Psalm 89:48 - Printer Friendly

ESV: What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah

NIV: Who can live and not see death, or who can escape the power of the grave?

NASB: What man can live and not see death? Can he save his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah

CSB: What courageous person can live and never see death? Who can save himself from the power of Sheol? Selah

NLT: No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave. Interlude

KJV: What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

NKJV: What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave? Selah

Psalm 89:46–52 closes the psalm begging the Lord to reverse Israel's fortunes before the psalmist dies. In this time of crisis, life itself seems pointless. While Israel is insulted and mocked, the psalmist calls on God to see and respond. History provides no indication of what was happening, but some suggest this was written about the Jewish exile under Babylon (2 Kings 24:10–16). Another possibility is an Egyptian raid (1 Kings 14:25–28) during the time of Rehoboam.

This psalm is not directly connected to other events in Scripture; it might be associated with the Babylonian captivity (2 Kings 24:10–16) or the Egyptian raid against Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:25–28). The psalmist begins by praising God for His loyal love. It applauds His covenant with David. However, this turns to grief over apparent defeats and humiliations. The psalm ends with a plea for the Lord to remember His promises and reverse Israel's fortunes.

This psalm is attributed to Ethan, a Levite (1 Chronicles 15:17–18). The content suggests Israel had suffered one or more crushing defeats (1 Kings 14:25–28; 2 Kings 24:10–16). So, after celebrating God's love in establishing David's throne, the tone quickly turns to bitter mourning. This combination—faith paralleled with honest angst—is a common theme in the psalms (Psalm 22; 73; 74).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/22/2024 3:55:00 PM