Psalm 49:12 kjv
Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
Psalm 49:12 nkjv
Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain; He is like the beasts that perish.
Psalm 49:12 niv
People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.
Psalm 49:12 esv
Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.
Psalm 49:12 nlt
but their fame will not last.
They will die, just like animals.
Psalm 49 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 39:4-5 | "Lord, make me to know my end... You have made my days a few handbreadths…" | Mortality and brevity of human life. |
| Psa 73:18 | "Surely you set them in slippery places; you cast them down to destruction." | Perilous end of the prosperous wicked. |
| Psa 90:5-6 | "You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream… like grass." | Fleeting nature of human life. |
| Psa 103:15 | "As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field;" | Fragility of human life. |
| Job 4:19-20 | "How much more those who dwell in houses of clay… crushed like a moth!" | Humanity's mortal weakness. |
| Ecc 1:2 | "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity." | Emptiness of earthly pursuits. |
| Ecc 2:18-19 | "I hated all my toil… because I must leave it to the man who will come after me." | Futility of human labor and legacy. |
| Ecc 3:19-20 | "For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts… as one dies, so does the other." | Shared mortality of humans and animals. |
| Ecc 5:10 | "He who loves money will not be satisfied with money…" | Insatiable desire and emptiness of wealth. |
| Ecc 5:15 | "As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came…" | Material wealth is not carried into death. |
| Isa 40:6-7 | "All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field…" | Transient nature of human glory. |
| Matt 6:19-20 | "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth… but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." | Transience of earthly wealth vs. heavenly. |
| Luke 12:16-21 | Parable of the Rich Fool: "You fool! This night your soul is required of you…" | Folly of storing earthly riches and not being rich toward God. |
| 1 Tim 6:7 | "For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world." | Inability to take possessions beyond death. |
| 1 Tim 6:9-10 | "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation… for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." | Danger of desiring riches. |
| Jas 4:14 | "You are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." | Extreme brevity of human life. |
| Psa 49:20 | "Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish." | Echoes and clarifies Ps 49:12, adding "understanding." |
| Prov 11:4 | "Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death." | Riches are useless in final judgment. |
| Ezek 28:1-10 | The king of Tyre, though powerful and wealthy, would die "the death of the uncircumcised." | Pride in wealth leads to destruction. |
| Job 14:1-2 | "Man who is born of a woman is few of days… comes out like a flower and withers." | Inherent brevity and frailty of human life. |
| Hos 13:14 | "I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from Death." | God’s power to redeem from death (contrast). |
| Psa 49:15 | "But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me." | Psalmist's hope in divine redemption. |
Psalm 49 verses
Psalm 49 12 Meaning
Psalm 49:12 declares that regardless of a person's esteemed status, honor, or earthly wealth, their life on earth is impermanent. Like the animals, all humanity is subject to death and ultimately perishes, emphasizing the futility of trusting in worldly riches or reputation for lasting security or eternal existence.
Psalm 49 12 Context
Psalm 49 is a wisdom psalm, addressed to all mankind, presenting a meditation on the riddle of prosperity of the wicked and the problem of human mortality. It serves to admonish those who trust in their material possessions and worldly success. The immediate context of verse 12 follows the assertion in verse 11 (Masoretic Text 49:12, English translations 49:11), where it notes that even though the rich might name lands after themselves, thinking their dwellings and legacies will last forever, they are mistaken. Verse 12 directly refutes this illusion of permanence, underscoring that all, irrespective of "honor" or wealth, share the ultimate fate of death. The comparison to beasts prepares the listener for the later assertion (v.15) of a hope beyond this earthly existence for those who trust in God, contrasting it sharply with the despair of those who do not. Historically, the Psalmist addresses a universal human temptation: relying on tangible, temporal securities rather than eternal divine truth, a common challenge in many ancient Near Eastern cultures valuing power and legacy.
Psalm 49 12 Word analysis
- וְאָדָם (və’ādām): "And man," "But man," or "Nevertheless man." The term adam signifies humanity in general, encompassing all people without distinction, emphasizing a universal truth for all created beings.
