Bible Strands
Psalms 49:6
They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses his audience while anticipating a time of crisis when wicked usurpers surround him.
The words — The Hebrew בּוֹטְחִים (botchim, "those relying") and יִתְהַלְּלוּ (yithhallēlû, "they boast") frame a posture of dependence and self-praise directed toward חֵילָם (chêlām, "their wealth") and עָשְׁרָם (ʿāśrām, "their riches").
The thread — This pattern of misplaced security in material abundance recurs in 1 Timothy 6:17, Psalms 52:7, and Jeremiah 9:23.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to verify whether their actual refuge is temporary resources or God before confronting unavoidable trouble.
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
King James Version
They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
Cross-references
- 1 Timothy 6:17 Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy.
- Psalms 52:7 “Look at the man who did not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his wealth and strengthened himself by destruction.”
- Jeremiah 9:23 This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
- Ezekiel 28:4 By your wisdom and understanding you have gained your wealth and amassed gold and silver for your treasuries.
- Proverbs 11:28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.
- Mark 10:24 And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
- Luke 12:19 Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
- Esther 5:11 Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored and promoted him over the other officials and servants.
- Job 31:24 If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,
- Psalms 62:10 Place no trust in extortion or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.