־זֹ֭את כָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֑ים הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינוּ כָּל־יֹ֥שְׁבֵי חָֽלֶד׃
3 גַּם־בְּנֵ֣י אָ֭דָם גַּם־בְּנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ יַ֝֗חַד עָשִׁ֥יר וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃
4 פִּ֭י יְדַבֵּ֣ר חָכְמ֑וֹת וְהָג֖וּת לִבִּ֣י תְבוּנֽוֹת׃
5 אַטֶּ֣ה לְמָשָׁ֣ל אָזְנִ֑י אֶפְתַּ֥ח בְּ֝כִנּ֗וֹר חִידָתִֽי׃
6 לָ֣מָּה אִ֭ירָא בִּ֣ימֵי רָ֑ע עֲוֺ֖ן עֲקֵבַ֣י יְסוּבֵּֽנִי׃
7 הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים עַל־חֵילָ֑ם וּבְרֹ֥ב עָ֝שְׁרָ֗ם יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃
8 אָ֗ח לֹא־פָדֹ֣ה יִפְדֶּ֣ה אִ֑ישׁ לֹא־יִתֵּ֖ן לֵאלֹהִ֣ים כָּפְרֽוֹ׃
9 וְ֭יֵקַר פִּדְי֥וֹן נַפְשָׁ֗ם וְחָדַ֥ל לְעוֹלָֽם׃
10 וִֽיחִי־ע֥וֹד לָנֶ֑צַח לֹ֖א יִרְאֶ֣ה הַשָּֽׁחַת׃
11 כִּ֤י יִרְאֶ֨ה ׀ חֲכָ֘מִ֤ים יָמ֗וּתוּ יַ֤חַד כְּסִ֣יל וָבַ֣עַר יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וְעָזְב֖וּ לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים חֵילָֽם׃
12 קִרְבָּ֤ם בָּתֵּ֨ימוֹ ׀ לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם מִ֭שְׁכְּנֹתָם לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹ֑ר קָֽרְא֥וּ בִ֝שְׁמוֹתָ֗ם עֲלֵ֣י אֲדָמֽוֹת׃
13 וְאָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר בַּל־יָלִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹת נִדְמֽוּ׃
14 זֶ֣ה דַ֭רְכָּם כֵּ֣סֶל לָ֑מוֹ וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֓ם ׀ בְּפִיהֶ֖ם יִרְצ֣וּ סֶֽלָה׃
15 כַּצֹּ֤אן ׀ לִֽשְׁא֣וֹל שַׁתּוּ֮ מָ֤וֶת יִ֫רְעֵ֥ם וַיִּרְדּ֘וּ בָ֤ם יְשָׁרִ֨ים ׀ לַבֹּ֗קֶר וצירם לְבַלּ֥וֹת שְׁא֗וֹל מִזְּבֻ֥ל לֽוֹ׃
16 אַךְ־אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִפְדֶּ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִֽיַּד־שְׁא֑וֹל כִּ֖י יִקָּחֵ֣נִי סֶֽלָה׃
17 אַל־תִּ֭ירָא כִּֽי־יַעֲשִׁ֣ר אִ֑ישׁ כִּֽי־יִ֝רְבֶּה כְּב֣וֹד בֵּיתֽוֹ׃
18 כִּ֤י לֹ֣א בְ֭מוֹתוֹ יִקַּ֣ח הַכֹּ֑ל לֹא־יֵרֵ֖ד אַחֲרָ֣יו כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃
19 כִּֽי־נַ֭פְשׁוֹ בְּחַיָּ֣יו יְבָרֵ֑ךְ וְ֝יוֹדֻ֗ךָ כִּי־תֵיטִ֥יב לָֽךְ׃
20 תָּ֭בוֹא עַד־דּ֣וֹר אֲבוֹתָ֑יו עַד־נֵ֝֗צַח לֹ֣א יִרְאוּ־אֽוֹר׃
21 אָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר וְלֹ֣א יָבִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹת נִדְמֽוּ׃
Psalm 49 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 48 there.
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1 Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core.
2 Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.
3 All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together.
4 My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.
5 I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.
6 Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.
7 They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,
8 No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,
9 Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever,
10 And shall still live unto the end.
11 He shall not see destruction, when he shall see the wise dying: the senseless and the fool shall perish together: And they shall leave their riches to strangers:
12 And their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever. Their dwelling places to all generations: they have called their lands by their names.
13 And man when he was in honour did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them.
14 This way of theirs is a stumblingblock to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.
15 They are laid in hell like sheep: death shall feed upon them. And the just shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their help shall decay in hell from their glory.
16 But God will redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when he shall receive me.
17 Be not thou afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased.
18 For when he shall die he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory descend with him.
19 For in his lifetime his soul will be blessed: and he will praise thee when thou shalt do well to him.
20 He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light.
21 Man when he was in honour did not understand: he hath been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them.
Psalm 49 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 48.
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1 In finem, filiis Core. Psalmus.
2 Audite hæc, omnes gentes; auribus percipite, omnes qui habitatis orbem:
3 quique terrigenæ et filii hominum, simul in unum dives et pauper.
4 Os meum loquetur sapientiam, et meditatio cordis mei prudentiam.
5 Inclinabo in parabolam aurem meam; aperiam in psalterio propositionem meam.
6 Cur timebo in die mala? iniquitas calcanei mei circumdabit me.
7 Qui confidunt in virtute sua, et in multitudine divitiarum suarum, gloriantur.
8 Frater non redimit, redimet homo: non dabit Deo placationem suam,
9 et pretium redemptionis animæ suæ. Et laborabit in æternum;
10 et vivet adhuc in finem.
11 Non videbit interitum, cum viderit sapientes morientes: simul insipiens et stultus peribunt. Et relinquent alienis divitias suas,
12 et sepulchra eorum domus illorum in æternum; tabernacula eorum in progenie et progenie: vocaverunt nomina sua in terris suis.
13 Et homo, cum in honore esset, non intellexit. Comparatus est jumentis insipientibus, et similis factus est illis.
14 Hæc via illorum scandalum ipsis; et postea in ore suo complacebunt.
15 Sicut oves in inferno positi sunt: mors depascet eos. Et dominabuntur eorum justi in matutino; et auxilium eorum veterascet in inferno a gloria eorum.
16 Verumtamen Deus redimet animam meam de manu inferi, cum acceperit me.
17 Ne timueris cum dives factus fuerit homo, et cum multiplicata fuerit gloria domus ejus:
18 quoniam, cum interierit, non sumet omnia, neque descendet cum eo gloria ejus.
19 Quia anima ejus in vita ipsius benedicetur; confitebitur tibi cum benefeceris ei.
20 Introibit usque in progenies patrum suorum; et usque in æternum non videbit lumen.
21 Homo, cum in honore esset, non intellexit. Comparatus est jumentis insipientibus, et similis factus est illis.
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Psalm 49 at a glance
| Verses | 20 |
| Heading in the text | For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. |
| Attributed to | The heading attributes it to the sons of Korah and addresses it to the Chief Musician. |
| Type | Wisdom |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 48 |
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Psalm 49 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 49 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 49 belongs
Psalms of the sons of KorahBook 2 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source