Psalms 49:9
Psalms 49:9 in Multiple Translations
that he should live on forever and not see decay.
That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
That he should still live alway, That he should not see corruption.
So that he might have eternal life, and never see the underworld.
that they could live forever and not face the grave.
That he may liue still for euer, and not see the graue.
And still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit.
that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.
That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
I will not take calves out of thy house: nor he goats out of thy flocks.
with the result that he will live forever and never die and be buried!
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 49:9
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Psalms 49:9 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ֭/יֵקַר
פִּדְי֥וֹן
נַפְשָׁ֗/ם
וְ/חָדַ֥ל
לְ/עוֹלָֽם
וְ֭/יֵקַר
yâqar
H3365
be precious
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
פִּדְי֥וֹן
pidyôwm
H6306
redemption
N-ms
נַפְשָׁ֗/ם
nephesh
H5315
soul
N-cs | Suff
וְ/חָדַ֥ל
châdal
H2308
to cease
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
לְ/עוֹלָֽם
ʻôwlâm
H5769
forever
Prep | N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 49:9
וְ֭/יֵקַר
yâqar
H3365
"be precious"
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to be precious or valuable, and can also mean to make something rare. It is used to describe something highly valued or esteemed, like a precious stone.
Definition: 1) to esteem, be prized, be valuable, be precious, be costly, be appraised 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be precious, be highly valued, be esteemed, be costly 1a2) to be appraised 1b) (Hiphil) to make something precious
Usage: Occurs in 11 OT verses. KJV: be (make) precious, be prized, be set by, withdraw. See also: 1 Samuel 18:30; Psalms 72:14; Psalms 49:9.
פִּדְי֥וֹן
pidyôwm
H6306
"redemption"
N-ms
In the Bible, this word means a ransom or redemption, like in Exodus when God redeemed the Israelites from slavery. It refers to the act of paying a price to set someone free. This concept is central to the story of God's love for humanity.
Definition: ransom, redemption Another spelling of pid.yon (פִּדְיוֹן "redemption" H6306B)
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: ransom, that were redeemed, redemption. See also: Exodus 21:30; Numbers 3:49; Psalms 49:9.
נַפְשָׁ֗/ם
nephesh
H5315
"soul"
N-cs | Suff
The Hebrew word for soul or living being, used in the Bible to describe the essence of a person or animal. It encompasses the ideas of life, breath, and vitality, and is translated as 'soul' or 'creature' in the KJV. This word is central to biblical concepts of humanity and existence.
Definition: 1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion 1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man 1b) living being 1c) living being (with life in the blood) 1d) the man himself, self, person or individual 1e) seat of the appetites 1f) seat of emotions and passions 1g) activity of mind 1g1) uncertain 1h) activity of the will 1h1) uncertain 1i) activity of the character 1i1) uncertain
Usage: Occurs in 683 OT verses. KJV: any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it. See also: Genesis 1:20; Leviticus 26:43; Judges 18:25.
וְ/חָדַ֥ל
châdal
H2308
"to cease"
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
To cease means to stop or end something, like when God told the Israelites to cease work on the Sabbath in Exodus 20:10. It can also mean to be idle or lacking. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a change in action or behavior.
Definition: 1) to stop, cease, desist, forego, cease to be, leave undone, forbear 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cease, come to an end 1a2) to cease, leave off
Usage: Occurs in 56 OT verses. KJV: cease, end, fall, forbear, forsake, leave (off), let alone, rest, be unoccupied, want. See also: Genesis 11:8; 2 Chronicles 18:14; Psalms 36:4.
לְ/עוֹלָֽם
ʻôwlâm
H5769
"forever"
Prep | N-ms
This word means forever or always, describing something that lasts an eternity. It is used in the Bible to describe God's eternal nature and his lasting promises.
Definition: : old/ancient 1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world 1a) ancient time, long time (of past) 1b) (of future) 1b1) for ever, always 1b2) continuous existence, perpetual 1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity
Usage: Occurs in 413 OT verses. KJV: alway(-s), ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for, (n-)) ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of) old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world ([phrase] without end). Compare H5331 (נֶצַח), H5703 (עַד). See also: Genesis 3:22; 1 Kings 8:13; Psalms 5:12.
Study Notes — Psalms 49:9
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 49:9 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 49:9
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 49:9
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 49:9
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 49:9
- Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 49:9
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 49:9
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 49:9
- Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 49:9
- Sermons on Psalms 49:9
Context — The Evanescence of Wealth
7No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
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 are their eternal homes— their dwellings for endless generations— even though their lands were their namesakes.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 89:48 | What man can live and never see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah |
| 2 | Psalms 16:10 | For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. |
| 3 | Ecclesiastes 8:8 | As no man has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has authority over his day of death. As no one can be discharged in wartime, so wickedness will not release those who practice it. |
| 4 | John 8:51–52 | Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.” “Now we know that You have a demon!” declared the Jews. “Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet You say that anyone who keeps Your word will never taste death. |
| 5 | Proverbs 10:2 | Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness brings deliverance from death. |
| 6 | Proverbs 11:4 | Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death. |
| 7 | Acts 2:27 | because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. |
| 8 | Psalms 22:29 | All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him— even those unable to preserve their lives. |
| 9 | Zechariah 1:5 | Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever? |
| 10 | Luke 16:22–23 | One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side. |
Psalms 49:9 Summary
Psalms 49:9 tells us that no matter how much money or wealth we have, we will all eventually face physical death and decay. This is a reminder that our hope for eternal life cannot be in earthly things, but in God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ (John 3:16, Romans 6:23). We can trust that God has a plan to give us eternal life, where we will not see decay or experience death. By putting our faith in Him, we can have peace and comfort, even in the face of death and decay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main idea of Psalms 49:9?
