Psalm 49:10-20 – The Folly Of Materialism

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 17 Sept 2023

Introduction:

v.10 Everybody Dies And Leaves Their Estate

v.11 Where Do You Think You’re Going?

v. 12 Materialism Leaves Man No Better Than Animals

v. 13 Beware of Confidence in Men

vs. 14-15 Hell vs. Heaven

v.16-17 Death Is The Great Leveler

v. 18-19 Deception Of Self-Centeredness

v.20 Conclusion

Psalm 49:10-20 Side-by side comparison of versionsA

LXXB
(Ps. 48)

Brenton (Vaticanus)C

Vulgate (Ps. 48)D

KJVE

NAW

Masoretic TxtF

PeshittaG

1 Εἰς τὸ τέλοςH· τοῖς υἱοῖς Κορε ψαλμός.
2 Ἀκούσατε ταῦταI, πάν­τα τὰ ἔθνη, ἐνωτίσασθε, πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦν­τες τὴν οἰκ­ουμένηνJ,

1 For the end, a Psalm for the sons of Core. Hear these [words], all ye nations, hearken, all ye that dwell upon the earth:

1 in finem filiis Core psalmus
2
audite haec omnes gentes auribus percipite omnes qui habitatis orbem

1 To the chief Musi­cian, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Hear this, all ye peo­ple; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

1 {A psalm for the concertmaster, by the sons of Korah.} Listen to this, all you peoples; give hear, all inhabitants of the temporal-world –

א לַמְנַצֵּחַ לִבְנֵי קֹרַח מִזְמוֹר.
ב שִׁמְעוּ זֹאת כָּל הָעַמִּים הַאֲזִינוּ כָּל יֹשְׁבֵי חָלֶדK.



2
שׁמעו הדא כלכון עממא [ו]צותו כל יתבי ארעא

3 οἵ τε γηγενεῖς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πλούσιος καὶ πένης.

2 both the sons of mean men, and sons of [great] men; the rich and poor man together.

3 quique terriginae et filii homi­num in unum dives et pauper

2 Both X X X [low] and X X X [high], rich and poor, together.

2 both sons of lowly-men and sons of elite-men, rich and poor together!

ג גַּם בְּנֵי אָדָם גַּם בְּנֵי אִישׁ יַחַד עָשִׁיר וְאֶבְיוֹן.

3 X בני ארעא ובנינשׁא [איך] חדא עתירא ומסכנא

4 τὸ στόμα μου λαλήσει σοφίαν καὶ ἡ μελέτη τῆς καρδίας μου σύνεσιν·

3 My mouth shall speak of wisdomX; and the meditation of my heart shall [bring forth] under­standingX.

4 os meum loquetur sapientiam et meditatio cordis mei prudentiam

3 My mouth shall speak of wis­domX; and the medita­tion of my heart shall be of under­standingX.

3 My mouth will speak of wise things, and the meditation of my heart will be on things which must be understood;

ד פִּי יְדַבֵּר חָכְמוֹת וְהָגוּת לִבִּיL תְבוּנוֹתM.

4 פומי נמלל חכמתא ורניה דלבי סוכלא

5 κλινῶ εἰς παραβολὴν τὸ οὖς μου, ἀνοίξω ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ τὸ πρό­βλημάN μου.

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my riddle on [the] harp.

5 inclinabo in parabol­am aurem meam aperiam in psalterio proposition­em meam

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon [the] harp.

4 I will incline my ear to a pro­verb; I will open up my riddle, accompanied by a guitar:

ה אַטֶּה לְמָשָׁל אָזְנִי אֶפְתַּח בְּכִנּוֹר חִידָתִיO.

5 אצלא אדני למתלא [ו]אמלל בכנרא אוחדתי

6 ἵνα τί φοβοῦμαι ἐν ἡμέρᾳX πονηρᾷ; ἡ ἀνομία τῆς πτέρνηςP μου κυκλώ­σει με.

5 Where­fore should I fear in the evil dayX? the iniquity of my heelX shall com­pass me.

6 cur timebo in die malo iniquitas calcanei mei circum­dabit me

5 Where­fore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall com­pass me about?

5 Why should I be afraid during evil days? The iniquity of those at my heels surrounds me –

ו לָמָּה אִירָא בִּימֵי רָעQ עֲו‍ֹן עֲקֵבַיR יְסוּבֵּנִי.

6 לאX דחל אנא ביומתא בישׁא עולא [דב]עלדבביS כרכני

7 οἱ πεποιθ­ότες ἐπὶ τῇ δυνάμει αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ πλή­θει τοῦ πλού­του αὐτῶν καυχώμενοι,

6 They that trust in their strength, and boast themselves in the multi­tude of their wealth

7 qui con­fidunt in virtute sua et in multi­tudine divitiarum suarum gloriantur

6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast them­selves in the multitude of their riches;

6 those who are confident based on their wealth and boast in the amount of their riches.

ז הַבֹּטְחִים עַל חֵילָם וּבְרֹב עָשְׁרָם יִתְהַלָּלוּT.

