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
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.














If the LORD
The phrase begins with a conditional "if," suggesting a hypothetical scenario that emphasizes the necessity of divine intervention. "LORD" here is translated from the Hebrew "YHWH," the sacred and personal name of God, often rendered as Yahweh. This name signifies God's eternal presence and covenantal faithfulness. In the context of the psalm, it underscores the psalmist's reliance on God's unchanging nature and His role as the ultimate authority and protector.

had not been
This phrase indicates a past action that did not occur, highlighting the psalmist's awareness of God's active role in his life. The Hebrew verb used here suggests a continuous action, emphasizing that God's help is not a one-time event but an ongoing support. This reflects the believer's understanding that God's providence is constant and reliable.

my helper
The term "helper" is derived from the Hebrew word "ezer," which conveys assistance and support. This word is used in the Old Testament to describe God's role in providing aid and deliverance. It is the same term used in Genesis to describe Eve's role as a helper to Adam, indicating a partnership and essential support. In this context, it highlights the personal relationship between the psalmist and God, where God is seen as an indispensable ally in times of trouble.

I would soon have dwelt
The phrase "I would soon have dwelt" suggests an imminent and undesirable outcome that was averted. The Hebrew verb here implies a settled or permanent state, indicating that without God's intervention, the psalmist's situation would have been dire and lasting. This reflects the urgency and gravity of the psalmist's plight and the critical nature of God's timely help.

in the abode of silence
The "abode of silence" is a poetic expression for death or the grave, often referred to in Hebrew as "Sheol." It is depicted as a place of stillness and inactivity, where the dead reside. This imagery conveys the finality and hopelessness of death without divine intervention. In the broader biblical context, it underscores the belief in God's power over life and death and His ability to rescue the faithful from the brink of despair.

(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.)
Psalm 94:16
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