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?

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

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—

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

NET Bible
Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm 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?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters surrounds me.

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

Smith's Literal Translation
Wherefore shall I fear in the days of evil, the iniquity of my heel shall surround me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Why should I fear in the evil day? The iniquity at my heel will surround me.

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

New Revised Standard Version
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I will fear not in days of evil, when the iniquity of my enemies shall surround me,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I will not fear in the evil days; the evil of my enemies surrounds me:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity of my supplanters compasseth me about,

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Wherefore should I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall 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
Proverbs 11:4
Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.

Matthew 16:26
What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Luke 12:19-20
Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ / But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’

Job 21:7-9
Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power? / Their descendants are established around them, and their offspring before their eyes. / Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.

Ecclesiastes 5:13-14
There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, / or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.

1 Timothy 6:17
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.

James 1:10-11
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.

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.

Mark 8:36
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

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 27:8-9
For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life? / Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him?

Ecclesiastes 8:12-13
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence. / Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.

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.

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.

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.


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.

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Adversity Cause Compass Compasseth Deceivers Downfall Encompass Evil Evil-Doing Fear Foes Heels Iniquity Persecutors Surround Surrounds Times Trouble Wherefore Wicked Working
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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














Why should I fear
The psalmist begins with a rhetorical question, challenging the natural human inclination towards fear. The Hebrew root for "fear" is "yare," which often implies a deep reverence or awe, but in this context, it refers to being afraid or anxious. The psalmist is encouraging a mindset of trust and confidence in God, rather than succumbing to fear. This reflects a consistent biblical theme where believers are called to trust in God's sovereignty and protection, as seen in passages like Isaiah 41:10, "Do not fear, for I am with you."

in times of trouble
The phrase "times of trouble" refers to periods of distress or adversity. The Hebrew word "ra" is often used to describe evil or calamity. Historically, the Israelites faced numerous adversities, from foreign invasions to internal strife. This phrase reminds believers that troubles are a part of life, yet they are not to be feared because God is a refuge and strength, as echoed in Psalm 46:1. The psalmist's question implies that faith should transcend the immediate circumstances of distress.

when wicked usurpers surround me
"Wicked usurpers" refers to those who are morally corrupt and seek to seize power or position unlawfully. The Hebrew word "avlah" can denote injustice or unrighteousness. In the historical context, Israel often faced threats from surrounding nations and internal corruption. The imagery of being "surrounded" suggests a sense of being besieged or overwhelmed. Yet, the psalmist's rhetorical question implies that even when encircled by such adversaries, there is no need for fear. This reflects the biblical assurance that God is a shield and protector, as seen in Psalm 3:3, "But You, O LORD, are a shield around me."

(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


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