7 כל דתכילין על חילהון ומשׁתבהרין בסוגאא דעותרהון

8 ἀδελφὸς οὐ λυτροῦται· λυτρώσεται ἄνθρωπος; οὐ δώσει τῷ θεῷ ἐξίλασ­μα αὐτοῦ

7 A brother does not re­deem, shall a man redeem? he shall not give to God a ransom for himself,

8 frater non redimit redimet homo non dabit Deo placationem suam

7 None of them can by any means redeem [his] brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

7 A man couldn’t even redeem a brother; he can’t give God his ransom,

ח אָחU לֹאV פָדֹה יִפְדֶּה אִישׁ לֹא יִתֵּן לֵאלֹהִים כָּפְרוֹW.

8 אחא לא פרק X [ו]גברא לא יהב לאלהא פורקנה

9 κα τὴν τιμ­ὴν τῆς λυτρώ­σεως τῆς ψυχ­ῆς αὐτοῦX. 10 καὶ ἐκόπα­σενX εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα

8 or the price of the redemption of his soul, though he labour for ever,

9 et pretium redemption­is animae suae et laboravit in aeternum

8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceas­eth for ever:)

8 indeed, the ransom of their soul is invaluable, indeed, they would have to {labor} for ever,

ט וְיֵקַרY פִּדְיוֹןZ נַפְשָׁםAA וְחָדַלAB לְעוֹלָם.

9 xיקיר הו פורקנא דנפשׁהון ACxלאי לעלם

καὶ ζήσεται εἰς τέλος, [ὅτι] οὐκ ὄψεται καταφθοράν,

9 and live to the end, [so that] he should not see corruption.

10 et vivet adhuc; in finem
11 non vide­bit interitum

9 That he should still live for ev­er, and not see corruption.

9 nevertheless, he will live on indefinitely, {and} he will not see the grave,

י ADוִיחִי עוֹד לָנֶצַח לֹאAE יִרְאֶה הַשָּׁחַתAF.

10 דתחאAG לעלם עלמין [ו]לא תחזא חבלא

ὅταν ἴδῃ σο­φοὺς ἀπο­θνῄσκοντας.11 ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἄφρων καὶ ἄνους ἀπολοῦνται καὶ κατα­λείψουσιν ἀλλοτρίοις τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτῶν,

10 When he shall see wise men dying, the fool and the senseless one shall perish togeth­er; and they shall leave their wealth to strangers.

cum viderit sapientes morientes simul insip­iens et stultus peribunt et relinquent alienis divitias suas

10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

10 while he sees wise-men die. A fool and the stupid man will perish together, and they will relinquish their wealth to those who follow.

יא כִּי יִרְאֶה חֲכָמִים יָמוּתוּ יַחַד כְּסִיל וָבַעַר יֹאבֵדוּAH וְעָזְבוּ לַאֲחֵרִים חֵילָם.

11 כד תחזא חכימא [ד]מיתין אכחדא סכלא וחסירי [רעינא] [ד]אבדין ושׁבקין קנינהון לאחרנא

12 καὶ οἱ τάφοι αὐτῶν οἰκίαι αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶ­να, σκηνώ­ματα αὐτῶν εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν. ἐπεκαλέσαν­το τὰ ὀνόμα­τα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῶν γαιῶν [αὐτῶν].

11 And their sepulchres are their houses for ever, [even] their taber­nacles to all X gener­ation[s]: they have called [their] lands after their own names.

12 et; sep­ulchra eor­um domus illorum in aeternum tabernacula eorum in progeniem et progen­iem voca­verunt nom­ina sua in terris [suis]

11 Their in­ward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all X genera­tion[s]; they call their lands after their own names.

11 Their {tombs} will be their houses forever – their dwellings for generation after generation – they [who] called lands by their own names.

יב קִרְבָּםAI בָּתֵּימוֹ לְעוֹלָם מִשְׁכְּנֹתָם לְדֹר וָדֹר קָרְאוּ בִשְׁמוֹתָם עֲלֵי אֲדָמוֹתAJ.

12 קבריהון בתיהון לעלם ומעמרהון לדרדרין [ו]קריןAK שׁמהא בארעא

13 καὶ ἄνθ­ρωπος ἐν τιμῇ [ὢν] οὐ συν­ῆκεν, παρα­συνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσιν [τοῖς ἀνοήτοις καὶ] ὡμοιώ­θη αὐτοῖς.

12 And man [being] in honour, understands not: he is compared to the [senseless] cattle, [and] is like to them.

13 et homo cum in honore esset non intellex­it conpara­tus est iumentis insipientibus [et] similis factus est illis

12 Never­theless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

12 When a man with assets never {understands}, he should be compared to the cattle, {for that’s what he is like}.

יג וְאָדָםAL בִּיקָרAM בַּל יָלִיןAN נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת נִדְמוּAO.

13 xברנשׁא באיקרה לא אתבין אלא אשׁתלם לבעירא [ו]אתדמי להAP

14 αὕτη ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτῶν σκάνδαλον AQαὐτοῖς, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν εὐ­δοκήσουσιν. διάψαλμα.