- בִּיקָר (bîqār): "in honor," "in pomp," "in dignity," "in wealth." From yaqar, meaning "precious" or "valuable." It speaks to human worth, high status, splendid appearance, or material riches upon which people might place their trust and derive pride. It establishes the seemingly elevated position from which the fall occurs.
- בַּל יָלִין (bal yālîn): "abideth not," "will not remain," "does not spend the night." Bal is a strong negative particle, indicating an emphatic denial. Yālîn (from lun) literally means 'to lodge,' 'to spend the night,' implying a temporary stay. Thus, it vividly expresses that no earthly position or possession can grant permanent dwelling or escape from transience.
- נִמְשַׁל (nimshal): "he is like," "he resembles," "he is compared to." This verb (Niphal of mashal) signifies drawing a comparison or creating an analogy, highlighting a shared characteristic.
- כַּבְּהֵמוֹת (kabbəhēmôt): "like the beasts," "like animals." Behemot refers to animals, often large quadrupeds. This comparison is stark and humbling. Animals, while wonderfully created, exist solely on a physical plane, and their consciousness of life and death is limited; their earthly existence culminates in physical demise with no perceived continuity.
- נִדְמוּ (nidmû): "they perish," "are silenced," "are destroyed," "are cut off." From the root damah, which can mean 'to be like' (as in nimshal from a different root damah) but here means 'to cease,' 'to be cut off,' 'to become silent.' It powerfully conveys the absolute cessation of life and existence, the silencing effect of death, for those who have no hope beyond the earthly realm.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Nevertheless man in honor abideth not": This phrase directly confronts human pride and aspirations for lasting worldly significance. It asserts that no matter how much dignity, prestige, or wealth a person accumulates, these attributes cannot overcome the universal reality of their temporal existence. Earthly glory is inherently transient.
- "he is like the beasts that perish": This striking comparison humbles human arrogance. It strips away all the distinctions humanity attempts to create through status or wealth, equating the ultimate end of all who live solely on earthly terms to that of an unthinking animal. Without God's redemptive intervention, human death is biologically no different from an animal's demise—a return to dust and silence.
Psalm 49 12 Bonus section
The profound significance of Psalm 49:12 is reiterated and subtly deepened in Psalm 49:20 (English versions), which states, "Man in his pomp, yet without understanding, is like the beasts that perish." The key addition "without understanding" (לֹא יָבִין - lo yavin) in the later verse clarifies that it is not simply man's inherent mortality, but a lack of spiritual discernment that condemns him to the same ultimate end as an animal. This indicates that while death is a biological certainty for all flesh, the meaning and consequence of that death differ based on one's relationship with divine wisdom and the Eternal. Failing to understand life's true values beyond the temporal, and not grasping God's sovereign power over death, leads one to essentially live a beast-like existence focused solely on consumption and self-preservation, with no lasting hope. Thus, the verse serves as a crucial theological insight: the real tragedy is not just dying, but dying without wisdom or divine relationship.
Psalm 49 12 Commentary
Psalm 49:12 is a core statement within the psalm's wisdom teaching, delivering a sharp critique of the human tendency to find ultimate security and meaning in material possessions and social standing. The verse serves as a spiritual memento mori, reminding all of their inescapable mortality. The "honor" or "pomp" (yaqar) of humanity, whether expressed in wealth, power, or reputation, is revealed as ultimately unable to secure true permanence or evade death's grasp. The vivid and somewhat startling comparison to "beasts that perish" is potent. It underscores a biological equality in death, challenging human arrogance derived from intellect or dominion. If humans live only for earthly acquirements and neglect spiritual understanding, their final end is effectively no different from creatures without immortal souls or divine purpose—they merely exist, then cease. However, this verse also serves to amplify the contrast that the Psalmist makes later in Psalm 49:15: while those who trust in themselves will perish like animals, the righteous have a divine Deliverer who will redeem them from the power of Sheol, indicating a hope that transcends earthly bounds. It teaches the vital importance of valuing spiritual eternity over fleeting material gain.
- Example for Practical Usage: Consider the career-driven individual who sacrifices family, faith, and well-being for professional accolades and wealth. Psalm 49:12 warns that while such "honor" may seem significant, it will not abide, and their ultimate end, devoid of spiritual foundation, will be no different from any creature that simply perishes, leaving no lasting eternal legacy.