New King James Version
Psalms 49:18
18Though while he lives he blesses himself (For men will praise you when you do well for yourself),
Psalms 49:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.
- New International Version (NIV)Though while they live they count themselves blessed— and people praise you when you prosper—
- English Standard Version (ESV)For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
- New Living Translation (NLT)In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success.
Context of Psalms 49:18
16Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased; 17For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him. Though while he lives he blesses himself (For men will praise you when you do well for yourself), 19He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see light. 20A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish.
Read all of Psalms 49Psalms 49:18 word by word
כִּֽי־נַ֭פְשׁוֹ בְּחַיָּ֣יו יְבָרֵ֑ךְ וְ֝יוֹדֻ֗ךָ כִּי־תֵיטִ֥יב לָֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 49:18
- Deuteronomy 29:19and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.
- Hosea 12:8And Ephraim said, ‘Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.’
- Luke 12:19And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’
- 1 Samuel 25:6And thus you shall say to him who lives in prosperity: ‘Peace be to you, peace to your house, and peace to all that you have!
- Esther 3:2And all the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage.
- Acts 12:20Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country.
- Revelation 13:3And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
Commentaries on Psalms 49:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18He blessed his soul - He did all he could to procure himself animal gratifications, and he was applauded for it; for it is the custom of the world to praise them who pay most attention to their secular interest; and he who attends most to the concerns of his soul is deemed weak and foolish, and is often persecuted by an ungodly world.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Though while he lived - Margin, as in Hebrew, “in his life.” More literally, “in his lives.” The idea is, as long as he lived. He blessed his soul - That is, he blessed himself; he congratulated himself; he regarded his condition as desirable and enviable. He “took airs” upon himself; he felt that his was a happy lot; he expected and demanded respect and honor from others on account of his wealth. He commended himself as having evinced sagacity in the…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 49:18
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries