Psalm 49:2 kjv
Both low and high, rich and poor, together.
Psalm 49:2 nkjv
Both low and high, Rich and poor together.
Psalm 49:2 niv
both low and high, rich and poor alike:
Psalm 49:2 esv
both low and high, rich and poor together!
Psalm 49:2 nlt
High and low,
rich and poor ? listen!
Psalm 49 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 3:23 | ...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God... | All are equally fallen before God. |
| Acts 10:34-35 | ...God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. | God's impartiality regarding human status. |
| Gal 3:28 | There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. | Equality in spiritual standing before God. |
| Rom 2:11 | For God shows no partiality. | Affirmation of God's unbiased judgment. |
| Ecc 9:2 | It is the same for all...to all mortals. | Death is the ultimate equalizer for all. |
| Ecc 2:16 | For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance... | No lasting difference between wise and foolish in death. |
| Job 3:19 | The small and great are there, and the slave is free from his master. | Equality in death's final rest. |
| Prov 22:2 | The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all. | God's creation implies universal connection and dependency. |
| Job 34:19 | who shows no partiality to princes nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands. | God's just and equal judgment of all people. |
| 1 Tim 6:7 | For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. | The futility of earthly wealth at death. |
| Jas 1:9-11 | Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower he will pass away. | Temporary nature of rich and poor statuses. |
| Jas 2:1-4 | My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ... | Warning against favoritism based on social status in the church. |
| Prov 11:4 | Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. | Worldly wealth is useless in ultimate judgment. |
| Lk 12:16-21 | The parable of the rich fool who stored up treasures but lost his soul. | Highlighting the vanity of trusting in material wealth. |
| Lk 6:20 | "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." | Reversal of worldly values; kingdom open to the humble. |
| Lk 6:24-25 | "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort." | Warning about the spiritual dangers of wealth. |
| Ps 62:9 | Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. | All humanity, regardless of status, is fleeting. |
| Is 40:6-8 | All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field... The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. | The ephemeral nature of all human life and glory. |
| Job 1:21 | "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there." | Humans enter and leave the world equally devoid of possessions. |
| 1 Cor 1:26-29 | For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards... | God often chooses those of low worldly esteem. |
| Mk 10:25 | "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." | The spiritual challenge often faced by the wealthy. |
Psalm 49 verses
Psalm 49 2 Meaning
Psalm 49:2 declares the universal audience for the message of the psalm: "Both low and high, rich and poor together." This verse emphasizes that the profound truths about the fleeting nature of life, the futility of earthly wealth, and the inevitability of death apply to all humanity, regardless of their social standing or economic status. It establishes a level playing field, inviting everyone, from the most humble to the most powerful, and from the most destitute to the most affluent, to pay heed to the divine wisdom being shared.
Psalm 49 2 Context
Psalm 49 is a Maskil, an instructional or meditative psalm attributed to the Sons of Korah, focusing on the wisdom concerning human mortality and the deceptive nature of trust in earthly riches. Following the universal call to "hear this, all peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world" in verse 1, verse 2 immediately clarifies and reinforces the scope of this address. It cuts across societal divisions, declaring that the profound truths contained within the psalm are not for a select few but for the entire human race. The core message of Psalm 49 revolves around the contrast between those who trust in their wealth and pride, believing they can escape the common fate of death, and those who trust in God for redemption. The context of verse 2 ensures that both categories of people – the common person and the elite, the impoverished and the opulent – are meant to grasp this crucial message, emphasizing their shared human condition and ultimate destiny.
Psalm 49 2 Word analysis
- low and high: The Hebrew expression used here is `beni adam` (בְנֵי אָדָם) and `beni ish` (בְנֵי אִישׁ).
- `Beni adam` (בְנֵי אָדָם): Literally "sons of Adam" or "sons of mankind." This typically refers to ordinary human beings, the common people, mortals in general, or humanity in its frailty. It denotes those of common or low social standing.
- `Beni ish` (בְנֵי אִישׁ): Literally "sons of man" or "sons of a strong man/distinguished man." This often refers to men of substance, distinction, importance, or high social standing, even nobility.
- This pairing acts as a merism, a rhetorical device where two contrasting parts stand for the whole. It signifies "everyone," from the lowest to the highest in society, covering the full social spectrum.
- rich and poor: The Hebrew words are `ashir` (עָשִׁיר) and `evyon` (אֶבְיוֹן).
- `Ashir` (עָשִׁיר): Signifies someone who is wealthy, affluent, or materially prosperous.
- `Evyon` (אֶבְיוֹן): Refers to someone who is poor, needy, or destitute. This term often carries the connotation of dependency and is sometimes associated with those for whom God expresses particular care.
- Like "low and high," this is another merism, encompassing the entire economic spectrum of society. It highlights that the psalm's message applies irrespective of one's material possessions.
- together: While not a single distinct word in the Hebrew here, the combined effect of the conjunctions "and" (`wāw`) and the immediate pairing of the terms `ashir` and `evyon` after `beni adam` and `beni ish` inherently conveys the idea of unity and inclusivity. The implied meaning is that all these groups are addressed as one collective, underscoring that the message pertains equally to everyone, universally applicable without distinction or exception. The message's truth binds all humanity together in its shared destiny.
Psalm 49 2 Bonus section
- The pairing of "low and high, rich and poor" employs a literary device known as hendiadys through merism. This powerful structure effectively communicates totality – not just some people, but everyone within the range described.
- The emphasis on a universal audience (vv. 1-2) before diving into the specific content highlights the psalm's profound relevance. It suggests that while human beings might differentiate themselves by social and economic class, these distinctions are rendered meaningless when confronting divine truths like mortality and the true source of security.
- This universal address subtly serves as a polemic against ancient societal beliefs that often linked prosperity with divine favor and poverty with divine disfavor, or that certain truths were exclusive to a ruling elite. The psalm asserts that God's truth applies to all.
Psalm 49 2 Commentary
Psalm 49:2 serves as a foundational statement, setting the stage for the universal truths articulated throughout the psalm. By specifically addressing "low and high, rich and poor together," the psalmist emphatically declares that the subsequent instruction on the vanity of trusting in wealth and the inescapable reality of death is not class-specific, but an essential lesson for every soul. This verse levels all human distinctions, stripping away the artificial hierarchies of society and economy. In the grand scheme of God's wisdom, earthly status or material abundance provides no special privilege or immunity from life's ultimate challenges. Both the mighty and the meek, the opulent and the impoverished, stand equally exposed to the certainty of mortality and the judgment of the Creator. The message therefore calls for profound humility in those who possess much and offers solace and validation to those who have little, reminding all that their true value and eternal hope do not reside in fleeting earthly possessions but in a different, divine, trust.