Psalms 49 · Clearspring

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

The Evanescence of Wealth

¹Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:+ ²Both low and high, rich and poor, together.+ ³My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.+ ⁴I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.+ ⁵Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?+ ⁶They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;+ ⁷None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:+ ⁸(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)+ ⁹That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.+ ¹⁰For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.+ ¹¹Their 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.+ ¹²Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.+ ¹³This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.+ ¹⁴Like 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.+ ¹⁵But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.+ ¹⁶Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;+ ¹⁷For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.+ ¹⁸Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.+ ¹⁹He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.+ ²⁰Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.+

The Evanescence of Wealth

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