Psalm 47-49

New International Reader's Version

⁵ God went up to his throne while his people were shouting with joy.
    The Lord went up while trumpets were playing.
⁶ Sing praises to God. Sing praises.
    Sing praises to our King. Sing praises.

⁷ God is the King of the whole earth.
    Sing a psalm of praise to him.
⁸ God rules over the nations.
    He is seated on his holy throne.
⁹ The nobles of the nations come together.
    They are now part of the people of the God of Abraham.
The kings of the earth belong to God.
    He is greatly honored.

⁴ Many kings joined forces.
    They entered Israel together.
⁵ But when they saw Mount Zion, they were amazed.
    They ran away in terror.
⁶ Trembling took hold of them.
    They felt pain like a woman giving birth.
⁷ Lord, you destroyed them like ships of Tarshish
    that were torn apart by an east wind.

⁸ What we heard we have also seen.
    We have seen it
in the city of the Lord who rules over all.
    We have seen it in the city of our God.
    We have heard and seen that God makes it secure forever.

⁹ God, inside your temple
    we think about your faithful love.
¹⁰ God, your fame reaches from one end of the earth to the other.
    So people praise you from one end of the earth to the other.
    You use your power to do what is right.
¹¹ Mount Zion is filled with joy.
    The villages of Judah are glad.
    That’s because you judge fairly.

¹² Walk all around Zion.
    Count its towers.
¹³ Think carefully about its outer walls.
    Just look at how safe it is!
    Then you can tell its people that God keeps them safe.
¹⁴ This God is our God for ever and ever.
    He will be our guide to the very end.

⁵ Why should I be afraid when trouble comes?
    Why should I fear when sinners are all around me?
    They are the kind of people who want to take advantage of me.
⁶ They trust in their wealth.
    They brag about how rich they are.
⁷ No one can pay for the life of anyone else.
    No one can give God what that would cost.
⁸ The price for a life is very high.
    No payment is ever enough.
⁹ No one can pay enough to live forever
    and not rot in the grave.

¹⁰ Everyone can see that even wise people die.
    People who are foolish and who have no sense also pass away.
    All of them leave their wealth to others.
¹¹ Their tombs will remain their houses forever.
    Their graves will be their homes for all time to come.
    Naming lands after themselves won’t help either.

¹² Even though people may be very rich, they don’t live on and on.
    They are like the animals. They die.

¹³ That’s what happens to those who trust in themselves.
    It also happens to their followers, who agree with what they say.
¹⁴ They are like sheep and will end up in the grave.
    Death will be their shepherd.
But when honest people come to power, a new day will dawn.
    The bodies of sinners will waste away in the grave.
    They will end up far away from their princely houses.
¹⁵ But God will save me from the place of the dead.
    He will certainly take me to himself.

¹⁶ Don’t get too upset when other people become rich.
    Don’t be troubled when they become more and more wealthy.
¹⁷ They won’t take anything with them when they die.
    Their riches won’t go down to the grave with them.
¹⁸ While they lived, they believed they were blessed.
    People praised them when things were going well for them.
¹⁹ But they will die, like their people of long ago.
    They will never again see the light of life.

²⁰ People who have riches but don’t understand
    are like the animals. They die.