13 This their way is an offence to them: yet afterwards X men will commend X their say­ing[s]AR. Pause.

14 haec via illorum scandalum ipsis et postea X in ore suo con­placebuntAS diapsalma

13 This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve X their saying[s]. Selah.

13 This confidence in themselves is their way, and those who follow them give approval with their mouth. SELAH

יד זֶה דַרְכָּם כֵּסֶלAT לָמוֹ וְאַחֲרֵיהֶם בְּפִיהֶם יִרְצוּAU סֶלָה.

14 הנו שׁבילהון תוקלתאAV ל[נפשׁ]הון ואחריתx בפומהון נרעוןAW X

15 ὡς πρόβατα ἐν ᾅδῃ ἔθεντο, θάνατος ποιμαίνειAX αὐτούς·
καὶ κατα­κυριεύσου­σινAY αὐτῶν οἱ εὐθεῖς τὸ πρωί, καὶ ἡ βοήθειαAZ αὐτῶν παλαιωθή­σεται ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ἐκ τῆς δόξηςBA αὐτῶν. 

14 They have laid them as sheep in Hades; death shall feed on them;
and the upright shall have domin
­ion over them in the morn­ing, and their help shall fail in Hades from their glory.

15 sicut oves in inferno positi sunt mors depascet eos
et domina­buntur eorum iusti in matutino et auxilium
BB eorum vet­erescet in inferno a gloria eorum

14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them;
and the upright shall have domin
­ion over them in the morn­ing; and their beauty shall co­nsume in the grave from their dwelling.

14 Like sheep, they are set for Sheol; death will tend them,
while those who are righteous dominate them in the morning. And it is their image that will be consumed by hell, so that no {glory} belongs to it.

טו כַּצֹּאן לִשְׁאוֹלBC שַׁתּוּ מָוֶת יִרְעֵםBD
וַיִּרְדּוּ בָם יְשָׁרִים לַבֹּקֶרBE‎ וְצִירָםBF לְבַלּוֹתBG שְׁאוֹלBH מִזְּבֻלBI לוֹBJ.

15איך ענא לשׁיול נשׁתלמוןBK [ו]מותא נרעא אנון
ונשׁתלטון בהון תריצא בצפרא וצורתהון תבלא שׁיול ומן תשׁבחתהון נתדחקוןBL

16 πλὴν ὁ θεὸς λυτρώ­σεται τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου, ὅταν λαμβάνῃ με. διάψαλμα. 

15 But God shall deliv­erBM my soul from the power of Hades, when he shall receive me. Pause.

16 verum­tamen Deus redimet animam meam de manu inferi cum accep­erit me diapsalma

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

15 However, God Himself will redeem my soul from the control of Sheol, for He will pick me up. SELAH

טז אַךְBN אֱלֹהִים יִפְדֶּה נַפְשִׁי מִיַּד שְׁאוֹל כִּי יִקָּחֵנִיBO סֶלָה.

16 X אלהא נפרקיה לנפשׁי [ו]מן אידא דשׁיול X נסקניBP X

17 μὴ φοβ­οῦ, ὅταν πλουτήσῃ ἄνθρωπος καὶ ὅταν πληθυνθῇ ἡ δόξα τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ· 

16 Fear not when a man is enriched, and when the glory of his house is increased.

17 ne timu­eris cum dives factus fuerit homo et cum mul­tiplicata fuerit gloria domus eius

16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

16 Don’t be in awe when a man strikes it rich – when the worth of his house increases,

יז אַל תִּירָא כִּי יַעֲשִׁרBQ אִישׁ כִּי יִרְבֶּה כְּבוֹד בֵּיתוֹ.

17 לא תדחל מא דעתר גברא וסגא איקרא דביתה

18 ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τῷ ἀποθνῄσ­κειν αὐτὸν λήμψ­εται τὰ πάν­τα, οὐ[δὲ] συγκαταβή­σεται αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ.

17 For he shall take nothing when he dies; neither shall his glo­ry descend with him.

18 quoniam cum interierit non sumet omnia neque descendet cum eo pone; gloria eius

17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

17 because he will not get it all when he dies; His worth will not go down after him.

יח כִּי לֹא בְמוֹתוֹ יִקַּח הַכֹּל לֹא יֵרֵד אַחֲרָיו כְּבוֹדוֹ.

18 מטול דלא נסב מדם במותה [אף] לא נחת בתרה שׁובחה

19 ὅτι ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ζωῇX αὐτοῦ εὐ­λογηθήσε­ται·BR X ἐξ­ομολογήσε­ταί σοι, ὅταν ἀγαθύ­νῃς αὐτῷ

18 For his soul shall be blessed in his lifeX: X he shall give thanks to thee when thou dost well to him.

19 quia anima eius in vita ipsi­us benedic­etur X con­fitebitur tibi cum benefe­ceris ei

18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

18 Yet, it is his own soul that he bles­ses through his life-circumstances. ({He} also praises you when you are good to {him}.)

יט כִּי נַפְשׁוֹ בְּחַיָּיו יְבָרֵךְ וְיוֹדֻךָBS כִּי תֵיטִיב לָךְBT.

19 מטל דנפשׁה [הו] מברך בחיוהי Xנודא לך כד תטאב לה

20 εἰσελεύ­σεται ἕως γενεᾶς πατέρων αὐτοῦ, ἕως αἰῶνος οὐκ ὄψεται φῶς. 

