The Meaning of Psalms 49:17 Explained

Psalms 49:17

KJV: For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

YLT: For at his death he receiveth nothing, His honour goeth not down after him.

Darby: For when he dieth, he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.

ASV: For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For when he dieth  he shall carry nothing away:  his glory  shall not descend  after  him. 

What does Psalms 49:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 49:1-20 - The Folly Of Trusting In Riches
Here is a proclamation worthy of the hearing of all the world. The psalmist is listening to voices unheard by ordinary ears. Be sure to listen to God's voice, and then unfold His dark sayings in music. However dark they may seem in their mystery and awe, they may be uttered in song. See Revelation 15:3-4.
The burden of the psalm is the impotence of wealth. The millionaire cannot prolong the life of his sick child. And even if, like Queen Elizabeth, he cries on his dying bed: "A million of money for a moment of time!" the sand passes unheeding through the hour-glass. He must leave stocks and shares, jewels and gold, at the summons of Death, described in Psalms 49:14 as the shepherd who calls his flock to fold it in Sheol, R.V. How different the lot of the righteous! As eternity dawns, they are redeemed from the power of the grave and pass to the bosom of God. What are the riches and glory of this world compared with the sense of God's presence in the humble and contrite heart! To have that is to have the essence of all! "Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee," Psalms 73:25. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 49

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

What do the individual words in Psalms 49:17 mean?

For nothing when he dies he shall carry away nothing not shall descend after him His glory
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א בְ֭מוֹתוֹ יִקַּ֣ח הַכֹּ֑ל לֹא־ יֵרֵ֖ד אַחֲרָ֣יו כְּבוֹדֽוֹ

לֹ֣א  nothing 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
בְ֭מוֹתוֹ  when  he  dies 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
יִקַּ֣ח  he  shall  carry  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
הַכֹּ֑ל  nothing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
יֵרֵ֖ד  shall  descend 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
אַחֲרָ֣יו  after  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
כְּבוֹדֽוֹ  His  glory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּבֹוד  
Sense: glory, honour, glorious, abundance.