Psalm 48: Overview

St Alphonsus Liguori summarised the message of this psalm as follows:

The psalmist here addresses the faithful, to teach them to despise the goods of this world and to fear only a bad death which must be followed by the sentence of condemnation. Then he raises their thoughts to the consideration of this truth, that only in God can true happiness be found. Of course, all this is said in an obscure manner; but thanks to the light of the Gospel, we are able to see the thought of the prophet.

Pope John Paul II provided two commentaries on the psalm which you can find here and here.

The text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem, filiis Core. Psalmus.	Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core.
1  Audíte hæc, omnes Gentes: * áuribus percípite omnes, qui habitátis orbem:	Hear these things, all you nations: give ear, all you inhabitants of the world.
2  Quique terrígenæ, et fílii hóminum: * simul in unum dives et pauper.	3 All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together
3  Os meum loquétur sapiéntiam: * et meditátio cordis mei prudéntiam.	3 All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together
4  Inclinábo in parábolam aurem meam: * apériam in psaltério propositiónem meam.	5 I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.
5  Cur timébo in die mala? * iníquitas calcánei mei circúmdabit me:	6 Why shall I fear in the evil day? The iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.
6  Qui confídunt in virtúte sua: * et in multitúdine divitiárum suárum gloriántur.	7 They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,
7  Frater non rédimit, rédimet homo: * non dabit Deo placatiónem suam.	8 no brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,
8  Et prétium redemptiónis ánimæ suæ: * et laborábit in ætérnum, et vivet adhuc in finem.	9 nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever, 10 and shall still live unto the end.
9  Non vidébit intéritum, cum víderit sapiéntes moriéntes: * simul insípiens, et stultus períbunt.	11 He shall not see destruction, when he shall see the wise dying: the senseless and the fool shall perish together:
10  Et relínquent aliénis divítias suas: * et sepúlcra eórum domus illórum in ætérnum.	And they shall leave their riches to strangers: 12 And their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever.
11  Tabernácula eórum in progénie et progénie: * vocavérunt nómina sua in terris suis.	Their dwelling places to all generations: they have called their lands by their names.
12  Et homo, cum in honóre esset, non intelléxit: * comparátus est juméntis insipiéntibus, et símilis factus est illis.	13 And man when he was in honour did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and has become like to them
13  Hæc via illórum scándalum ipsis: * et póstea in ore suo complacébunt.	14 This way of theirs is a stumbling block to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.
14  Sicut oves in inférno pósiti sunt: * mors depáscet eos.	15 They are laid in hell like sheep: death shall feed upon them.
15  Et dominabúntur eórum justi in matutíno: * et auxílium eórum veteráscet in inférno a glória eórum.	And the just shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their help shall decay in hell from their glory.
16  Verúmtamen Deus rédimet ánimam meam de manu ínferi: * cum accéperit me.	16 But God will redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when he shall receive me.
17  Ne timúeris, cum dives factus fúerit homo: * et cum multiplicáta fúerit glória domus ejus.	17 Be not afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased
18  Quóniam cum interíerit, non sumet ómnia: * neque descéndet cum eo glória ejus.	18 For when he shall die he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory descend with him.
19  Quia ánima ejus in vita ipsíus benedicétur: * confitébitur tibi cum beneféceris ei.	19 For in his lifetime his soul will be blessed: and he will praise you when you shall do well to him.
20  Introíbit usque in progénies patrum suórum: * et usque in ætérnum non vidébit lumen.	20 He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light.
21  Homo, cum in honóre esset, non intelléxit: * comparátus est juméntis insipiéntibus, et símilis factus est illis.	21 Man when he was in honour did not understand: he has been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Mt 16:24- 28 ; Mk 8:36-7; Rom 3: 20-26 ;1 Tim 2:5-6,  (7-8); Lk 12:16-23 (17-18); 1 Tim 6:5-10 (18)
RB cursus	Tuesday Matins I, 4
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Tuesday Matins
Thesauris schemas	A: ; B: ; C: ; D:
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Wednesday Matins . 1970: Vespers
Mass propers (EF)	-