19 [Yet] he shall go in to the gener­ation of his fathers; he shall never see light.

20 introibit usque in progenie[s] patrum suo­rum usque in aeternum non videbit lumen

19 He shall go to the generation of his fath­ers; they shall never see light.

19 It will go to be with the generation of his fathers; {he} will not see light ever again.

כ תָּבוֹאBU עַד דּוֹר אֲבוֹתָיו עַד נֵצַח לֹא יִרְאוּBV אוֹר.

20[ו]תמטיו[הי] עדמא לדרא דאבהוהי עדמא לעלם לא נחזא נוהרא

21 ἄνθρωπος ἐν τιμῇ ὢν οὐ συνῆκεν, παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσιν τοῖς [ἀνοήτοις καὶ] ὡμοιώθη αὐτοῖς.

20 Man that is in honour, understands not: he is compared to the [sense­less] cattle, [and] is like them.

21 homo in honore cum esset non intellexit conparatus est iumentis insipienti­bus; [et] sim­ilis factus est illis

20 Man that is in honour, and under­standeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

20 When a man with assets doesn’t understand, he should be compared to the cattle {for that’s what he is like}.

כא אָדָם בִּיקָר וְלֹאBW יָבִין נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת נִדְמוּBX.

21 ברנשׁא דבאיקרה לא אתבין אלא אשׁתלם לחיותא [ו]אתדמי לה


1Actually, the Hebrew only says “innards” and doesn’t specify “thoughts.”

2cf. Mark 13:22, 2 Peter 3:4, Rev. 2:20

3Referring to the Selah.

4Calvin’s English editor seems to have favored the interpretation of a commentator named Dathe, who interpreted “morning” as the usual time when judges held court, citing Psalm 73:14 & 101:8, and Jeremiah 21:12 as prooftexts.

5Daniel 7:18, Mat. 19:28, Luke 22:30, Rev. 1:6, 4:4, 11:16, 20:4

6Malachi 4:3, 1 Cor. 6:2-3, Rev. 2:2-6

7Rom. 8:17-30, 1Cor. 15:43, 2 Cor. 3:18, 4:17, Phil. 3:21, 1 Pet. 5:1-4, Rev. 21:11

8although it is also the Hebrew verb used for getting married.

9cf. Deut. 29:19 for another example.

10cf. Job 33:30 “To bring back his soul from the Pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life.” (NKJV)

AMy original chart includes the NASB, NIV, and ESV, but their copyright restrictions force me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scrolls containing Psalm 49 are 4Q85 Psalmsc (which contains parts of verses 1-16) and 4Q91 Psalmsj (which contains parts of vs.5-16). Where the DSS is legible and reads the same as the MT, the Hebrew text is colored purple. Where the DSS and ancient versions support each other against the MT in such a way that I suspect they are the original reading, I have highlighted them with yellow.

BThis Greek New Testament (GNT) is the 1904 "Patriarchal" edition of the Greek Orthodox Church. The Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine majority text of the GNT and the Textus Receptus are very similar. The Westcott-Hort, Nestle-Aland, and UBS editions are a slightly-different family of GNTs developed in the modern era as a break from the traditional Greek Bible by compiling just a few of the oldest-known manuscripts, but even so, the practical differences in the text between these two editing philosophies are minimal.

CEnglish translation of the Septuagint by Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton, 1851, “based upon the text of the Vaticanus” but not identical to the Vaticanus. As published electronically by E-Sword.

DJerome's Latin Vulgate w/ Deuterocanon using Gallican Psalter, 405 AD. As published electronically by E-Sword.

E1769 King James Version of the Holy Bible; public domain. As published electronically by E-Sword.

FFrom the Wiki Hebrew Bible https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A8_%D7%AA%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D.
DSS text comes from https://downloads.thewaytoyahuweh.com

GThe Leiden Peshitta, Copyright © 2012 by The Peshitta Foundation c/o Leiden University Institute for Religious Studies, as published electronically in BibleWorks.

H2nd-4th century Greek translators Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotian all rendered this word with a form of the Greek noun for “victory.” Aquila and “E” do it again with the “telos” that appears between verses 9-10.

IFields noted that “other” Greek translators rendered “this” as singular, matching the MT.

JFields noted that most other Greek versions used the synonym [εγ]καταδυ-σιν/τον (settling-down”).

KThis word only occurs four other times in the Hebrew Bible, all in poetic literature (Job 11:17; Ps. 17:14; 39:6; 89:48), and is translated “life,” “time,” “lifetime,” “span of time,” and “world” in English versions. Augustine found in these paired nouns (“peoples” and “land-residents,” “adam” and “ish,” “rich and poor”) a contrast between believers and unbelievers, and this is also reflected in the Targums (“sons of old Adam” – i.e. Gentiles – “and sons of Jacob”), but I think they have more to do with various ways we identify ourselves. All would agree, however, that they are merisms signifying “everybody without exception.”

LWisdom unites the lips and the heart with integrity. “For many have understanding in their lips, but have not in their heart, of whom the Scripture saith, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.’” ~Augustine, quoting Isa. 29:13.

