Psalm 49:16
New International Version
Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;

New Living Translation
So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid.

English Standard Version
Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.

Berean Standard Bible
Do not be afraid when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.

King James Bible
Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

New King James Version
Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased;

New American Standard Bible
Do not be afraid when a person becomes rich, When the splendor of his house is increased;

NASB 1995
Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased;

NASB 1977
Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased;

Legacy Standard Bible
Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, When the glory of his house increases;

Amplified Bible
Be not afraid when [an ungodly] man becomes rich, When the wealth and glory of his house are increased;

Christian Standard Bible
Do not be afraid when a person gets rich, when the wealth of his house increases.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Do not be afraid when a man gets rich, when the wealth of his house increases.

American Standard Version
Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, When the glory of his house is increased:

Contemporary English Version
Don't let it bother you when others get rich and live in luxury.

English Revised Version
Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Do not be afraid when someone becomes rich, when the greatness of his house increases.

Good News Translation
Don't be upset when someone becomes rich, when his wealth grows even greater;

International Standard Version
Don't be afraid when someone gets rich, when the glory of his household increases.

Majority Standard Bible
Do not be afraid when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.

NET Bible
Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich and his wealth multiplies!

New Heart English Bible
Do not be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased.

Webster's Bible Translation
Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

World English Bible
Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Do not fear when one makes wealth, "" When the glory of his house is abundant,

Young's Literal Translation
Fear not, when one maketh wealth, When the honour of his house is abundant,

Smith's Literal Translation
Thou shalt not fear when a man shall be enriched, and when the honor of his house shall be increased;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Be not thou afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Do not be afraid, when a man will have been made rich, and when the glory of his house will have been multiplied.

New American Bible
Do not fear when a man becomes rich, when the wealth of his house grows great.

New Revised Standard Version
Do not be afraid when some become rich, when the wealth of their houses increases.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Be not afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Do not fear when a man is made rich and the honor of his house increases.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Be not thou afraid when one waxeth rich, When the wealth of his house is increased;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Fear not when a man is enriched, and when the glory of his house is increased.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Evanescence of Wealth
15But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. Selah 16Do not be amazed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases. 17For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.…

Cross References
Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

1 Timothy 6:17-19
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. / Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, / treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Luke 12:15-21
And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” / Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance. / So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’ ...

Proverbs 11:4
Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.

Ecclesiastes 5:10-15
He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile. / When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes? / The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep. ...

James 1:9-11
The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position. / But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. / For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Mark 10:23-25
Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” / 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! / It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. / For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. / The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Proverbs 23:4-5
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. / When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

Luke 16:19-31
Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. / And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores / and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. ...

Job 27:16-17
Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay, / what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.

Matthew 19:21-24
Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” / When the young man heard this, he went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth. / Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. ...

1 Peter 1:24-25
For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, / but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

Ecclesiastes 2:18-21
I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. / And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile. / So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun. ...

Jeremiah 9:23-24
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. / But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth—for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.


Treasury of Scripture

Be not you afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

Be not

Psalm 49:5
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

Psalm 37:1,7
A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity…

Esther 3:1-6
After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him…

glory

Genesis 31:1
And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory.

Esther 5:11
And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

Revelation 21:24,26
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it…

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Psalm 49
1. An earnest persuasion to build the faith of resurrection
16. Worldly prosperity is not to be admired














Do not be amazed
The Hebrew root for "amazed" is "תִּתְמַהּ" (tithmah), which conveys a sense of wonder or astonishment. In the context of this verse, it serves as a caution against being overly impressed or bewildered by worldly success. From a conservative Christian perspective, this phrase reminds believers to maintain a heavenly focus, understanding that earthly wealth is temporary and should not distract from spiritual priorities. The Bible consistently teaches that true riches are found in a relationship with God, not in material possessions.

when a man grows rich
The phrase "grows rich" is derived from the Hebrew "יַעֲשִׁיר" (ya'ashir), indicating an increase in wealth or prosperity. Historically, wealth was often seen as a sign of God's blessing, yet the psalmist warns against equating material wealth with divine favor. In the broader scriptural context, riches can lead to pride and a false sense of security. Jesus' teachings in the New Testament, such as the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:16-21), echo this sentiment, emphasizing the fleeting nature of wealth and the importance of being "rich toward God."

when the splendor of his house increases
The "splendor" of a house, from the Hebrew "כְּבוֹד" (kavod), refers to glory, honor, or abundance. In ancient times, a person's house was a symbol of their status and success. The increase in splendor might include physical expansions, luxurious decorations, or the accumulation of valuable possessions. However, the psalmist's message is clear: such splendor is not a true measure of a person's worth or standing before God. The New Testament reinforces this idea, as seen in 1 Timothy 6:17-19, where believers are instructed not to put their hope in wealth but in God, who provides true riches.

(16, 17) After expressing his own hopes of escaping from death, or being rescued from corruption, the psalmist recurs to the question of Psalm 49:5, and completes the answer to it. He need not fear, however prosperous and wealthy his adversaries become, for they will die, and, dying, can take none of their possessions with them.

Verses 16-20. - The conclusion "repeats and confirms the general lessons of the psalm." Ver. 16 is a categorical answer to the doubt propounded in ver. 5. Vers. 17-19 are an echo of ver. 14, and at the same time a counterpoise to the views put forth in vers. 6, 11. Ver. 20 is a repetition, but with an important modification, of ver. 12. Verse 16. - Be not thou afraid when one is made rich (see vers. 5, 6). There is no ground for fear, nor even for perplexity, when the wicked grow rich and prosper. Their wealth will not ransom their souls (vers. 7-9). They cannot take it with them to another world (ver. 17). They will have no advantage from it there. On the contrary, their misery in another world will be such as to far outweigh any enjoyment which they may have had on earth (vers. 14, 19). When the glory of his house is increased (see ver. 11).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

be amazed
תִּ֭ירָא (tî·rā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

when
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

a man
אִ֑ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

grows rich,
יַעֲשִׁ֣ר (ya·‘ă·šir)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6238: To accumulate, chiefly, to grow, rich

when
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the splendor
כְּב֣וֹד (kə·ḇō·wḏ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3519: Weight, splendor, copiousness

of his house
בֵּיתֽוֹ׃ (bê·ṯōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

increases.
יִ֝רְבֶּה (yir·beh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7235: To be or become much, many or great


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OT Poetry: Psalm 49:16 Don't be afraid when a man (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 49:15
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