Psalm 30 9

Psalm 30:9 kjv

What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

Psalm 30:9 nkjv

"What profit is there in my blood, When I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?

Psalm 30:9 niv

"What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?

Psalm 30:9 esv

"What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?

Psalm 30:9 nlt

"What will you gain if I die,
if I sink into the grave?
Can my dust praise you?
Can it tell of your faithfulness?

Psalm 30 verses

Psalm 30 9 Meaning

Psalm 30:9 presents King David's fervent plea to God for the preservation of his life, not simply for personal well-being, but for the ongoing glory and praise of God. He argues that in death, within the silent realm of the grave, he would be unable to offer vibrant praise or proclaim God's faithfulness. His petition is founded on the understanding that God's truth and goodness are most effectively declared and magnified by those who are alive and can actively worship Him.

Psalm 30 9 Context

Psalm 30 is titled "A Song at the dedication of the temple of David" in the Masoretic Text. While the precise historical setting for this dedication is debated, the psalm's content clearly speaks of David's profound deliverance from a life-threatening illness or severe distress. The narrative within the psalm describes David's overconfidence leading to God's discipline, bringing him to the brink of death (vv. 6-7). His subsequent prayer and lament (vv. 8-10) include verse 9, where he presents his pragmatic argument to God. The Psalm then climaxes in thanksgiving and exultant praise for God's restoration and turning his sorrow into joy (vv. 11-12). Verse 9 specifically highlights the prevalent Old Testament understanding of Sheol (שׁאול) — the realm of the dead. This place was typically perceived as one of silence, darkness, and cessation of active, vibrant worship of Yahweh. David's appeal therefore is contextual to this understanding, emphasizing that active worship and proclamation of God's character are activities for the living.

Psalm 30 9 Word analysis

• What profit: Ma'bbetz'a (מַה־בֶּ֗צַע). This phrase, meaning "what gain," "what advantage," or "what benefit," signifies a pragmatic query. David presents a utilitarian argument to God, suggesting that his demise would yield no beneficial outcome for the divine purpose, particularly in relation to receiving praise.
• is there in my death: b'dammi (בְּדָמִּי). Literally translated as "in my blood," this idiom here functions as a metonym for "my death" or "my life being poured out." The emphasis is on the state of being dead, posing the question of what advantage could God possibly derive from his lifeless state.
• if I go down to the pit: bi'ridti el shachat (בְּרִדְתִּי אֶל־שַׁ֗חַת). "When I descend to the pit." Shachat (שַׁחַת) refers to a deep pit, such as a cistern or dungeon, and is commonly used as a metaphor for the grave, corruption, destruction, or Sheol (שׁאול), the abode of the dead. It denotes a descent into the final state of mortality.
• Will the dust: Ha'aphar (הֶעָפָר). "The dust." This is a quintessential biblical metaphor for humanity, highlighting its ephemeral nature, mortal origin, and eventual return to the earth (Gen 3:19). The interrogative Ha- (הַ), prefixing the word, introduces a rhetorical question designed to elicit a definitive negative response, reinforcing the presumed impossibility of praise from such a state.
• praise You?: Yodukah (יוֹדֶךָּ). Derived from the verb yadah (יָדָה), which means "to thank," "to praise," or "to confess." This active, conscious, and public act of worship, including thanksgiving and confession, is presented as impossible for one who has entered the realm of death.
• Will it declare Your truth?: Ha'yaggid emitthekha (הַיַּגִּיד אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃). "Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?" The verb naggid (הגיד) means "to tell," "to declare," or "to make known." Emitthekha (אֲמִתֶּֽךָ) from emeth (אֱמֶת) signifies "truth," "faithfulness," "steadfastness," or "reliability." This refers to God's unyielding character, His covenant fidelity, and His dependable nature. The rhetorical question asserts that a deceased person cannot actively bear witness to or announce God's unfailing attributes to the living world.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit?": This phrase serves as the central premise of David's appeal. He challenges God from God's own perspective, suggesting that his death would not yield any discernible "profit" or "gain" for God's purposes, specifically in the context of glorifying His name. His removal from the realm of the living would imply a cessation of his capacity for active praise and proclamation of God's attributes.
• "Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?": These rhetorical questions drive home David's point. By referring to himself as "the dust," he emphasizes the absolute finality and inertness of his mortal remains. The paired questions highlight two crucial functions of the living: actively giving God "praise" (acknowledgment and adoration) and "declaring Your truth" (testifying to His unwavering character and reliability). Both actions were understood to be beyond the capability of those in the grave in the Old Testament framework, solidifying David's argument for life.

Psalm 30 9 Bonus section

This verse encapsulates a crucial aspect of Old Testament eschatology concerning the afterlife, highlighting what has been termed the "silence of Sheol." While not denying a form of continued existence in the grave, the passage strongly emphasizes that the conscious, active, and vibrant worship of Yahweh—the very essence of faithful living for an Israelite—was largely seen to cease upon entry into this shadowy realm. David's appeal is an ad hoc argument tailored to his situation, appealing to God's ultimate desire for His glory. He leverages this commonly held belief about the limitations of the dead to strengthen his petition for life. It also subtly reinforces the high value God places on active human relationship and praise. The coming of Jesus Christ, His victory over death and the grave, and the revelation of a conscious, immediate presence with God for believers after death, profoundly alter this Old Testament understanding of "silence." Yet, David's words here establish a timeless principle: God delights in the active praise and testimony of His living saints.

Psalm 30 9 Commentary

Psalm 30:9 captures David's passionate plea during a season of great personal crisis and subsequent deliverance. His argument for life is rooted in the theological understanding prevalent in the Old Testament: active, vibrant praise and testimony to God's character are primarily functions of the living. David is not asserting a total non-existence in Sheol, but rather that the dead, represented as "dust" in the "pit," are incapacitated from consciously and publicly exalting God or proclaiming His unfailing "truth" (faithfulness). This verse thus appeals to God's own glory, suggesting that David's continued life would provide "profit" to God by extending his period of active worship and witness. It underscores that for ancient Israelites, the here-and-now of earthly life was the primary arena for expressing covenant loyalty and giving God His due glory through thanksgiving and declarations of His power and goodness. While the New Testament, through Christ's resurrection, reveals a transformed reality where believers continue to praise God eternally, David's plea reflects a foundational biblical principle: God desires the active praise of His living people as a manifestation of His sovereignty and worth.

• Practical applications:
  • It compels believers to recognize the sacred privilege and urgency of using their present lives and breath to honor God and declare His truth.
  • It encourages prayers for healing and preservation of life, not for self-indulgence, but for continued ministry, service, and witness to God's goodness in the world.
  • It can inspire active, grateful worship, understanding that praise is a uniquely living act.