Psalm 16 10

Psalm 16:10 kjv

For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Psalm 16:10 nkjv

For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

Psalm 16:10 niv

because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

Psalm 16:10 esv

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.

Psalm 16:10 nlt

For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.

Psalm 16 verses

Psalm 16 10 Meaning

Psalm 16:10 proclaims a profound divine promise that God will not abandon the psalmist's "soul" to "hell" (Sheol, the grave) nor allow "His Holy One" to experience "corruption" (decay). While initially spoken by King David expressing his personal trust in God's preservation beyond death, it primarily functions as a prophetic utterance regarding the Messiah, Jesus Christ. This verse uniquely foretells Christ's resurrection from the dead, emphasizing that His body would not undergo physical decay in the tomb, thus proving His identity as God's stainless and divinely appointed "Holy One" who triumphed over the finality of death.

Psalm 16 10 Context

Psalm 16 is a "Miktam of David," often translated as a "golden psalm" or an "inscription," suggesting it's a psalm of significant and enduring value. The chapter begins with David's plea for preservation ("Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust"). Throughout the psalm, David expresses profound joy and contentment in Yahweh alone, rejecting idols and their sorrows (vv. 2-4). He declares God as his "portion and inheritance," trusting in divine guidance (vv. 5-7) and setting the Lord always before him (v. 8). His trust leads to an extraordinary declaration of security and hope: even in the face of death, his "heart is glad" and his "flesh also rests in hope" (v. 9). Verse 10 is the apex of this hope, moving beyond general preservation to a specific anticipation of rescue from the permanence of the grave and from decay itself.

Historically and culturally, the ancient Israelite understanding of Sheol (שְׁאֹול, the realm of the dead) was generally one of a shadowy, silent existence, a place from which return was uncommon or impossible for mortals. Psalm 16:10 thus presents a remarkable leap in prophetic understanding, hinting at a victory over Sheol itself and over the natural process of bodily corruption. This stands in contrast to common ancient Near Eastern beliefs that death was a final, irreversible state. David’s hope is not merely a long life, but a life secured by God beyond what death can do, foreshadowing a reality ultimately revealed in Christ.

Psalm 16 10 Word analysis

• For (כִּֽי - Ki): This conjunction introduces a reason or explanation, tying this profound declaration directly to David's preceding trust and security in God. It explains why his heart is glad and his flesh dwells securely.

• thou wilt not leave (לֹא־תַעֲזֹ֣ב - lo'-ta-'a-zov): A strong negation. Lo' is "not," and ta'azov comes from the verb 'azav, meaning "to abandon, forsake, leave." It expresses God's absolute commitment to preserve and not desert. This is not passive; it is an active divine prevention.

• my soul (נַפְשִׁ֥י - naf-shi): Nephesh, commonly translated "soul," refers to the whole person, the self, one's very being or life principle. In this context, it signifies the individual in their entirety, particularly in the realm of the grave or death.

• in hell (לִשְׁאֹ֖ול - lish-ol): Sheol. In the Old Testament, Sheol is the general realm or abode of the dead, the grave, the underworld. It is not exclusively a place of torment (which is more associated with Gehenna in the New Testament), but rather the shadowy place where all deceased go. The promise is not just against an inferno, but against being left permanently in death's grasp.

• neither wilt thou suffer (וְלֹֽא־תִתֵּ֣ן - vᵉlo'-tit-ten): Again, a strong negation. Vᵉlo' ("and not") and titten (from nathan, "to give, allow, permit"). It signifies God's active refusal or prevention. He will not allow this particular outcome.

• thine Holy One (חֲסִידֶ֑ךָ - cha-si-de-kha): This is a crucial term. Chasid (plural: chasidim) means "pious one," "godly one," "faithful one," "one who demonstrates hesed (loyal love/covenant faithfulness)." With the possessive suffix ekha ("Your"), it is "Your godly one" or "Your faithful one." While David certainly considered himself a chasid of God, the New Testament's application in Acts 2:27-31 and Acts 13:35-37 decisively reveals that this "Holy One" par excellence refers to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, because only He would undergo death but not decay. David saw corruption; Christ did not.

• to see (לִרְא֥וֹת - lir-ot): From ra'ah, "to see, perceive, experience." Here it means "to undergo" or "experience." It's not just visual observation but experiencing the state of decay.

• corruption (שָׁ֑חַת - sha-ḥat): This word primarily means "pit, pitfall, grave." However, in context of seeing or experiencing it after death, particularly in opposition to being raised, it takes on the meaning of "decay," "decomposition," or "destruction" in the sense of the body breaking down in the grave. This dual meaning of "pit/grave" and "decay" is highly significant; God will not leave the Holy One in the pit, nor let him experience physical decomposition.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "wilt not leave my soul in hell (Sheol)": This phrase emphasizes God's power and promise to redeem or raise one from the state of death. For David, it expressed his confidence that his relationship with God extended beyond the grave, suggesting some form of future preservation. For Christ, it signifies His physical descent to the grave (Sheol) but His swift rescue from it, preventing death from having lasting dominion.
  • "neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption": This second part significantly narrows and specifies the promise, distinguishing the "Holy One" from others who die. It points to a unique quality: freedom from physical decomposition. While everyone else's body returns to dust, God's chosen "Holy One" would be raised before physical decay set in, signifying perfect innocence and victory over sin's consequence. This precision is the crux of the prophetic fulfillment in Jesus' bodily resurrection on the third day.

Psalm 16 10 Bonus section

• The Miktam Designation: The Hebrew "Miktam" (מִכְתָּם) is often interpreted as a "golden psalm" or an "inscription," suggesting it is highly valuable or a lasting record. This highlights the enduring theological weight of Psalm 16, particularly its prophetic insight regarding the Messiah.
• Significance of the Third Day: The reference to not seeing corruption inherently points to the necessity of a quick resurrection. Ancient understanding, echoed in Jewish tradition (e.g., Sanhedrin 90b), believed the soul hovers around the body for three days, after which decomposition would noticeably begin. Thus, Christ's resurrection "on the third day" directly aligns with and confirms this prophecy.
• Bridging Old and New Covenants: Psalm 16:10 is a prime example of progressive revelation in the Bible. While David's understanding might have been a confident personal hope, the divine intention was a precise prophecy about Christ. The New Testament fully unpacks this, showing how Old Testament scriptures prepared the way for Jesus.

Psalm 16 10 Commentary

Psalm 16:10 is a jewel among the Old Testament prophecies, shining brightest in light of the New Covenant. David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, utters a declaration of trust that far exceeded his own experience, extending to a divinely ordained "Holy One" whose unique fate would be to conquer death fully, escaping both the enduring hold of the grave (Sheol) and the natural process of physical decay (corruption). This specific detail—the absence of corruption—is what fundamentally differentiates this prophecy's ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ from any historical experience of David himself, who, as Peter clearly states in Acts 2:29, "is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day," implying that David's body did undergo decay.

The apostles Peter and Paul both seized upon Psalm 16:10 in their preaching (Acts 2 and 13) as irrefutable evidence for the bodily resurrection of Jesus, establishing His Messiahship and unique status as God's stainless Son. This verse testifies to the complete victory of Jesus over death and sin, ensuring not merely spiritual survival but physical bodily resurrection. It forms a theological foundation for Christian hope in resurrection, as Christ is the "firstfruits" (1 Cor 15:20), providing assurance that believers too will ultimately share in His triumph over the grave.