Psalms

Psalm 49:8–15

⁸For the redemption of his soul is costly,

and never can payment suffice,

⁹that he should live on forever

and not see decay.

¹⁰For it is clear that wise men die,

and the foolish and the senseless both perish

and leave their wealth to others.

¹¹Their graves^b are their eternal homes —

their dwellings for endless generations —

even though their lands were their namesakes.

¹²But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure;

he is like the beasts that perish.

¹³This is the fate of the foolish^c

and their followers who endorse their sayings.

Selah

¹⁴Like sheep they are destined for Sheol.

Death will be their shepherd.

The upright will rule them in the morning,

and their form will decay in Sheol,

far from their lofty abode.

¹⁵But God will redeem my life from Sheol,

for He will surely take me to Himself.

Selah

Footnotes

b 49:11 LXX, Syriac, and Aramaic Targum; Hebrew Their inward thoughts
c 49:13 Or the way of the foolish

Read all of Psalm 49

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 49:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the redemption	פִּדְי֥וֹן	piḏ·yō·wn	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6306 ransom
of his soul	נַפְשָׁ֗ם	nap̄·šām	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
is costly	וְ֭יֵקַר	wə·yê·qar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3365 be precious, prized, appraised
and never	לְעוֹלָֽם׃	lə·‘ō·w·lām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
can payment suffice	וְחָדַ֥ל	wə·ḥā·ḏal	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H2308 cease

Psalm 49:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
that he should live on	וִֽיחִי־	wî·ḥî-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H2421 live
forever	לָנֶ֑צַח	lā·ne·ṣaḥ	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5331 eminence, enduring, everlastingness, perpetuity
and not	לֹ֖א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
see	יִרְאֶ֣ה	yir·’eh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
decay	הַשָּֽׁחַת׃	haš·šā·ḥaṯ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H7845 pit

Psalm 49:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
it is clear	יִרְאֶ֨ה׀	yir·’eh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
that wise	חֲכָ֘מִ֤ים	ḥă·ḵā·mîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2450 wise
men die	יָמ֗וּתוּ	yā·mū·ṯū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H4191 die
and the foolish	כְּסִ֣יל	kə·sîl	Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
and the senseless	וָבַ֣עַר	wā·ḇa·‘ar	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H1198 brutishness
both	יַ֤חַד	ya·ḥaḏ	Adverb	H3162 unitedness
perish	יֹאבֵ֑דוּ	yō·ḇê·ḏū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6 perish
and leave	וְעָזְב֖וּ	wə·‘ā·zə·ḇū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H5800 leave, forsake, loose
their wealth	חֵילָֽם׃	ḥê·lām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2428 strength, efficiency, wealth, army
to others	לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים	la·’ă·ḥê·rîm	Preposition-l; Adjective - masculine plural	H312 another

Psalm 49:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Their graves	קִרְבָּ֤ם	qir·bām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H7130 inward part, midst
are their eternal	לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם	lə·‘ō·w·lām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
homes	בָּתֵּ֨ימוֹ׀	bāt·tê·mōw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H1004 house
their dwellings	מִ֭שְׁכְּנֹתָם	miš·kə·nō·ṯām	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H4908 dwelling-place, 'tabernacle'
for endless generations	לְדֹ֣ר	lə·ḏōr	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H1755 period, generation, dwelling
even though	עֲלֵ֣י	‘ă·lê	Preposition	H5921 height
lands	אֲדָמֽוֹת׃	’ă·ḏā·mō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H127 ground, land
were their namesakes	קָֽרְא֥וּ	qā·rə·’ū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7121 call, proclaim, read

Psalm 49:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But a man	וְאָדָ֣ם	wə·’ā·ḏām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
despite his wealth	בִּ֭יקָר	bî·qār	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H3366 preciousness, price, honour
cannot	בַּל־	bal-	Adverb	H1077 not
endure	יָלִ֑ין	yā·lîn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3885 lodge, pass the night
he is like	נִמְשַׁ֖ל	nim·šal	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H4911 represent, be like
the beasts	כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹת	kab·bə·hê·mō·wṯ	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - feminine plural	H929 beast, animal, cattle
that perish	נִדְמֽוּ׃	niḏ·mū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1820 cease, cause to cease, cut off, destroy

Psalm 49:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
This	זֶ֣ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
is the fate	דַ֭רְכָּם	ḏar·kām	Noun - common singular construct; third person masculine plural	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
of the foolish	כֵּ֣סֶל	kê·sel	Noun - masculine singular	H3689 loins
and their followers	וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֓ם׀	wə·’a·ḥă·rê·hem	Conjunctive waw; Preposition; third person masculine plural	H310 behind
who endorse	יִרְצ֣וּ	yir·ṣū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7521 be pleased with, accept favourably
their sayings	בְּפִיהֶ֖ם	bə·p̄î·hem	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H6310 mouth
Selah	סֶֽלָה׃	se·lāh	Interjection	H5542 lift up

Psalm 49:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Like sheep	כַּצֹּ֤אן׀	kaṣ·ṣōn	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - common singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
they are destined	שַׁתּוּ֮	šat·tū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H8371 set, appoint
for Sheol	לִֽשְׁא֣וֹל	liš·’ō·wl	Preposition-l; Noun - common singular	H7585 underworld
Death	מָ֤וֶת	mā·weṯ	Noun - masculine singular	H4194 death
will be their shepherd	יִ֫רְעֵ֥ם	yir·‘êm	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H7462 pasture, tend, graze
The upright	יְשָׁרִ֨ים׀	yə·šā·rîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H3477 straight, right
will rule them	וַיִּרְדּ֘וּ	way·yir·dū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7287 have dominion, rule, dominate
in	בָ֤ם	ḇām	Preposition; third person masculine plural
the morning	לַבֹּ֗קֶר	lab·bō·qer	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1242 morning
and their form	וְצִירָם	wə·ṣī·rå̄m	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H6736 image
will decay	לְבַלּ֥וֹת	lə·ḇal·lō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H1086 become old and worn out
in Sheol	שְׁא֗וֹל	šə·’ō·wl	Noun - common singular	H7585 underworld
far from their lofty abode	מִזְּבֻ֥ל	miz·zə·ḇul	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H2073 elevation, height, lofty abode

Psalm 49:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But	אַךְ־	’aḵ-	Adverb	H389 surely
God	אֱלֹהִ֗ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
will redeem	יִפְדֶּ֣ה	yip̄·deh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6299 ransom
my life	נַ֭פְשִׁי	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
from	מִֽיַּד־	mî·yaḏ-	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand
Sheol	שְׁא֑וֹל	šə·’ō·wl	Noun - common singular	H7585 underworld
for	כִּ֖י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
He will surely take me to Himself	יִקָּחֵ֣נִי	yiq·qā·ḥê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H3947 take
Selah	סֶֽלָה׃	se·lāh	Interjection	H5542 lift up