The main idea of Psalms 49:9 is that no amount of money or wealth can prevent physical death or decay, as stated in the verse 'that he should live on forever and not see decay', which is why we need to trust in God's plan of salvation, as seen in Romans 6:23 and John 3:16.
Is it possible for humans to live forever in their physical bodies?
According to Psalms 49:9, it is not possible for humans to live forever in their physical bodies without seeing decay, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we can have eternal life, as promised in John 11:25-26 and 1 Corinthians 15:53-54.
What is the significance of 'not see decay' in this verse?
The phrase 'not see decay' refers to the inevitability of physical death and the decay of our bodies, which is a consequence of sin, as seen in Genesis 3:19 and Romans 5:12, but through Christ, we can have victory over death and decay, as stated in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57.
How does this verse relate to the concept of redemption?
This verse is connected to the idea of redemption, as mentioned in the preceding verses, Psalms 49:7-8, which state that no amount of wealth or ransom can redeem a person's soul, emphasizing the need for God's redemption plan, as seen in Acts 20:28 and Galatians 3:13.
Reflection Questions
- What are some things in my life that I am trying to use to prevent decay or ensure my own legacy, and how can I surrender these to God?
- In what ways can I trust in God's plan of salvation, even when faced with the reality of physical death and decay?
- How can I use the truth of Psalms 49:9 to comfort others who are facing the loss of a loved one or struggling with their own mortality?
- What does it mean for me to 'live on forever' in a spiritual sense, and how can I cultivate a deeper understanding of eternal life?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 49:9
That he should still live for ever,.... Or "though he should live", c. (w).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 49:9
None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: -The godly has no cause for overwhelming fear because of the power of the ungodly; nor has the ungodly reason to
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 49:9
Or, the pit, or the grave, i.e. not die, as that phrase is oft used, as has been noted before.
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 49:9
Psalms 49:9 That he should still live for ever, [and] not see corruption.Ver. 9. That he should still live for ever] As every wicked man would, if it might be had for money; for he knoweth no happiness but to have and to hold; on the other side of the grave he looketh for no good; whereas a godly man holdeth mortality a mercy, as Philippians 1:23, he hath Mortem in desiderio et vitam in patientia, as Fulgentius saith, he desireth to die, and yet is content to live; accepting of life rather than affecting it, enduring it rather than desiring it. And not see corruption] Heb. the pit of corruption. The Chaldee understandeth it as hell; to the which the wicked man’ s death is as a trap door.
Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 49:9
(9) That—i.e., in order that; introducing the purpose of the imagined ransom in Psalms 49:7. Others connect it consecutively with Psalms 49:8, “He must give up for ever the hope of living for ever.”
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 49:9
9. The preceding verse is a parenthesis, and this verse is to be connected with Psalms 49:7 and rendered, That he should live on perpetually, (And) should not see the pit. ‘To see the pit’ = to experience death. The word shachath, rendered corruption in the A.V., must mean ‘pit’ in some passages where it occurs (e.g. Psalms 7:15; Psalms 30:9), and may have this meaning always. Cp. note on Psalms 16:10.
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 49:9
That he should still live for ever - That his brother whom he could not redeem - or that he himself - should not die, Psalms 49:8.
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 49:9
6-9. His first argument is grounded on the insufficiency of wealth and worldly power to save life, or to bring back from the grave.
Sermons on Psalms 49:9
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Until My Change Comes by Thomas Watson | Thomas Watson preaches on the importance of understanding the brevity and challenges of life, likening it to a day with its shortness, vicissitudes, labor, and irreversibility, urg |
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Life or Death (Daniel Kauffman’s Funeral Message by Roman Kauffman | Roman Kauffman preaches about the sobering reality of death and the importance of being prepared for our appointed time to face God's judgment. He emphasizes that just as Daniel ha |
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Why Are You Weeping by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher encourages the congregation to raise their hands and thank Jesus for his love. He emphasizes the need for repentance and opening one's heart to receive |
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The Devil Is Out to Destroy Your Faith by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher describes a dream he had where he walked through the streets of New York and saw a scene of darkness and ugliness. He came across young people lying in |
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The Resurrection by F.J. Huegel | In this sermon, the speaker reflects on previous sermon series and announces his current focus on the resurrection. He expresses his desire for the Holy Spirit to reveal the signif |
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(1 Corinthians) Overview to Chapter 15 by Brian Brodersen | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of understanding the true meaning of the gospel as good news. He highlights that the gospel is a message of God's love, mercy |
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Our Word - His Word, 1977 by Norman Grubb | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the presence and power of God in our lives. He references Ephesians 2:2 and 2 Kings 4:4-5 to highlight how the Spirit of Error and the God of |