Psalms 49:10

For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist addresses the assembly regarding the limits of human wealth, immediately following a declaration that no one can ransom their soul from the grave.

The words — The Hebrew יִרְאֶה (yir.'Eh) literally means "anyone will see" or "it is clear," while יַחַד (Ya.chad) translates to "alike" or "together," establishing that mortality applies uniformly across social and intellectual divides.

The thread — This observation of death's finality regarding possessions appears in Psalms 39:6, where a person heaps up riches not knowing who will gather them, and Luke 12:20, where God demands a fool's life that night, leaving his accumulated goods unclaimed.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that physical death severs all ownership, forcing wealth to pass to others regardless of a person's wisdom or status.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כִּ֤יkifor יִרְאֶ֨ה׀yir.'Ehanyone will see חֲכָ֘מִ֤יםcha.Kha.Mimwise [people]יָמ֗וּתוּya.Mu.tuthey die יַ֤חַדYa.chadalike כְּסִ֣ילke.Sila fool וָבַ֣עַרva./Va.'arand/ a stupid [person]יֹאבֵ֑דוּyo.Ve.duthey perish וְעָזְב֖וּve./'a.ze.Vuand/ they leave לַאֲחֵרִ֣יםla./'a.che.Rimto/ other [people]חֵילָֽם׃chei.La/mwealth/ their

King James Version

For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

Cross-references

Psalms 39:6 Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.
Luke 12:20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’
Ecclesiastes 5:13 There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
1 Timothy 6:6 Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.
Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,
Proverbs 30:2 Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
Jeremiah 10:8 But they are altogether senseless and foolish, instructed by worthless idols made of wood!
Psalms 49:17 For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.
Psalms 73:22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You.
Psalms 94:8 Take notice, O senseless among the people! O fools, when will you be wise?