Psalm 31 12

Psalm 31:12 kjv

I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

Psalm 31:12 nkjv

I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel.

Psalm 31:12 niv

I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery.

Psalm 31:12 esv

I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.

Psalm 31:12 nlt

I am ignored as if I were dead,
as if I were a broken pot.

Psalm 31 verses

Psalm 31 12 Meaning

Psalm 31:12 expresses the psalmist's profound feeling of utter abandonment and worthlessness. He laments being completely forgotten by others, as though he were dead and erased from their memory. This despair is further emphasized by comparing himself to a shattered or unusable vessel, signifying his perception of being useless and discarded. It conveys a deep sense of isolation, ignominy, and personal insignificance due to severe affliction or persecution.

Psalm 31 12 Context

Psalm 31 is a deeply moving prayer of David, categorized as a lament Psalm expressing trust in the midst of overwhelming distress. It chronicles the psalmist's journey from deep anguish and persecution to renewed faith in God's deliverance. In the verses leading up to verse 12, David vividly describes his enemies, their malicious schemes, and his own physical and emotional toll, feeling "worn out" and suffering disgrace among his neighbors.

Verse 12 encapsulates the nadir of his emotional experience within this chapter. It highlights his perception of complete social abandonment, where his very existence and memory seem to have vanished from the minds of others. Historically, for ancient Near Eastern societies, remembrance and reputation were vital aspects of identity and legacy, especially within the communal setting of Israel. To be forgotten "as a dead man" implies a complete lack of mourners, heirs, or anyone to uphold one's memory, which was seen as a tragic obliteration. The comparison to a "broken vessel" underlines his complete uselessness and the shattered remnants of his life, discarded by society. This despair sets the stage for the turning point later in the psalm where David reasserts his unwavering trust in the Lord despite his dire circumstances. This portrayal does not contain direct polemics but rather reflects the profound social shame and fear of oblivion prevalent in the culture, contrasting with the divine remembrance and worth God attributes to His people.

Psalm 31 12 Word analysis

• I am forgotten: The Hebrew verb is נִשְׁכַּחְתִּי ( nishkachti), a Niphal perfect 1st person singular, indicating a passive action: "I have been forgotten." This points to a state of being rather than a fleeting moment, signifying the profound and lingering nature of his isolation. It suggests a complete absence from the minds of those who once knew him, not just a casual oversight.

• as a dead man: The Hebrew is כְּמֵת (k'met). The particle כְּ (k - "like" or "as") highlights a direct comparison. To be forgotten like a dead person means not just being out of sight, but out of mind, as if one never existed or ceased to matter entirely. In ancient cultures, the living maintained the memory of the dead through rituals, lineage, and legacy. To be forgotten even as a dead man signifies an utter erasure from human consciousness and the community's collective memory.

• out of mind: The Hebrew is מֵלֵב (mi'lev). This literally translates to "from the heart" or "from the mind." In Hebrew thought, the "heart" (לֵב - lev) encompasses intellect, will, emotions, and memory. Thus, "out of mind" indicates a complete mental and emotional oblivion, not just a physical absence. His former significance or even existence has been erased from the deepest awareness of others.

• I am like: The verb הָיִיתִי (hayiti), "I have become" or "I am," signifies a transformed state. He sees himself entirely embodying the object of comparison. The particle כְּ (k) again means "like" or "as," drawing a strong parallel.

• a broken vessel: The Hebrew is כִּכְלִי אֹבֵד (k'ch'li oved).

  • כִּכְלִי (k'ch'li): "like a vessel" or "like an implement/utensil." A k'li is an item of pottery or any tool, container, or implement used for a purpose.
  • אֹבֵד (oved): This is a participle from the verb אָבַד (abad), meaning "to perish," "to be lost," "to be ruined," or "to be destroyed." When applied to a vessel, it means it is no longer useful; it is "ruined" or "perishing," effectively "broken" beyond repair or usefulness. This isn't just chipped but utterly non-functional and discarded. It conveys utter uselessness and the end of any potential purpose.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind": This phrase captures the extreme social ostracism and isolation felt by the psalmist. It implies not only abandonment but also contempt—no one bothers to remember him, even as a deceased individual whose memory might typically be preserved by their community or descendants. It's a deep existential anguish of being erased from human thought and connection.
  • "I am like a broken vessel": This metaphor perfectly conveys the psalmist's self-perception of utter worthlessness and uselessness. A broken vessel is discarded, no longer serving its intended purpose, holding nothing, and having no value. This signifies his complete physical, emotional, and social ruination, where he feels entirely without purpose or hope.

Psalm 31 12 Bonus section

• Cultural Significance of Remembrance: In the ancient Near East, a "good name" and being remembered by future generations (through progeny, monument, or historical account) was a critical part of a fulfilling life. To be "forgotten" was akin to a curse, ensuring one had no lasting impact or legacy, contrasting starkly with God's eternal remembrance of His covenant people.
• Prophetic Parallel: While the psalmist's immediate lament is personal, his profound sense of abandonment and worthlessness foreshadows the ultimate suffering of Christ, who was "despised and rejected of men" (Isa 53:3), forgotten and forsaken even by His closest followers, and crushed like a vessel for our sake.
• Spiritual Brokenness: This verse speaks to the spiritual brokenness that sin can cause or that affliction can bring forth, leading an individual to feel useless or unredeemable. Yet, just as Jeremiah 18:4 shows the potter remaking a marred vessel, God is capable of taking a "broken vessel" and restoring it, or even using its very brokenness to display His power (2 Cor 4:7).

Psalm 31 12 Commentary

Psalm 31:12 stands as a potent cry from the depths of despair. The psalmist, likely David, feels as though he has ceased to exist in the minds of his contemporaries. "Forgotten as a dead man" paints a picture of extreme abandonment, where even the memory and legacy typically afforded to the deceased have vanished for him. This implies a complete blotting out, as if his life held no significance to others, reinforcing his profound isolation. The added nuance of "out of mind" (literally, "from the heart") intensifies this, suggesting he is removed from their very thoughts, emotions, and active recollection.

The subsequent comparison, "I am like a broken vessel," drives home this sense of worthlessness. A vessel, designed for holding, carrying, or serving a purpose, when broken, is no longer functional and is thus discarded. It speaks to shattered hopes, personal inadequacy, and a complete loss of usefulness and identity in the eyes of others, and tragically, perhaps in his own. This imagery is powerful in the ancient world, where everyday life depended on functional vessels. David feels he has been thrown aside as refuse, utterly spent and without any inherent value or utility. This verse encapsulates the crushing weight of public scorn, social obliteration, and personal decay that the psalmist is experiencing, setting a deeply sorrowful tone before he reasserts his trust in God later in the Psalm.