M“understandings” - plural like this in only five other places: Job 32:11 (“reasonings”); Ps. 78:72 (“skillfulness”); Prov. 11:12; 28:16; Isa. 40:14. Delitzsch commented that the plural indicates profoundness and noted that this introduction is “Very similar [to the way] the elder (in the reign of Jehoshaphat) and the younger Micha(h) introduce their prophecies in 1 Kings 22:28 & Micah 1:2; and Elihu in the Book of Job his didactic discourses.” Calvin commented, “He puts himself forward as an humble scholar, one who, in acting the part of teacher, has an eye at the same time to his own improvement. It were desirable that all the ministers of God should be actuated by a similar spirit, disposing them to regard God as at once their own teacher and that of the common people, and to embrace in the first place themselves that divine word which they preach to others.”

Ncf. Aquila, αινιγμα from which we get “enigma.”

Ocf. Psalm 78:2 “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old” (NKJV) Augustine commented: “And why ‘to a parable’? Because ‘ we see through a glass darkly,’ (1 Cor. 13:12) as the Apostle said; ‘while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.’ (2 Cor. 5:6) For our vision is not yet that ‘face to face’ ... where there no longer are riddles and comparisons... However much a man may cultivate his heart and apply himself to apprehend mysteries, so long as we see through the corruption of this flesh, we ‘see but in part’.…But, as He ‘was seen by those who believed,’ and by those who crucified Him, when He was judged; so will He be seen, when He shall have begun to be judge, both by those whom He shall condemn, and by those whom He shall crown.”

PSymmachus rendered ιχνεων (footsteps”).

QGill suggested (based on Eccl. 12:1) that “evil days” meant the approach of death, but Delitzsch (based on Psalm 94:13 and Amos 6:3) argued that it meant, “days in which one experiences evil.” Both are themes of this Psalm.

RLit. “my heels” cf. Psalm 41:9 “Even my peaceful ally – who I confided in, who ate my food – he has enlarged [his] footprint/heel over me.” (NAW) Delitzsch was the only commentator I read who found this “inadmissable,” but his translator was so taken aback by this that he added a conciliatory paragraph to tone it down.

S“Enemies” is the interpretation here. The Arabic Bible also interprets the Hebrew word thus.

TLXX, Vulgate, and KJV connect this verse with the following verse (explaining who cannot be redeemed), whereas NASB, NIV, and ESV connect it with the previous verse as further explanation of who “those at my heels” are.
Calvin commented: “[T]he fear of man is unwarrantable… it argues ignorance of what man is even at his best... it were as reasonable to startle at a shadow or a spectre... It is not merely from the intrinsic insufficiency of wealth, honors, or pleasures, to confer true happiness that the Psalmist proves the misery of worldly men, but from their manifest and total incapacity of forming a correct judgment of such possessions.”

UThis is the Hebrew word for “brother.” The LXX & Vaticanus interpreted it as the subject, but Ibn Ezra and Delitzsch and the English versions interpreted it as the object. Either is possible, as the Hebrew here is somewhat ambiguous, but what is clear here is that the word “brother” is emphatic. (The NLT, instead, renders “self,” and NIV/ESV “another.”)

V“[T]he negative in other instances stands after the intensive infinitive, but here, as in Gen. 3:4, Amos 9:8, and Isa. 28:28, before it.” ~Delitzsch

WAugustine interpreted this to mean that the ungodly refuse to give alms, but I think this is saying that it is not possible to use temporal wealth to redeem a man’s soul from God’s judgment. On “precious,” cf. 1 Sam. 26:21 Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son, David, for I will not cause harm to you any more, since, when it came down to it, my soul was precious in your eyes this day..." Psalm 72:14 “He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; And precious shall be their blood in His sight.” (NKJV) and Isaiah 43:3-4 “...I gave Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Sudan instead of you. Because you are precious in my eyes, you were honored, and I myself loved you, and I gave a man instead of you and peoples instead of your soul.” (NAW)

XAquila and Symmachus corrected to the MT reading with a form of the verb παυσ- “cease,” but Theodotian and “E” used the same verb for “labor” as the LXX.

YThe meaning has to do with being valuable because it is rare. Calvin noted, “not to be understood as implying merely that it is an event of rare occurrence, but that it never can take place… [I]t is not merely impossible to redeem the life of menwhen they are dead, but impossible while they are yet living, to extend the term of their existence.” “Jarchi observes, ‘heavier than their substance’: it is too weighty a matter for the richest man in the world to engage in” ~J. Gill. “[T]he λυτρον which is required to be paid for the souls of men is too precious, i.e., exorbitant, or such as cannot be found…” Often connected with the value of a life, cf. 1 Sam. 26:21, Ps. 72:12-14, Isa. 43:3-4. LXX renders this word as a noun out of the same consonants, as though it were pointed וׅיקָר.

ZOnly other instance of this word in the Hebrew OT is in Exodus 21:30.

AALXX & Vulgate have a singular pronoun “his” instead of “their,” but the Peshitta matches the plural in the MT.

