Psalms 49:1-9, 12-15

Listen to this, all you people. Open your ears, all who live in the world— common people and important ones, rich people and poor ones. My mouth will speak wise sayings, the insights I have carefully considered. I will turn my attention to a proverb. I will explain my riddle with the ⌞music of⌟ a lyre. Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, when slanderers surround me with evil? They trust their riches and brag about their abundant wealth. No one can ever buy back another person or pay God a ransom for his life. The price to be paid for his soul is too costly. He must always give up in order to live forever and never see the pit.

But mortals will not continue here with what they treasure. They are like animals that die. This is the final outcome for fools and their followers who are delighted by what they say: Selah Like sheep, they are driven to hell with death as their shepherd. (Decent people will rule them in the morning.) Their forms will decay in the grave, far away from their comfortable homes. But God will buy me back from the power of hell because he will take me. Selah