Psalm 115 17

Psalm 115:17 kjv

The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.

Psalm 115:17 nkjv

The dead do not praise the LORD, Nor any who go down into silence.

Psalm 115:17 niv

It is not the dead who praise the LORD, those who go down to the place of silence;

Psalm 115:17 esv

The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence.

Psalm 115:17 nlt

The dead cannot sing praises to the LORD,
for they have gone into the silence of the grave.

Psalm 115 verses

Psalm 115 17 Meaning

Psalm 115:17 asserts that those who have died do not engage in praising the LORD, nor do any who have descended into the realm of silence, commonly understood as Sheol or the grave. It underscores that praise and active worship of God are prerogatives of the living, emphasizing the importance of utilizing one's earthly life to glorify God before passing into a state of physical inactivity.

Psalm 115 17 Context

Psalm 115 is a forceful declaration of the absolute uniqueness and superiority of the LORD, the God of Israel, in stark contrast to the lifeless idols worshiped by surrounding nations. The preceding verses (4-8) describe these idols in detail: they have mouths but do not speak, eyes but do not see, ears but do not hear, hands but do not feel, feet but do not walk, nor do they utter a sound. The psalmist mocks those who make and trust in them, declaring them to be like their idols—inactive and unresponsive. Verse 17 directly follows this polemic, drawing a clear parallel between the inertness of idols and the inability of the dead to offer active praise. It then pivots to the role of the living, who do bless and praise the LORD (vv. 18-18). The psalm's historical context likely reflects the ongoing religious struggles against polytheism and idolatry prevalent in the Ancient Near East, emphasizing monotheism and the exclusive, living nature of Israel's God. The "silence" refers to Sheol, the common grave, where the vibrancy of life and earthly interaction with God ceased.

Psalm 115 17 Word analysis

• The dead (מֵתִים - mētîm): The plural of mêt, meaning "dead one" or "corpse." It refers to those who have physically died and are devoid of life's animating breath. This emphasizes a cessation of all biological and active functions.

• praise not (לֹא יְהַלְלוּ - lō' yĕhalləlû): Lō' is a strong negative particle ("not"). Yĕhalləlû is the Hiphil imperfect form of the verb hālal (הָלַל), meaning "to praise," "to boast," "to glorify." The Hiphil suggests active, often public, expression of praise. The combination indicates an inability or cessation of active, vocal worship from those in the grave. It's not about consciousness after death, but about the specific act of "praising" as understood in living worship.

• the LORD (יָהּ - Yah): This is a shortened, poetic form of the Tetragrammaton, YHWH, the covenant name of God. It highlights that the praise is due to Israel's specific, living, and active God, not to lifeless deities. The shortened form often emphasizes the LORD's majestic and sovereign power.

• neither any (וְלֹא כָּל־ - wĕlō' kāl-): "And not all" or "nor any." This phrase serves to further reinforce and universalize the preceding negation, emphasizing that there are absolutely no exceptions among the departed who offer such praise.

• that go down (יֹרְדֵי - yōr'dê): A participle, "those who descend." This is a common biblical euphemism for entering Sheol or the grave (e.g., Ps 30:9, Job 7:9). It evokes the physical act of burial or the journey into the underworld.

• into silence (דוּמָה - dûmâ): A crucial word derived from the root dāmam (דָּמַם), meaning "to be silent," "to be still," "to cease." Dûmâ thus signifies a place or state of absolute quiet, inactivity, and cessation. It portrays Sheol as a realm where vocal praise and the bustling activities of life are utterly absent. It highlights the stillness and powerlessness that contrasts sharply with the living God's active power and the vibrant praise of the living.

• "The dead praise not the LORD": This phrase directly states the fundamental assertion that those physically departed are incapable of offering the active, vocal, and communal praise that is a central aspect of Old Testament worship. It marks a clear boundary between the realm of the living, where praise flourishes, and the realm of the dead, where such activities cease. This serves as a reminder of the preciousness of life as the primary window for glorifying God.

• "neither any that go down into silence": This clause rephrases and reinforces the first, adding descriptive power through the metaphorical destination of "silence." It amplifies the sense of complete cessation and stillness associated with death and the grave. The silence of the grave is the antithesis of the living sound of praise, emphasizing that this specific type of worship is irrevocably linked to life. It also directly echoes the muteness and inactivity of the idols described earlier in the psalm (115:5).

Psalm 115 17 Bonus section

• Polemics against Idolatry: This verse gains added punch when viewed in direct sequence to the psalmist's description of idols (Ps 115:4-8) — mute, deaf, motionless, and lifeless. The dead are described as being in "silence," mirroring the idols who cannot speak. This implicitly positions both the dead and idols as incapable of engaging with the living God, thus magnifying the living LORD and underscoring that only His living creation can actively praise Him.
• Emphasis on the Present Life: The verse subtly places an urgent value on one's present, embodied existence. It implies a "carpe diem" ("seize the day") for praise; if one wishes to honor God through active adoration and thanksgiving, it must be done during this earthly life, as that opportunity ceases upon physical death.
• The Nature of Sheol: This verse contributes to the Old Testament understanding of Sheol as a shadowy, still realm where individuals might exist but do not actively participate in communal worship or earthly-like interactions with God. It sets boundaries around the extent of human action and relationship with God once life departs from the body, distinguishing it from resurrection hopes which emerge more clearly in later biblical thought.

Psalm 115 17 Commentary

Psalm 115:17 profoundly articulates a key Old Testament perspective on death and praise: the living praise the LORD, and the dead do not. This isn't necessarily a theological statement on the absolute unconsciousness of the departed, but rather a practical assertion about the cessation of active, earthly, and vocal worship. The grave, or Sheol, is depicted as a place of silence and inactivity, diametrically opposed to the vibrant, boisterous praise that is characteristic of the living before their Creator. The verse serves as a powerful call to seize the opportunity for praise while one is alive, before entering the stillness of the grave where such actions, as understood in an earthly context, cease. It contrasts the active, dynamic God with lifeless idols, and extends this contrast to the vibrant worship of the living versus the passive state of the dead. It is a profound incentive for human beings to devote their ephemeral existence to the worship and glory of the One True God, highlighting life itself as a precious gift meant for praise.