Psalms 49 · Verse 20

Psalms 49:20

Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
Psalms 49:20, King James Version

Psalms 49:20 in other translations

BSBA man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
WEBA man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.
ASVMan that is in honor, and understandeth not, Is like the beasts that perish.
YLTMan in honour, who understandest not, Hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off!
DARBYMan that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
BBEMan, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.
WebsterMan that is in honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

What does Psalms 49:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. (Compare Psa 49:12). The folly is more distinctly expressed by "understandeth not," substituted for "abideth not."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Man that is in honor - The rich and honorable man who has no spiritual understanding, is a beast in the sight of God. The spirit of this maxim is, A man who is in a dignified official situation, but destitute of learning and sound sense, is like a beast. The important place which he occupies reflects no honor upon him, but is disgraced by him. Who has not read the fable of the beautifully carved head? It was every thing that it should be, but had no brains. This verse has been often quoted as a proof of the fall of man; and from ילין yalin, (in Psa 49:12), which signifies to lodge for a night, it has been inferred that Adam fell on the same day on which he was created, and that he did not spend a single night in the terrestrial paradise. Adam, who was in a state of glory, did not remain in it one night, but became stupid and ignorant as the beasts which perish. But we may rest assured this is no meaning of the text.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 49:15-20

Believers should not fear death. The distinction of men's outward conditions, how great soever in life, makes none at death; but the difference of men's spiritual states, though in this life it may seem of small account, yet at and after death is very great. The soul is often put for the life. The God of life, who was its Creator at first, can and will be its Redeemer at last. It includes the salvation of the soul…

Read the full comment on Psalms 49:15-20 →

Psalms 49:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אָדָ֣ם'a.DamhumankindH120
בִּ֭יקָרBi.korwith honorH3366
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
יָבִ֑יןya.Vinhe understandsH995
נִמְשַׁ֖לnim.Shalhe is likeH4911
כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹתka.be.he.Motlike the animalsH929
נִדְמֽוּ\׃nid.Mu[which] they are destroyedH1820

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 49:20

  • Ecclesiastes 3:18-19

    I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

  • Psalms 49:12

    Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

  • Job 4:21

    Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

  • Esther 7:10

    So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.

  • Esther 5:11-14

    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. Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king. Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate. Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

  • Psalms 73:18-19

    Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Man.
12; Es 5:11-14; 7:10
understandeth.
Job 4:21
is like.
73:18,19; Ec 3:18,19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 49:19

    He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

  • Psalms 49:20

    Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

Read all of Psalms 49

Psalms 49:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El hombre en honra que no entiende, semejante es á las bestias que perecen.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il s’en ira jusqu’à la génération de ses pères: ils ne verront jamais la lumière.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Der Mensch, der in Ansehen ist und keine Einsicht hat, gleicht dem Vieh, das vertilgt wird.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sedens adversus fratrem tuum loquebaris, et adversus filium matris tuæ ponebas scandalum.