ABDSS 4Q85 reads the same as the MT (“and he ceased”), but DSS 4Q91 reads וחלו matching the LXX, Vulgate, and Peshitta “labor,” (although it is singular in LXX and Peshitta, “he labour”). Calvin, on the other hand, rendered it “continue.” AJV = “let alone” Gill commented, “...the redemption of the soul... must have ceased, it could never have been accomplished, had not Christ undertook it... Or ...the brother, whose soul or life is to be redeemed, he ...dies the second and eternal death, for aught his brother can do for him... Jarchi[Rashi] observes; he ceases from redeeming his brother; he finds he cannot do it... Some... connect these words with the following... that is, it is impossible that such an one by such means should live for ever.” Fausset = “that is, the ransom fails, the price is too precious, costly.”

ACBauscher translated “it labors,” which matches the LXX, Vulgate, and 4Q91. Lamsa translated “do good,” which seems to be out in left field.

ADMany translations interpret English v.9 as carrying on the thought of v.7 (e.g. Delitzsch: “[N]othing remains but to take v.9 [that’s v.8 in English] as a parenthesis; the principal clause affirms that no man can give to God a ransom that shall protect another against death, so that this other should still continue (עֹוד) to live… The כִּי in v.11 is now confirmatory of what is denied by its opposite…”) The problem with that position is that the reason given in v.10 would be a non sequitur. A second problem with that interpretation is that the Hebrew conjunction which opens v.9 is the common copulative vav (which the English versions translate “and” in v.8 & v.10), not the conjunction usually used in Hebrew for a result clause (ki = for/in order that, which does start v.10). The Latin and Greek versions therefore begin v.10 with a simple “and.” English versions which change “and” to “in order that” generally have to insert an extra word like “all” or “even” into v.10 to force their translation to work.) I suggest, as an alternative, that v.15’s assertion that “God will redeem” gives us reason to interpret that hope into verses 8-10, such that, while v.7 denies that any human can earn eternal life, verses 8-10 indicate that there are those who will experience eternal life “while” they see others die, in which case the Hebrew conjunction ki which opens v.10 could be interpreted in its temporal sense (“while” – II.10 in Holliday’s lexicon). This goes along with the strong us-them contrast the Psalmist is making.

AEDead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, and Peshitta all have a vav prefix.

AFTargums explains the pit as “the judgment of Gehenum/hell.”

AGThe Syriac changed the person of the verbs in this verse (and in the next) to second singular “you.”

AH“Designedly the word used of the death of wise men is מוּת, and of the death of the fool and the stupid man, אָבַד.” ~Delitzsch. In other words, while affirming that wise men and fools both die, it is not denying that the fool experiences a destructive judgment not experienced by the wise.
“It is a common proverb, that experience teaches fools, and they may be looked upon as something worse who will not lay to heart their mortality, when surrounded by so many convincing illustrations of it.” ~J. Calvin
Luke 16:22 “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.” “And what did it profit the rich man, who asked, while lying in torments in hell, that a drop of water should be poured upon his tongue from the finger of Lazarus... and it was not granted to him? One longed for the drop from the finger, as the other had for the crumbs from the rich man’s table; but the labour of the one is ended, and the life of the other is ended” ~Augustine

AIAquila and Symmachus supported the MT text with εντος (and this is the reading of Calvin, Delitzsch, Geneva Bible, KJV, AJV, and NASB), but the Vulgate, Targums (Following Talmud M.K. 9b, Ibn Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech), Peshitta, Arabic, and Septuagint all read with the last two letters of the Hebrew root switched, as though it read “grave/sepulcher/tomb” (which is the reading of Augustine, G. Wilson, and the NIV, NET, ESV, and NLT). On the one hand, it is easy to see how similar the two words are in Hebrew and how a mistake could be made. On the other hand, it’s hard to see who should be accused of making such a mistake. Is it reasonable to assume that everyone who translated it, on every continent and every century all somehow made the exact same mistake? Aquila’s version would indicate that the variant was at least as old as the second century AD, and the contradiction between the Targums and the Masoretic text makes it appear that Hebrew-speakers have made peace for some time with the existence of both readings. It could just as well parallel the “pit” of v.9 as the “pomp” of v.12 and not change the overall meaning of the paragraph. Unfortunately, the DSS are no help because this word is obliterated in both extant manuscripts (only the words before and after it are legible). The lack of any verb between “their grave/innard” and “their houses” points to a continuation of the imperfect verbs from the previous verse.

AJ“...he might as well write it on the water.” ~Spurgeon
This is the only place in the Tanach where “ground” is plural. Although the LXX (and Theodotian) & Vulgate (surprisingly followed by the Geneva, KJV, ASV/NASB, NET and NLT) insert “their,” the Peshitta, Targums, Aquila, Symmachus, and DSS support the simpler reading of the MT. This doesn’t necessarily indicate an error, however, for the possession of such lands can be inferred logically by the fact that they had the authority to name said lands.
Augustine, however, had a completely different interpretation, based on an ancient cultural practice: “Hear: ‘they shall invoke their names in their lands.’ What is this? They shall take bread and wine to their tombs, and there they shall invoke the names of the dead. Dost thou consider how loudly was invoked the name of the rich man after his death, when men drank them drunk at his monument, and there came down not one drop upon his own burning tongue [Luke 16:24]? Men minister to their own belly, not to the ghosts of their friends.”

