Psalm 49:5
New International Version
Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—

New Living Translation
Why should I fear when trouble comes, when enemies surround me?

English Standard Version
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,

Berean Standard Bible
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?

King James Bible
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

New King James Version
Why should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

New American Standard Bible
Why should I fear in days of adversity, When the injustice of those who betray me surrounds me,

NASB 1995
Why should I fear in days of adversity, When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me,

NASB 1977
Why should I fear in days of adversity, When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me,

Legacy Standard Bible
Why should I fear in days of evil, When the iniquity of my supplanters surrounds me,

Amplified Bible
Why should I fear in the days of evil, When the wickedness of those who would betray me surrounds me [on every side],

Christian Standard Bible
Why should I fear in times of trouble? The iniquity of my foes surrounds me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Why should I fear in times of trouble? The iniquity of my foes surrounds me.

American Standard Version
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, When iniquity at my heels compasseth me about?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
I will not fear in the evil days; the evil of my enemies surrounds me:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Wherefore should I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall compass me.

Contemporary English Version
Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, when I am surrounded by vicious enemies?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.

English Revised Version
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels compasseth me about?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, when slanderers surround me with evil?

Good News Translation
I am not afraid in times of danger when I am surrounded by enemies,

International Standard Version
Why should I be afraid when evil days come my way, when the wickedness of those who deceive me surrounds me—

JPS Tanakh 1917
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity of my supplanters compasseth me about,

Literal Standard Version
Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters surrounds me.

Majority Standard Bible
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?

New American Bible
Why should I fear in evil days, with the iniquity of my assailants surrounding me,

NET Bible
Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm me?

New Revised Standard Version
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,

New Heart English Bible
Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of those who deceive me surrounds me?

Webster's Bible Translation
Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall encompass me?

World English Bible
Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

Young's Literal Translation
Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters doth compass me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Evanescence of Wealth
4I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp: 5Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me? 6They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.…

Cross References
Genesis 2:11
The name of the first river is Pishon; it winds through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.

Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life--whom shall I dread?

Psalm 94:13
to grant him relief from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked.


Treasury of Scripture

Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

Wherefore

Psalm 27:1,2
A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? …

Psalm 46:1,2
To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble…

Isaiah 41:10,11
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness…

days

Proverbs 24:10
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

Amos 5:13
Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

Ephesians 5:16
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

iniquity

Psalm 38:4
For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

Proverbs 5:22
His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

Hosea 7:2
And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.

heels

Proverbs 22:16
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

Genesis 49:17
Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

1 Samuel 26:20
Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

Jump to Previous
Adversity Cause Compass Compasseth Deceivers Downfall Encompass Evil Evil-Doing Fear Foes Heels Iniquity Persecutors Surround Surrounds Times Trouble Wherefore Wicked Working
Jump to Next
Adversity Cause Compass Compasseth Deceivers Downfall Encompass Evil Evil-Doing Fear Foes Heels Iniquity Persecutors Surround Surrounds Times Trouble Wherefore Wicked Working
Psalm 49
1. An earnest persuasion to build the faith of resurrection
16. Worldly prosperity is not to be admired














(5) Should I fear?--Here the problem is stated not in a speculative, but personal form. The poet himself feels the pressure of this riddle of life.

When the iniquity of my heels.--The Authorised Version seems to take "heels" in the sense of footsteps, as Symmachus does, and "when the evil of my course entangles me," is good sense, but not in agreement with the context. Render rather, when iniquity dogs me at the heels, i.e., when wicked and prosperous men pursue him with malice. This is more natural than to give the word heel the derived term of supplanter; the sense, too, is the same. There is no direct reference to Genesis 3:15, though possibly the figure of the heel as a vulnerable part, and of wickedness lying like a snake in the path, may have occurred to the poet. The Syriac, however, suggests a different reading, "malice of my oppressors."

Verses 5-15. - The prelude, or introduction, being over, the substance of the "dark saying" is now brought forth. The problem is propounded. On the one hand are the righteous, fallen upon evil days, surrounded by treacherous foes, ever on the watch to do them a mischief (ver. 5); on the other are the wicked, "trusting in their wealth, and boasting themselves in the multitude of their riches" (ver. 6), so opulent that they build houses which they expect to "continue for ever" and proprietors on such a scale that their lands are "called after their names" (ver. 11); and both parties equally short-lived, soon swept away from earth (vers. 10, 12). How is it that God allows all this, and how is man to reconcile himself to it? Simply by two reflections - one, that for the wicked, who have their portion in this life, there is no hope of happiness after death (vers. 14, 17); and the other that "God will redeem the righteous from the power of the grave, and will receive them" (ver. 15). Verse 5. - Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil? i.e. have I reason to fear, or may I trust in God's protection? Are, or are not, the righteous under his care? When the iniquity of my heels; rather, of my supplanters - of those that would trip me up. Shall compass me about; i.e. surround me, lie in wait for me on every side (comp. Psalm 17:10-12).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Why
לָ֣מָּה (lām·māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

should I fear
אִ֭ירָא (’î·rā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

in times
בִּ֣ימֵי (bî·mê)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3117: A day

of trouble,
רָ֑ע (rā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

when wicked
עֲוֺ֖ן (‘ă·wōn)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 5771: Iniquity, guilt, punishment for iniquity

usurpers
עֲקֵבַ֣י (‘ă·qê·ḇay)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6120: A lier in wait

surround me?
יְסוּבֵּֽנִי׃ (yə·sū·bê·nî)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 5437: To turn about, go around, surround


Links
Psalm 49:5 NIV
Psalm 49:5 NLT
Psalm 49:5 ESV
Psalm 49:5 NASB
Psalm 49:5 KJV

Psalm 49:5 BibleApps.com
Psalm 49:5 Biblia Paralela
Psalm 49:5 Chinese Bible
Psalm 49:5 French Bible
Psalm 49:5 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Psalm 49:5 Why should I fear in the days (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 49:4
Top of Page
Top of Page