Abideth not. — This verse gives the kernel and the thought of, as it also serves as a refrain to, the poem, thus vindicating the claim of a lyric tone for this didactic psalm. The reading of the LXX. and Vulg. (“without understanding” instead of “abideth not”), which brings Psalms 49:12 into exact correspondence with Psalms 49:20, is unquestionably to be adopted. The present text could not really express permanence, the Hebrew verb meaning to lodge temporarily.
The next verse, too, is hardly intelligible, unless we read here —
“Man, though in honour, without understanding,
Is like the beasts; they perish.”