English Standard Version
Psalms 49:16
16Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.
Psalms 49:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
- New International Version (NIV)Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;
- New King James Version (NKJV)Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased;
- New Living Translation (NLT)So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid.
Context of Psalms 49:16
14Like 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. 15But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. 17For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. 18For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
Read all of Psalms 49Psalms 49:16 word by word
אַל־תִּ֭ירָא כִּֽי־יַעֲשִׁ֣ר אִ֑ישׁ כִּֽי־יִ֝רְבֶּה כְּב֣וֹד בֵּיתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 49:16
- Psalms 49:5Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
- Psalms 37:1Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
- Esther 3:1After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him.
- Proverbs 28:12When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, but when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.
- Genesis 31:1Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, "Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth."
- Esther 5:11And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king.
- Revelation 21:24By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it,
Commentaries on Psalms 49:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Be not thou afraid when one is made rich - Do not be envious; do not grieve: it will do you no harm; it will do him no good. All he gets will be left behind; he can carry nothing with him. Even his glory must stay behind; he shall mingle with the common earth.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Be not thou afraid when one is made rich - Do not dread the power derived from wealth; do not fear anything which a man can do merely because he is rich. The original is, “when a “man” becomes rich.” The allusion is not necessarily to a bad man, though that is implied in the whole passage, since there is no reason for fearing a “good” man, whether he is rich or poor. The only thing that seems to have been apprehended in the mind of the psalmist was that…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-20Verses 15-20 Believers should not fear death. The distinction of men's outward conditions, how great soever in life, makes none at death; but the difference of men's spiritual states, though in this life it may seem of small account, yet at and after death is very great. The soul is often put for the life. The God of life, who was its Creator at first, can and will be its Redeemer at last. It includes the salvation of the soul from eternal ruin. Believers…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-20The wicked might have rich, luxurious lives, but they forget that they cannot avoid death.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1916-19. applies this instruction. Be not anxious (Psa 37:1, &c.), since death cuts off the prosperous wicked whom you dread.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 49:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 49
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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