Psalm 89 48

Psalm 89:48 kjv

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

Psalm 89:48 nkjv

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

Psalm 89:48 niv

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

Psalm 89:48 esv

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

Psalm 89:48 nlt

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

Psalm 89 verses

Psalm 89 48 Meaning

Psalm 89:48 confronts the undeniable reality of human mortality, posing a rhetorical question that emphasizes the universal destiny of all humankind: no one escapes death through their own power. The verse asserts that every person, regardless of their current state or power, will ultimately face death, and no one can rescue themselves or their soul from the dominion of the grave or the underworld (Sheol). It underscores human frailty and dependency, implicitly contrasting it with God's enduring power and sovereignty, which the psalmist feels is absent in their current predicament.

Psalm 89 48 Context

Psalm 89 is a significant psalm attributed to Ethan the Ezrahite, a wise man known in King Solomon's time (1 Kgs 4:31). The psalm begins as a hymn celebrating God's steadfast love (hesed) and faithfulness, especially regarding the Davidic Covenant, promising an everlasting dynasty. It recounts the grandeur of God's character and the unbreakable nature of His promises to David (Psa 89:1-37). However, the tone sharply shifts from joyful praise to a lament in verse 38, triggered by a contemporary national catastrophe or personal crisis that seems to contradict God's covenant promises. The psalmist expresses deep anguish, questioning if God has abandoned His chosen king and nation. Verse 48 falls within this lament, a profound plea from a human perspective that highlights human weakness and mortality. In light of the nation's suffering and the apparent failure of God's promises, the psalmist contemplates the brevity of life and the inevitability of death, which further accentuates the urgency and depth of their complaint against God's seeming inaction. The reality of death frames the psalmist's existential crisis and makes their appeal for God's intervention all the more desperate.

Psalm 89 48 Word analysis

• What man: This opening uses the Hebrew word אֱנוֹשׁ (enosh), referring to man in terms of his frailty, weakness, and mortality, in contrast to אָדָם (adam) which emphasizes humanity or mankind as a whole. The choice of enosh highlights human insignificance and vulnerability before the certainty of death, setting a somber tone.
• is he that liveth, and shall not see death?: The verb "liveth" (יִחְיֶה, yichyeh) emphasizes the present state of being alive. The phrase "see death" (יִרְאֶה־מָּוֶת, yir'eh-mavet) is an idiom meaning "to experience death" or "to encounter death." It implies the unavoidable personal encounter with mortality, irrespective of current vitality. The rhetorical question anticipates an emphatic negative answer: no one can avoid it.
• shall he deliver: The verb "deliver" (יְמַלֵּט, yemallet) means to escape, rescue, or cause to slip away. It signifies an act of self-rescue or deliverance from danger. The rhetorical question here reinforces the impossibility of any human being effecting such a deliverance for themselves.
• his soul: The Hebrew word is נַפְשׁוֹ (nafsho), referring to the person's very life, being, or self, not merely a disembodied spiritual entity. In this context, it emphasizes the inability of an individual to save their own existence from the grip of death.
• from the hand of the grave?: "Hand" (יָד, yad) is a common metaphor for power, control, or grasp. Here it vividly portrays the grave's dominion. "The grave" is שְׁאוֹל (She'ol), a significant term in Hebrew thought. Sheol is not merely a burial place but the underworld, the realm of the dead, a place of no return from a human perspective. It signifies the inescapable grip of death over all who enter it, prior to any concept of resurrection. The phrase asks if one can escape from Sheol's powerful grasp.
• Selah: This term, appearing frequently in the Psalms, is a musical or liturgical direction, inviting pause for reflection, emphasis, or a musical interlude. In this context, it compels the reader or listener to ponder the weighty truth just declared about human mortality and the finality of death from a human standpoint, serving as a solemn punctuation mark before the next thought.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death?": This rhetorical question highlights universal human mortality. By using "enosh" (frail man), it underscores that no amount of human strength, wisdom, or wealth can exempt an individual from the ultimate fate of death. It posits death not as a possibility, but as an absolute certainty for everyone currently living. This truth forms the foundational reality that frames the psalmist's desperate plea to God, as even God's mighty servant cannot escape this common destiny.
• "shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?": This second rhetorical question extends the first, moving beyond just seeing death to escaping its clutches. "Deliver his soul" (his very self/life) from "the hand of Sheol" powerfully expresses the absolute lack of human agency over death. Sheol's "hand" symbolizes its irresistible, comprehensive power. No human effort, sacrifice, or pact can pry a life free once claimed by this domain. This emphasizes the psalmist's core complaint: if no man can escape, then only God can intervene.

Psalm 89 48 Bonus section

The verse, particularly with "Selah," invites contemplation on humanity's intrinsic limits and the ultimate accountability before God. It highlights the biblical worldview's strong emphasis on Sheol as a pervasive power, a common destiny, and a realm from which only divine intervention can offer escape or resurrection. This stands in stark contrast to pagan myths that often depicted paths to earthly immortality or direct heroic escapes from the underworld without supreme divine power. The psalmist's distress lies not just in suffering, but in the acute awareness that death will ultimately claim everyone, including those of God's covenant, if God does not act decisively. This lament foreshadows the New Testament revelation of Christ as the victor over death and Sheol, as seen in passages like Hosea 13:14 and 1 Corinthians 15, which explicitly declare God's redemptive power and future victory over the grave.

Psalm 89 48 Commentary

Psalm 89:48 serves as a stark reminder of universal human mortality, a truth often overlooked in times of prosperity or divine favor. In the context of Psalm 89, it functions as a profound lament, expressing the psalmist's distress over the apparent abandonment by God. By rhetorically asking who can escape death or Sheol, the psalmist underlines the inescapable common human fate, asserting that no human power, wisdom, or strength can secure one's life indefinitely. This rhetorical question is a cri de coeur, implicitly questioning why a faithful God would allow His covenanted king and people to face such humiliation and mortality without intervention, especially given the king's imminent end. It contrasts the frailty of "enosh" (man in his weakness) with the perceived absence of divine hesed (steadfast love) and emeth (faithfulness). The verse ultimately sets the stage for a desperate plea to God, who alone holds power over life, death, and Sheol, effectively challenging God's seeming passivity by confronting Him with the stark reality of His creation's vulnerable state.