God’s Word Translation
Psalms 49:20
20Mortals, with what they treasure, still don’t have understanding. They are like animals that die.
Psalms 49:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
- New International Version (NIV)People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
- New King James Version (NKJV)A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish.
Context of Psalms 49:20
18Even though he blesses himself while he is alive (and they praise you when you do well for yourself), 19he must join the generation of his ancestors, who will never see light ⌞again⌟. Mortals, with what they treasure, still don’t have understanding. They are like animals that die.
Read all of Psalms 49Psalms 49:20 word by word
אָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר וְלֹ֣א יָבִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹת נִדְמֽוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 49:20
- Psalms 49:12But mortals will not continue here with what they treasure. They are like animals that die.
- Esther 5:11Then Haman began to relate in detail to them how very rich he was, the many sons he had, and all about how the king promoted him to a position over the officials and the king’s advisers.
- Esther 7:10So servants hung Haman’s ⌞dead body⌟ on the very pole he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king got over his raging anger.
- Job 4:21Haven’t the ropes of their tent been loosened? Won’t they die without wisdom?
- Psalms 73:18You put them in slippery places and make them fall into ruin.
- Ecclesiastes 3:18I thought to myself, “God is going to test humans in order to show them that they are ⌞like⌟ animals.”
Commentaries on Psalms 49:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Man that is in honor - The rich and honorable man who has no spiritual understanding, is a beast in the sight of God. The spirit of this maxim is, A man who is in a dignified official situation, but destitute of learning and sound sense, is like a beast. The important place which he occupies reflects no honor upon him, but is disgraced by him. Who has not read the fable of the beautifully carved head? It was every thing that it should be, but had no…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Man that is in honor - Man that is in possession of wealth, or that occupies an exalted rank. See the notes at Psalm 49:12. And understandeth not - That is, who has no proper appreciation of what it is to be a man; of what is his true rank “as” a man; of his relations to God; of his condition as an immortal being - man that values himself only on the fact that he is rich; that lives for this world alone; that regards it as a sufficient distinction that he…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. 2020. (Compare Psa 49:12). The folly is more distinctly expressed by "understandeth not," substituted for "abideth not."Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 49:20
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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