AKLamsa = “they marked graves, Bauscher = “they read”

ALcf. the lowly adam-man in v.2

AMThis is not the standard Hebrew word for “honor,” so I think the LXX and KJV are making too much of a secondary meaning by translating it such. Nevertheless, Matthew Henry draws a good application from it: “[A]s their wealth will stand them in no stead in a dying hour, so neither will their honour... We will suppose a man advanced to the highest pinnacle of preferment, as great and happy as the world can make him, man in splendour, man at his best estate, surrounded and supported with all the advantages he can desire; yet then he abides not.” Delitzsch affirmed that it was “outward show.”

ANDSS, LXX, Peshitta, and Vulgate all read יבין , which is also the reading of the repeat of this verse in v.20. Targums (יבית) and Symmachus (αυλιςθησεται) supported the MT, as did Boettcher, Delitzsch, and G.Wilson. (Fields does not mention which variant Aquila supported.) The only differences between v.12 and v.20 in the MT are 1) v. 20 does not start with a vav conjunction but inserts a vav conjunction before the second clause, 2) v.20 reads with a different negative (לֹא instead of בל), and 3) the verb here is bin (“understand”) instead of lun (“spend the night”). The repetition of the verse may have introduced some incentive to match or to vary. Gerald Wilson in the NIV Application Commentary wrote, “it seems preferable to maintain the distinctive readings between these two verses with their added meanings.”

AOInstead of the Niphal perfect 3p in the MT and DSS (“they were undone,” which doesn’t make much sense and so has to be translated “perishes” as though it were the word יאבד in v.10), the LXX, Targum, Peshitta, and Vulgate all read as though the first letter were a vav instead of a nun (very similar-looking letters, by the way), which would be a Qal spelling instead of a Niphal, and would mean “and he is like him/them.” Fields doesn’t mention which one of these variants the later Greek versions of Aquila or Symmachus or Theodotian supported. Why would there have been such consensus among the versions except that there was a reputable textual tradition for it in Hebrew?

APLamsa appears to have translated a version more like the MT, for he renders it “and he will perish” (yet note the inserted “and”). Bauscher, however, translated according to the Leiden Peshitta here, “and he resembles one.”

AQAquila and Symmachus instead translated with a form of ανοια (“foolish/ignorant”).

ARBrenton’s translation does not reflect the LXX. A better translation of the Greek would be: “and after them with their mouth they approve.”

ASAugustine interpreted this as giving lip-service to God, but not heart-worship.

AT7 out of the 13 times this word is used in the OT, this word means “flanks/loins/waist” (Lev. 3:4, 10, 15; 4:9; 7:4; Job 15:27; Ps. 38:8). Of the remaining instances, four are translated “hope/confidence/trust” – half of which refer to faith in God (Job 8:14; 31:24; Ps. 78:7; Prov. 3:26), and two are translated “folly/stupidity” (Ps. 49:12; Eccl. 7:25 – although NIV translates it as “trust” in this Psalm).

AUcf. Psalm 40:14 & 44:4. Aquila came up with dramountai (“run”) by adding a u-class vowel between the first two radicals (יָרֻצוּ), but it is better to assume that this root has a lamed-he that dropped out.

AVLamsa= “folly,” Bauscher = “subversion”

AWLamsa = “they will graze like cattle,” Bauscher = “they will feed like sheep” – mistaking the tsade in the Hebrew word for an ayin.

AXSymmachus opted for the meaning “feed” in his translation νεμησαι.

AYLater Greek versions rendered this word with a variety of synonyms: Aquila επικρατησουσιν (“exercise power over”), Symmachus ‘υποταξουσιν (“submit”), Theodotian καταχθησονται (“lead down”).

AZAquila = χαρακτηρ (“image”), Symmachus = κρατερον (“strength”)

BAAquila = κατοικητηριου (“homestead” – supporting the MT tradition), Symmachus = οικησεως της εντιμου (“room of glory” – combining both textual traditions!). All the Greek versions pluralized the singular pronoun in the MT (“his”) to αυτων (“their”).

BBGill compiled the following Latin translations:
figura eorum – Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus;
forma eorum – Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
robur illorum – Musculus (“strength” – a bit of an outlier)
petra illorum – Cocceius

BCSome commentators note that sheep were not normally buried. Only diseased sheep that could not be eaten were so treated. Spurgeon suggested instead, in his Treasury of David that it was a sheep savaged by wild animals.

BDThere is some controversy on whether to translate this “shepherd” or “feed-on.” Augustine and G. Wilson opted for the former, as did Calvin, (quoting Kennicott, Hammond “feeding of sheep is very different from feeding on them,” and Horsley in support), and this is what the NASB, NET, ESV & NLT followed. (Vatablus, Gill, Fausset, and Delitzsch followed this same general idea, but used the verb “rule” – which is actually a different verb in Hebrew.) Calvin’s English editor, Anderson, seemed in favor of “feed on,” citing Merrick and Fry in support, as well as Micah 5:6, Psalm 80:14, Isa. 44:20, and Hosea 12:2 as instances where this verb means “feed on/lay waste,” and this translation was followed by the Geneva, KJV and NIV. Either meaning could fit, and both meanings find a parallel in the second half of the verse with the verbs “dominate” and “consume.”

