Psalm 49

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 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

 1-4   Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world – ² you sons of Adam, you sons of man, together rich and poor!

חלד (cheled) = “world / mole”

³ My mouth speaks wisdom the meditation of my heart understanding. ⁴ I incline my ear to a proverb I will reveal my riddle with the lyre.

 5-13   Why should I fear in evil days, when crime comes round me at my heels? ⁶  Those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches [are the ones who should be in fear].  ⁷ Surely they  can redeem no man, or give to God his ransom. ⁸ For to redeem their life is too costly and can never suffice. ⁹ Will he yet live forever and not see the pit? ¹⁰ For he sees the wise die. The fool and the brutish alike must perish and abandon their wealth to others. ¹¹ Their grave is their home forever, their dwelling for all generations, though their names had been called on earth. ¹² Man in his pomp will not “spend the night”. He is like the beasts that perish. ¹³ This is the way of the fool. Yet their followers approve of what they say! Selah

לין (leen)

14-15   Like sheep they are appointed for sheol; death shall shepherd them, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their image shall be worn out in sheol, with no place to dwell. ¹⁵ But God will ransom my soul from the hand of sheol, for He will receive me. Selah

 16-20   Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. ¹⁷ For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. ¹⁸ For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed – and though you get praise when you do well for yourself – ¹⁹ his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light. ²⁰ Man in his pomp, when he does not discern, is like the beasts that perish.

REFERENCES:

Verse 1

Leviticus 11:29  “Now these are to you the unclean among the swarming things which swarm on the earth: the mole (חלד, choled), and the mouse, and the great lizard in its kinds.”

Verse 4

Proverbs 1:6  To understand a proverb (משל, mashal) and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles (חידה, chidah).

Numbers 12:8  “With [Moses] I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles (חידה, chidah), and he beholds the form of Adonai…”

Verse 7

Exodus 21:30  If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed on him.

Verse 12

Genesis 19:2  And he said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night (לין,leen) and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night (לין, leen) in the town square.” (1^st app.)

Verse 13

Luke 12:20  “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’”

Verse 14

Genesis 18:12  So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out (בלה, balah), and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” (1^st app.)

Deuteronomy 8:4  Your clothing did not wear out (בלה, balah) on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. (2^nd app.)