49:1 For the director of music. A psalm of the sons of Korah [C descendants of Kohath, son of Levi, who served as Temple musicians; 1 Chr. 6:22]. Listen to this, all you ·nations [peoples]; ·listen [L give ear], all you who live on earth.
49:2 Listen, both ·great [high] and ·small [low], rich and poor together.
49:3 ·What I say is wise [L My mouth speaks wisdom], and ·my heart speaks with [L the meditation of my heart is] understanding.
49:4 I will ·pay attention [extend my ear] to a ·wise saying [proverb]; I will ·explain [solve] my riddle on the ·harp [lyre].
49:5 Why should I ·be afraid of [fear] ·bad [evil] days? ·Why should I fear when evil people […when the guilt of deceivers/the treacherous] surround me?
49:6 They ·trust [find refuge] in their ·money [wealth] and ·brag [boast] about their riches.
49:7 No one can ·buy back [ransom; redeem] the life of ·another [or a brother]. No one can ·pay [L give a ransom to] God for his own life,
49:8 because the ·price [ransom; redemption] of a life is ·high [precious]. No payment is ever enough.
49:9 Do people live forever? Don’t they all ·face death [L see the Pit; 16:10]?
49:10 See, even wise people die. Fools and stupid people also ·die [perish; Eccl. 2:12–16] and ·leave [abandon; forsake] their wealth to others.
49:11 Their graves will ·always [forever] be their homes. ·They will live there from now on [L …their dwelling to all generations], even though they named places after themselves.
49:12 Even rich people do not ·live forever [abide]; like the animals, people ·die [perish; Eccl. 3:19].
49:13 This is ·what will happen to [L the way/path for] those who trust in themselves and ·to their followers [or the end of those; L after them] who ·believe them [L are pleased with their mouth]. ·Selah [Interlude]
49:14 Like sheep, they ·must die [L head to Sheol; C the grave or the underworld], and death will be their shepherd. ·Honest [Virtuous; Upright] people will ·rule [have dominion] over them in the morning, and their bodies will ·rot in a grave [waste away in Sheol] far from ·home [their grand homes].
49:15 But God will ·save [ransom; redeem] my life and will take me from ·the grave [or the underworld; L Sheol; v. 14]. ·Selah [Interlude]
49:16 Don’t be afraid of ·rich [wealthy] people because their houses are more ·beautiful [or substantial].
49:17 They don’t take anything ·to the grave [when they die]; their ·wealth [substance] won’t go down with them.
49:18 Even though they were ·praised [blessed] when they were alive— and people may praise you when you ·succeed [do well]—
49:19 they will go to where their ancestors are [C the grave]. They will never see light again.
49:20 Rich people with no understanding are just like animals that ·die [perish].
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