Psalm 94:17
New International Version
Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.

New Living Translation
Unless the LORD had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave.

English Standard Version
If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.

Berean Standard Bible
Unless the LORD had been my helper, I would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.

King James Bible
Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.

New King James Version
Unless the LORD had been my help, My soul would soon have settled in silence.

New American Standard Bible
If the LORD had not been my help, My soul would soon have dwelt in the land of silence.

NASB 1995
If the LORD had not been my help, My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.

NASB 1977
If the LORD had not been my help, My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.

Legacy Standard Bible
If Yahweh had not been my help, My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.

Amplified Bible
If the LORD had not been my help, I would soon have dwelt in [the land of] silence.

Christian Standard Bible
If the LORD had not been my helper, I would soon rest in the silence of death.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If the LORD had not been my helper, I would soon rest in the silence of death.

American Standard Version
Unless Jehovah had been my help, My soul had soon dwelt in silence.

Contemporary English Version
If you had not helped me, LORD, I would soon have gone to the land of silence.

English Revised Version
Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had soon dwelt in silence.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If the LORD had not come to help me, my soul would have quickly fallen silent [in death].

Good News Translation
If the LORD had not helped me, I would have gone quickly to the land of silence.

International Standard Version
If the LORD had not been my helper, I would have quickly become silent.

Majority Standard Bible
Unless the LORD had been my helper, I would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.

NET Bible
If the LORD had not helped me, I would have laid down in the silence of death.

New Heart English Bible
Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence.

Webster's Bible Translation
Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.

World English Bible
Unless Yahweh had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Unless YHWH [were] a help to me, "" My soul had almost inhabited silence.

Young's Literal Translation
Unless Jehovah were a help to me, My soul had almost inhabited silence.

Smith's Literal Translation
Unless Jehovah helped for me my soul almost dwelt silently.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Unless the Lord had been my helper, my soul had almost dwelt in hell.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Except that the Lord assisted me, my soul almost would have dwelt in Hell.

New American Bible
If the LORD were not my help, I would long have been silent in the grave.

New Revised Standard Version
If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul would soon have been in trouble.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
If LORD JEHOVAH had not been a helper to me, before a little while my soul would have dwelt in misery!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Unless the LORD had been my help, My soul had soon dwelt in silence.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
If the Lord had not helped me, my soul had almost sojourned in Hades.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD Will Not Forget His People
16Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will stand for me against the workers of iniquity? 17Unless the LORD had been my helper, I would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence. 18If I say, “My foot is slipping,” Your loving devotion, O LORD, supports me.…

Cross References
Psalm 124:1-2
A song of ascents. Of David. If the LORD had not been on our side—let Israel now declare— / if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us,

Psalm 27:13
Still I am certain to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Lamentations 3:22-23
Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. / They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!

Psalm 116:8
For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.

Psalm 31:22
In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from Your sight!” But You heard my plea for mercy when I called to You for help.

Psalm 118:13
I was pushed so hard I was falling, but the LORD helped me.

Isaiah 38:17
Surely for my own welfare I had such great anguish; but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

2 Corinthians 1:9-10
Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead. / He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. In Him we have placed our hope that He will yet again deliver us,

Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

2 Timothy 4:17-18
But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion. / And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Psalm 56:13
For You have delivered my soul from death, and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Psalm 30:3
O LORD, You pulled me up from Sheol; You spared me from descending into the Pit.


Treasury of Scripture

Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelled in silence.

unless

Psalm 118:13
Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.

Psalm 124:1,2
A Song of degrees of David. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say; …

Psalm 125:1
A Song of degrees. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

almost.

Psalm 13:3
Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Psalm 31:17
Let 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.

Psalm 115:17
The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.

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Abode Almost Death Dwelt Help Helper Inhabited Quickly Silence Soon Soul Unless
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Abode Almost Death Dwelt Help Helper Inhabited Quickly Silence Soon Soul Unless
Psalm 94
1. The prophet, calling for justice, complains of tyranny and impiety.
8. He teaches God's providence
12. He shows the blessedness of affliction
16. God is the defender of the afflicted.














Unless the LORD had been my helper
This phrase emphasizes the necessity of divine intervention and support. In the context of the Psalms, the LORD is often depicted as a protector and deliverer. The psalmist acknowledges that without God's assistance, he would be vulnerable to his enemies. This reflects the broader biblical theme of God as a refuge and strength, as seen in Psalm 46:1. The idea of God as a helper is also echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus is described as our advocate and helper, particularly in John 14:16, where the Holy Spirit is referred to as the Helper.

I would soon have dwelt
The phrase "I would soon have dwelt" suggests an impending and almost certain outcome without divine intervention. The psalmist is expressing a hypothetical scenario that underscores the urgency and desperation of his situation. This reflects the human condition of reliance on God for deliverance from dire circumstances. The use of "dwelt" implies a permanent or prolonged state, indicating that without God's help, the psalmist's situation would have been dire and lasting.

in the abode of silence.
The "abode of silence" is a metaphor for death or the grave, often referred to as Sheol in the Old Testament. It is a place where there is no praise or remembrance of God, as seen in Psalm 115:17, which states, "The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence." This highlights the psalmist's fear of death and separation from God. The concept of Sheol as a silent place contrasts with the hope of eternal life and resurrection found in the New Testament, where believers are promised life beyond the grave through Jesus Christ, as seen in John 11:25-26.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal presence and faithfulness to His people.

2. The Psalmist
Traditionally attributed to David, the psalmist is expressing a personal testimony of God's deliverance.

3. The Abode of Silence
A metaphorical place representing death or the grave, where there is no praise or communication.
Teaching Points
Dependence on God as Our Helper
Recognize that without God's intervention, we are powerless against the trials and challenges of life.

Cultivate a daily reliance on God through prayer and scripture, acknowledging Him as our constant helper.

The Reality of Spiritual Death
Understand that the "abode of silence" symbolizes spiritual death, a state of separation from God.

Embrace the life-giving relationship with God through Jesus Christ, who rescues us from spiritual death.

Gratitude for God's Deliverance
Reflect on past instances where God has been your helper and express gratitude for His faithfulness.

Share testimonies of God's deliverance with others to encourage and build up the faith community.(17) In silence--i.e., of the grave, as in Psalm 31:17.

Verse 17. - Unless the Lord had been my Help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. No; they are not without a champion; Jehovah is their Help. It is a part of their blessedness (ver. 12), that they are preserved. in life and protected from the wicked, by God himself. Otherwise they "had soon dwelt in silence." Their soul had gone down to the pit, to the abyss of Sheol, the silent land (comp. Psalm 115:17).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Unless
לוּלֵ֣י (lū·lê)
Conjunction
Strong's 3884: If not, unless

the LORD
יְ֭הוָה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

had been my helper,
עֶזְרָ֣תָה (‘ez·rā·ṯāh)
Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5833: Help, helper, assistance

I
נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (nap̄·šî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

would soon
כִּמְעַ֓ט ׀ (kim·‘aṭ)
Preposition-k | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 4592: A little, fewness, a few

have dwelt in the abode
שָֽׁכְנָ֖ה (šā·ḵə·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7931: To settle down, abide, dwell

of silence.
דוּמָ֣ה (ḏū·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1745: Silence, death


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OT Poetry: Psalm 94:17 Unless Yahweh had been my help my (Psalm Ps Psa.)
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