Psalms 49

No one can redeem another

Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world! ²High and low, rich and poor—listen! ³For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight.

⁴I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp. ⁵Why should I fear when trouble comes, when enemies surround me? ⁶They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches.

⁷Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God.a ⁸Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough ⁹to live forever and never see the grave.

¹⁰Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind. ¹¹The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves, ¹²but their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals.

¹³This is the fate of fools, though they are remembered as being wise. Interlude ¹⁴Like sheep, they are led to the grave, where death will be their shepherd. In the morning the godly will rule over them. Their bodies will rot in the grave, far from their grand estates. ¹⁵But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interludeb ¹⁶So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid.

¹⁷For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave. ¹⁸In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success. ¹⁹But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day.

²⁰People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals.