Psalms 49

1Listen to this, all you nations; pay attention, everyone who lives in the world, 2the humble and the great, the rich and the poor together. 3What I say will be wise; what my heart has pondered will give insight. 4I will listen closely to a proverb; to the music of the lyre I will lay open my riddle. 5Why should I be afraid in evil times, when the wrongdoing of those who dog my steps closes in on me, 6people who rely on their money and brag about how rich they are? 7No one can ever buy back the life of another, or pay God the price for that person’s life, 8for the price of a life is far too high, and no payment could ever be enough, 9so that anyone could live on forever and never see the grave. 10Anyone can see it: wise people die, and fools and dullards perish with them, handing over their wealth to others. 11They imagine their houses will last forever, their homes for all generations; they have named whole estates after themselves. 12Yet no one, however honored, stays for long; humans are no different from animals that die. 13Such is the road of the foolishly self-assured, and of those who come after them and like what they say. Selah 14Like sheep they are herded into Sheol, and Death is their shepherd. The upright will rule over them when morning comes; their bodies will waste away in Sheol, far from their grand houses. 15But God will pay the ransom for my life and free it from Sheol’s grip, for he will take me. Selah 16Do not be alarmed when someone gets rich and their household gains in wealth and honor, 17for when they die they can take none of it with them; their splendor will not follow them down. 18Though in life they count themselves blessed — and people praise you when you prosper — 19they will go to join the generation of their ancestors, who will never again see the light. 20A person held in honor who does not understand is no different from animals that die.