Psalm 49-50

New International Version - UK

⁵ Why should I fear when evil days come,
    when wicked deceivers surround me –
⁶ those who trust in their wealth
    and boast of their great riches?
⁷ No one can redeem the life of another
    or give to God a ransom for them –
⁸ the ransom for a life is costly,
    no payment is ever enough –
⁹ so that they should live on for ever
    and not see decay.
¹⁰ For all can see that the wise die,
    that the foolish and the senseless also perish,
    leaving their wealth to others.
¹¹ Their tombs will remain their houses^[b] for ever,
    their dwellings for endless generations,
    though they had^[c] named lands after themselves.

¹² People, despite their wealth, do not endure;
    they are like the beasts that perish.

¹³ This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
    and of their followers, who approve their sayings.^[d]
14 They are like sheep and are destined to die;
    death will be their shepherd
    (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
    far from their princely mansions.
¹⁵ But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;
    he will surely take me to himself.
¹⁶ Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
    when the splendour of their houses increases;
¹⁷ for they will take nothing with them when they die,
    their splendour will not descend with them.
¹⁸ Though while they live they count themselves blessed –
    and people praise you when you prosper –
¹⁹ they will join those who have gone before them,
    who will never again see the light of life.

²⁰ People who have wealth but lack understanding
    are like the beasts that perish.

⁷ ‘Listen, my people, and I will speak;
    I will testify against you, Israel:
    I am God, your God.
⁸ I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices
    or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.
⁹ I have no need of a bull from your stall
    or of goats from your pens,
¹⁰ for every animal of the forest is mine,
    and the cattle on a thousand hills.
¹¹ I know every bird in the mountains,
    and the insects in the fields are mine.
¹² If I were hungry I would not tell you,
    for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
¹³ Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?

¹⁴ ‘Sacrifice thank-offerings to God,
    fulfil your vows to the Most High,
¹⁵ and call on me in the day of trouble;
    I will deliver you, and you will honour me.’

‘What right have you to recite my laws
    or take my covenant on your lips?
¹⁷ You hate my instruction
    and cast my words behind you.
¹⁸ When you see a thief, you join with him;
    you throw in your lot with adulterers.
¹⁹ You use your mouth for evil
    and harness your tongue to deceit.
²⁰ You sit and testify against your brother
    and slander your own mother’s son.
²¹ When you did these things and I kept silent,
    you thought I was exactly^[g] like you.
But I now arraign you
    and set my accusations before you.

²² ‘Consider this, you who forget God,
    or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:
²³ those who sacrifice thank-offerings honour me,
    and to the blameless^[h] I will show my salvation.’