BE“The mornings of resurrection after the sleep of death (cf. Daniel 12:2)” ~Cohen, Soncino Book of Psalms. Augustine was basically of the same opinion, including the idea of Judgment Day. Calvin’s English editor suggested the dominant meaning was Judgment. Kimchi seemed short-sighted in suggesting that “morning” meant release from exile, and G. Wilson seemed out in left-field with his interpretation that this was “the futile hopes of the wicked” who are claiming that God will redeem them anyway.

BFThe Qere note in the margin suggests substituting a sureq for the hireq-yod (וְצוּרָם), changing the meaning from “image” to “landmark-rock,” and this substitution is perhaps supported by the LXX, Vulgate, Ethiopic, and Arabic, which read “help.” Targums, Peshitta, and Aquila supported the MT. This word is obliterated in both DSS. Calvin vouched for “strength/form,” citing 1 Cor. 7:31 (“the fashion of this world passes away”) as a proof and also citing Ainsworth in support, and Gill and Fausset followed this interpretation too. Delitzsch agreed, expounding that this image denotes “outward appearance.”

BGAccording to Cohen, Rashi noted that “the soul of the wicked is doomed to waste away in the nether world, Gehinom.” Delitzsch commented that this word denotes “slow, but sure and entire, consuming away.”

BHI transliterated the first “sheol” in this verse to highlight the Hebrew poetic alliteration, but here, I translated it “hell.” Gill made a case for “hell,” citing Pagninus, Montanus, Gejerus, Michaelis, and Ainsworth in support.

BILXX, Peshitta, Symmachus, and Vulgate all read “glory” (צבי or הלל ?) instead of “dwelling.” Targum and Aquila support the MT. Only the last letter of the word in the DSS is legible (lamed). The Hebrew word in the MT is only used in four other places in the Hebrew O.T.: 1 Ki. 8:13 & 2 Chr. 6:2 (where it refers to Solomon’s temple), and Isa. 63:15 & Hab. 3:11 (where it refers to mansions).

BJLXX, Vulgate, and Syriac pluralize the pronoun, and Peshitta adds a verb.

BKLamsa = “consigned,” Bauschner = “given up”

BLPeshitta adds “they shall be cast out.”

BMThe Greek translates better “will redeem.”

BNאַךְ [is] used here adversatively, as e.g., in Job 13:15.” ~Delitzsch

BOCalvin suggested that “the future tense has been substituted for the perfect,” and that the ki is a “causal particle, reading ‘for he has taken me up.’” In other words, it is a logical progression, “he took me up, therefore He will redeem my soul,” but the ki could just as well be explanatory, equating “redeem” with “take up,” and then we don’t have to change the natural meaning of the verb’s tense.

BPPeshitta reads “raise up” instead of “receive.”

BQDavid was “made rich” when he killed Goliath and Saul became his benefactor (1 Samuel 17:25).

BRAquila, Symmachus, and Origen’s “E” all corrected the Septuagint's passive voice to the active active voice of the MT and Peshitta.

BSMasoretic scribes wrote in the plural (and Symmachus’ Greek version carries the plural through), but there is no clear plural subject to refer it to (the only plural possible is the one in in the temporal clause “in his life-circumstances”), which is why most English versions insert the word “men” even though it is not in the Hebrew. The LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate all read as a singular (“he praises”).

BTThe introduction of the second person “you” in the verb “you are good” is difficult to interpret because it is unclear to whom the “you” refers: Is it God (who is often addressed in the Psalms in second person)? Is it the audience (since all the other second persons in the Psalm are imperatives - “hear… do not fear”)? Or is it the impious rich (changing from third to second person for emphasis, a device used in some Hebrew poetry)? Any of the above can be made to work. However, the second person pronoun in the MT at the end of this verse is even more perplexing because “you are good to you” doesn’t make good sense. The LXX, Vulgate, Peshitta, and even Symmachus all read “to him” instead, and the Targums also support a third-person object. Following these ancient versions requires pulling only one subject out of thin air (referring “you are good” to God) instead of two (referring “they praise” to unidentified “men” and referring “you are good to you” to the rich man).

BUThis spelling is either a 2ms (“you will go” – advocated by the OSHB morphology and by the Peshitta) or a 3fs (“she will go” – advocated by Beal/Banks/Smith’s Old Testament Parsing Guide and by Groves/Wheeler’s Westminster Morphology). “She (i.e. ‘his soul,’ which is the subject of the previous verse) will go to his fathers” requires adding fewer words than, “You will [cause him] go to his fathers.” Delitzsch supported the latter.

BVLXX, Vulgate, and Peshitta all read with a singular rather than a plural subject.

BWThis word was the slightly-more-emphatic negative בַּל in v.12.

BXSame as in v.13 (Eng. v.12), instead of the Niphal perfect 3p in the MT and DSS (“they were undone”), the LXX, Targum, Peshitta, and Vulgate all read as though the first letter were a vav instead of a nun, making the stem Qal instead of Niphal, and meaning “and he is like him/them.”

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