New Living Translation
Psalms 49:16
16So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid.
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;
- English Standard Version (ESV)Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased;
Context of Psalms 49:16
14Like 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. 15But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid. 17For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave. 18In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success.
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 when trouble comes, when enemies surround me?
- Psalms 37:1Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
- Esther 3:1Some time later King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire.
- Proverbs 28:12When the godly succeed, everyone is glad. When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.
- Genesis 31:1But Jacob soon learned that Laban’s sons were grumbling about him. “Jacob has robbed our father of everything!” they said. “He has gained all his wealth at our father’s expense.”
- Esther 5:11and boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children. He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials.
- Revelation 21:24The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory.
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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