Psalm 49 7

Psalm 49:7 kjv

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

Psalm 49:7 nkjv

None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him?

Psalm 49:7 niv

No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them?

Psalm 49:7 esv

Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,

Psalm 49:7 nlt

Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death
by paying a ransom to God.

Psalm 49 verses

Psalm 49 7 Meaning

Psalm 49:7 declares a profound truth about the ultimate powerlessness of humanity and material wealth in the face of death and God's claims on life. It asserts that no human being possesses the capacity or means to redeem another person, nor can they offer any payment to God that would ransom a life from its appointed end or the consequences of sin. This verse underscores the futility of trusting in earthly riches as a safeguard against mortality or divine judgment, highlighting the inherent limits of human ability.

Psalm 49 7 Context

Psalm 49 is a wisdom psalm addressing the perplexing problem of the wicked's prosperity and the righteous's affliction. It seeks to answer the "riddle" (v. 4) of why the ungodly, who trust in their wealth, seem to flourish while their future seems bleak to the righteous. The psalm contrasts the fleeting, temporary nature of earthly riches and human power with the enduring reality of death and God's ultimate judgment. Verses 6-12 specifically elaborate on the theme that trust in wealth is ultimately futile, as riches cannot deliver anyone from the grave or ensure immortality. Verse 7 acts as the foundational statement of this truth, asserting the absolute human inability to secure life or redemption, either for oneself or another, from God. This sets up the critical distinction later in verse 15, where the psalmist expresses confidence that God will redeem him, precisely because human power cannot. The cultural context involves societies where wealth often conferred status and perceived security, a perception this psalm fundamentally challenges. It functions as a polemic against the pervasive human tendency to put trust in material possessions or self-sufficiency rather than in God.

Psalm 49 7 Word analysis

• Truly (אח - 'ach): While often meaning "brother" or "kinsman," here ach is used in a broader, emphatic sense as "surely," "indeed," or "verily." It highlights the universal application: not even one's closest kin, or indeed any human being, can accomplish this redemption. It underlines the absolute inability.
• no man can ransom (לא-פדה יפדה איש - lo'-padah yiphdeh 'ish):
  • לא-פדה יפדה (lo'-padah yiphdeh): This is a strong negative construction using a common Hebrew idiom combining a negative with an infinitive absolute and a finite verb, effectively meaning "he cannot possibly redeem" or "he certainly will not redeem." It emphasizes absolute impossibility, leaving no room for doubt or exceptions regarding human capacity.
  • פדה (padah): To ransom, redeem, deliver, or purchase. In the Old Testament, padah implies a liberation from bondage, danger, or obligation, often by paying a price. It's used for redeeming slaves (Lev 25:48), firstborn (Exod 13:13), or land. Here, the object is a human life from the power of death or the grave. The human attempts to apply this concept (i.e., paying a price for life) are explicitly deemed insufficient before God.
  • איש ('ish): A man, a person, a human being. This word ensures the declaration applies to all humanity without exception, rich or poor.
• another (אח - 'ach): In this specific usage, ach again functions as "his fellow" or "another." It implies that neither can one man ransom himself, nor can he ransom any other individual.
• or give (ולא-יתן - v'lo'-yitten): "And not give." The conjunction vav (v) connects this phrase, emphasizing a second, parallel aspect of human inability: not only can they not redeem directly, but they also cannot provide the payment. נתן (nathan) means to give or to place, here specifically the act of offering the kofer.
• to God (לאלהים - la'Elohim):
  • לאלֹהִים (la'Elohim): "to God." This preposition la (to/for) emphasizes that the ransom, if it were to be valid, must be paid to God. God is the sovereign Creator and Giver of life, and it is against Him that sin has been committed, thereby forfeiting the right to life. Thus, any payment must appease God's just demands. It rules out human solutions or earthly systems of compensation.
  • אלהים (Elohim): The generic name for God, here referring to the one true God of Israel, the ultimate authority over life and death.
• the price of his life (כפרו - kofero):
  • כפרו (kofero): "his ransom price," "his atonement." כֹפֶר (kofer) refers to a bribe, a payment for a life, a compensation, or a ransom, specifically money given to release someone from an obligation, especially the penalty of death (e.g., Exod 21:30 regarding a goring ox, where a kofer might be paid instead of execution). The verb כפר (kaphar) means "to cover, atone, expiate." Thus, kofer signifies a covering or payment that averts judgment. Here, it signifies the exact monetary amount or value one would offer as a redemption price for a life, which is deemed impossible when faced with God's absolute claim over that life due to sin.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "Truly no man can ransom another": This phrase highlights the radical human powerlessness in the face of death and sin. It strips away any illusion of self-salvation or the ability to save others from ultimate mortality or divine judgment, even with the strongest familial bonds or earthly influence. It establishes a theological necessity for a divine solution.
  • "or give to God the price of his life": This extends the previous point by explicitly naming the intended recipient of the ransom – God – and specifying the nature of the payment – the "price of his life" or "his ransom." This emphasizes that the issue isn't merely physical death, but the profound spiritual debt owed to God for a life lived and potentially forfeited due to sin. It categorically states that no human-generated value (be it wealth, good deeds, or status) can ever settle this debt with God.

Psalm 49 7 Bonus section

Psalm 49:7, while seemingly pessimistic about human capabilities, is in fact foundational to understanding the glorious truth of God's redemption in Christ. By emphatically declaring that no man can provide this kofer or perform this padah, it implicitly reveals the necessity for a divine or divinely appointed substitute. The contrast found later in the same psalm, verse 15, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol," powerfully illustrates this. The psalm presents a stark problem—humanity's inescapable mortality and debt to God—and immediately points towards the only possible solution: God Himself. This psalm functions as a strong apologetic against materialism and human pride, challenging ancient and modern sensibilities alike that believe wealth or human achievement can conquer ultimate realities like death and sin's judgment. It lays the groundwork for the New Testament's declaration of Jesus Christ as the ransom for many (Matt 20:28), the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet 1:18-19) being the price, vastly surpassing perishable silver or gold, that fulfilled the impossible demand set forth in Psalm 49:7.

Psalm 49 7 Commentary

Psalm 49:7 serves as a crucial theological anchor in the wisdom literature, asserting the inherent limitations of human effort and material possessions when confronting the profound realities of death and God's sovereignty. It states with unyielding clarity that no person, regardless of their status or wealth, possesses the means to "ransom" (redeem or purchase freedom for) themselves or another from death, or to present a "ransom price" to God sufficient to appease divine judgment for a life. The impossibility (lo'-padah yiphdeh) of this human act establishes a problem that demands a divine solution. It's not about an economic transaction in the earthly sense, but a spiritual one, dealing with the fundamental claim God has on every life and the forfeiture of that life due to sin. The "kofer" is therefore an impossible payment. This verse directly counters the human tendency to trust in the tangible and finite – wealth, influence, self-effort – rather than acknowledging the boundless, absolute authority of the Eternal. It thus paves the way for understanding the true, God-provided ransom, which the rest of Scripture progressively reveals in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It sets the stage for the Good News: what man cannot pay, God Himself has paid.