Psalms 94:17
Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
Original Language Analysis
יְ֭הוָה
the LORD
H3068
יְ֭הוָה
the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
2 of 8
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
כִּמְעַ֓ט׀
had almost
H4592
כִּמְעַ֓ט׀
had almost
Strong's:
H4592
Word #:
5 of 8
a little or few (often adverbial or comparative)
שָֽׁכְנָ֖ה
dwelt
H7931
שָֽׁכְנָ֖ה
dwelt
Strong's:
H7931
Word #:
6 of 8
to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively)
Cross References
Psalms 31:17Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.Psalms 118:13Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.Psalms 13:3Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;Psalms 115:17The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
Historical Context
In Hebrew anthropology, death meant silencing praise—Sheol's inhabitants were cut off from worship. This explains the psalmist's urgency to testify while alive. The resurrection hope later transformed this theology, but the psalm reflects earlier Israelite understanding of death's finality.
Questions for Reflection
- When have you looked back and recognized God's help prevented spiritual or physical 'silence'?
- How does gratitude for past deliverance fuel present trust when facing new trials?
- What testimony of rescue do you owe to others before you enter 'silence'?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Unless the LORD had been my help (לוּלֵי יְהוָה עֶזְרָתָה לִּי)—The counterfactual condition expresses retrospective gratitude. Lulei (unless/if not) introduces what would have happened without divine intervention. My soul had almost dwelt in silence (כִּמְעַט שָׁכְנָה דוּמָה נַפְשִׁי)—dumah (silence) is the silence of death, Sheol, the grave. The soul's dwelling place nearly became the realm of speechless darkness.
This testifies to rescue from death's brink—physical, emotional, or spiritual. Psalm 115:17 declares 'the dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.' Only the living can testify to God's faithfulness, making each breath an opportunity for witness.