Psalm 49 13

Psalm 49:13 kjv

This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

Psalm 49:13 nkjv

This is the way of those who are foolish, And of their posterity who approve their sayings. Selah

Psalm 49:13 niv

This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.

Psalm 49:13 esv

This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah

Psalm 49:13 nlt

This is the fate of fools,
though they are remembered as being wise. Interlude

Psalm 49 verses

Psalm 49 13 Meaning

Psalm 49:13 declares that a person, despite having earthly honor, wealth, or high status, if they lack true spiritual understanding or wisdom concerning their mortality and eternal destiny, is ultimately no different in their end from unreasoning animals that simply cease to exist. It underscores the vanity of relying on temporal possessions or prestige without a proper spiritual perspective on life and death.

Psalm 49 13 Context

Psalm 49 is a wisdom psalm addressing the apparent prosperity of the wicked and the challenges faced by the righteous. The psalm's core message warns against putting trust in wealth and earthly status. It challenges the common ancient belief that riches signify divine favor and confer a measure of control over one's destiny or even death. The psalmist assures the faithful that despite the present imbalance, the end of all, whether rich or poor, is certain death, yet only God can deliver the soul from the grave. Verse 13 directly follows a statement about man in his transient honor (verse 12), reiterating and emphasizing that a failure to understand this fleeting reality reduces humanity to the level of mere animals, who live without spiritual foresight or hope beyond their earthly existence. Historically and culturally, this psalm served as a polemic against the materialism prevalent in society and neighboring pagan cultures that often associated wealth and power with eternal well-being or even divinity.

Psalm 49 13 Word analysis

• Man (אֲדָם - ʾādām): Refers to humanity universally, highlighting that this truth applies to all individuals regardless of their earthly station. It underscores the shared human condition.
• who is in honor (בִּיקָר - biqār): The Hebrew term yiqār refers to preciousness, value, honor, glory, wealth, or pomp. It emphasizes a position of high standing, respect, or material affluence in a worldly sense. It signifies the individual's outward status or perceived importance.
• yet does not understand (וְלֹא יָבִין - wəlōʾ yāvîn): The verb yāḇîn (from bîn) means "to discern, perceive, have insight, understand." Here, it signifies a deep spiritual comprehension or discernment concerning the temporary nature of life, the futility of worldly trust, and the eternal realities of God and the afterlife. It is not merely intellectual capacity but a spiritual wisdom.
• Is like the beasts (נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת - nimšal kabbəhēmōṯ): Nimšal means "is compared, is like," implying a profound resemblance. Bəhēmōṯ (beasts) refers to common animals, domestic or wild. This comparison is stark and intended to be humbling. It does not imply that humans are biologically animals, but rather that without spiritual understanding, their trajectory toward death becomes indistinguishable from that of animals, which live without foresight or hope beyond their physical existence.
• that perish (נִדְמוּ - nidmû): From the root dāmāh, meaning "to be silent, cease, be cut off, destroyed." It emphasizes a final cessation, the silencing of life without a recognized future beyond physical existence. Animals live and die, their physical presence ceases, and there is no biblical promise of individual, eternal life for them in the same way there is for humans made in God's image.Words-group by words-group analysis:
  • Man who is in honor: This phrase sets up the subject – an individual seemingly successful or esteemed in worldly terms. The emphasis is on outward appearance and human-assigned value.
  • yet does not understand: This creates the critical contrast. The absence of understanding undermines all earthly "honor." This "understanding" is the crucial element differentiating a spiritually aware human from an animal. It's about knowing true purpose, meaning, and ultimate destiny beyond the fleeting present.
  • Is like the beasts that perish: This concluding simile delivers the sobering punch. The fate of such an "honored" man is effectively equated with that of animals who merely exist, reproduce, and die without any comprehension of or preparation for an afterlife. It highlights the spiritual poverty despite material riches, and the shared ultimate physical fate for all who neglect spiritual truth.

  Commentary

  Psalm 49:13 encapsulates a central tenet of biblical wisdom: that true value and security are not found in transient worldly honors or material possessions, but in spiritual understanding and a right relationship with God. The individual who prioritizes earthly success and acclaim while neglecting deeper spiritual discernment ultimately shares the same finite and unceremonious end as an unthinking animal. Their prestige, wealth, and power offer no advantage when confronting the inevitable reality of death and the judgment that follows. The psalmist aims to strip away the illusion that earthly accomplishments provide ultimate meaning or escape from mortality. Instead, he highlights that wisdom, particularly the understanding of one's place before a sovereign God and the brevity of life, is the only true enduring treasure, enabling one to live beyond a mere physical existence that perishes. The alternative is a life lived effectively without a lasting purpose or an eternal hope.

  Bonus section

  The theme of Psalm 49:13 is strongly reiterated in Psalm 49:20 (some translations combine these or count differently), reinforcing the importance of the message. This repetition emphasizes the critical distinction between external honor and internal spiritual understanding. The point is not about condemning wealth itself, but about condemning trust in wealth and a failure to seek divine wisdom. The truly "wise" understand their dependence on God, while the "fool" relies on their own might or material acquisitions, failing to grasp that only God provides redemption and eternal life beyond death, distinguishing man from beasts.

Psalm 49 13 Bonus section

Psalm 49 13 Commentary