Psalm 49:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.

NIV: 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.

NASB: Like sheep they sink down to Sheol; Death will be their shepherd; And the upright will rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol to consume So that they have no lofty home.

CSB: Like sheep they are headed for Sheol; Death will shepherd them. The upright will rule over them in the morning, and their form will waste away in Sheol, far from their lofty abode.

NLT: Like sheep, they are led to the grave, where death will be their shepherd. In the morning the godly will rule over them. Their bodies will rot in the grave, far from their grand estates.

KJV: Like 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.

NKJV: Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling.

Using poetic language, the psalmist compares ungodly people to sheep. This metaphor is often used in the Bible—several times as a reference to believers, but not in all cases; it is used to depict those who depend on following their master. Sheep follow their shepherd where the shepherd leads; death is the shepherd leading the wicked wealthy to Sheol: the place of death and the grave. By contrast, believers have a shepherd who leads them "beside still waters" and "in paths of righteousness" (Psalm 23:2–3). At the end of this earthly life believers will "dwell in the house of the Lᴏʀᴅ forever" (Psalm 23:6).

The psalmist encourages his audience by telling them they will rule once the night has passed. When Jesus comes in the air, He will raise Christians from the dead and transform their bodies along with the bodies of living Christians (1 Corinthians 15:51–55; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17). All Christians will share in the Lord's glory when He appears (Colossians 3:4). The wicked are bound for eternal punishment, but believers are bound for eternal glory.

Psalm 49:13–20 further explains what happens to wicked people who trust in money rather than in God. Sheol—death and the grave—is their destiny. Righteous people should not be jealous of them or fear them. The rich leave everything behind when they die, no different than a poor person. For a second time, the writer compares physical death to that of animals.

The "riddle" in question is the fact that some rich persons are also wicked and ungodly. Rich and poor, alike, should remember that money is temporary. It is not a substitute for God's approval. All people face death and God's judgment. There is no reason to envy a person who has earthly wealth but lacks eternal hope.

As did Psalm 73, this passage tackles the riddle of how to respond to prosperity among those who reject God. Just as did Asaph (Psalm 73:15–19), the psalmist concludes that the prosperous wicked face a hopeless end. The righteous have an endless hope. This psalm is rightfully regarded as a wisdom psalm. Several themes, such as the temporary nature of wealth, are echoed in the book of Proverbs.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.