Psalms 49:9 — Word Study
WLCוִֽיחִי־ ע֥וֹד לָנֶ֑צַח לֹ֖א יִרְאֶ֣ה הַשָּֽׁחַת׃
BSAbe preciousyâqar redemptionpidyôwm soulnephesh to ceasechâdal foreverʻôwlâm [for all eternity, always]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וִֽיחִי־ | so he may live | Conjunction, verb qal jussive third person masculine singular |
| ע֥וֹד | still | |
| לָנֶ֑צַח | to perpetuity | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| לֹ֖א | not | Particle |
| יִרְאֶ֣ה | he will see | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| הַשָּֽׁחַת׃ | the pit | Particle, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | that he should live on forever and not see decay. |
| KJV | That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption. |
| ASV | That he should still live alway, That he should not see corruption. |
| YLT | And still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit. |
| WEB | that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption. |
| BBE | So that he might have eternal life, and never see the underworld. |
The translations agree on the core message of the verse, emphasizing eternal life and the avoidance of decay.
The sentence structure emphasizes the main desire for life, with supporting phrases clarifying the nature and duration of that life.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָדַל
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 49:9
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Meditation on Mortalitygenerated
Psalm 49:9 reflects on the futility of wealth and the certainty of death. The psalmist contrasts the fate of the wise and foolish, emphasizing that regardless of earthly status, all face mortality. The desire for eternal life, free from decay, highlights a longing for something beyond the grave, which resonates throughout the psalm.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 89:48 | What man can live and never see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah |
| 2 | Proverbs 10:2 | Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness brings deliverance from death. |
| 3 | Proverbs 11:4 | Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death. |
| 4 | Ecclesiastes 8:8 | As no man has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has authority over his day of death. As no one can be discharged in wartime, so wickedness will not release those who practice it. |
| 5 | Zechariah 1:5 | Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever? |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וִֽיחִי־, vi.chi-generated
The verb חָיָה (chayah) means to live or have life, indicating both the physical act of living and the spiritual aspect of existence. This jussive form expresses a wish or desire, suggesting that the psalmist yearns for life that transcends death.
This desire for life is not merely about existence but encompasses the hope of being preserved from corruption. The word carries implications of revival and restoration, reflecting the psalmist's faith in God's power to sustain life beyond the grave.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, we reference the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which uses the phrase live on forever.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb וִֽיחִי־ governs the sentence, expressing the desire for life. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating duration and a noun phrase that describes the negative aspect of decay.
The arrangement emphasizes the contrast between eternal life and the inevitability of death, highlighting the psalmist's hope against the backdrop of mortality.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וִֽיחִי־ with καὶ (and), indicating a continuation of thought. This choice suggests an emphasis on the connection between living and the eternal nature of existence.
The use of נֵ֫צַח in the LXX aligns with the Hebrew concept of perpetuity, reinforcing the idea of everlasting life.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 49:9 expresses a wish for eternal life, stating that one should live forever and not experience decay. This reflects the psalmist's contemplation of mortality and the hope for a life that transcends death.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To live on forever signifies an existence that continues beyond physical death, reflecting a desire for eternal life.
Decay symbolizes death and corruption, contrasting with the hope for everlasting life.
This verse encapsulates the psalm's meditation on mortality, wealth, and the hope for life beyond the grave.
The psalmist suggests that wealth cannot secure eternal life, as all face death regardless of their earthly status.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the desire for eternal life mean to me personally?
- How can I reconcile the reality of death with the hope of everlasting life?
- In what ways do I see the contrast between worldly wealth and spiritual richness in my life?
- How can I cultivate a perspective that values eternal life over temporary gains?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers have commented on this verse, often discussing the implications of eternal life and the futility of earthly pursuits.
And what has he said of such a man? "Yea, he has laboured for ever, and shall live till the end" [Psalms 49:9]. His labour shall be without end, his life shall have an end.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 49 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 49:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThat he should still live for ever,.... Or "though he should live", c. (w).
Read John Gill on Psalms 49 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryNone of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: -The godly has no cause for overwhelming fear because of the power of the ungodly; nor has the ungodly reason to
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 49 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleOr, the pit, or the grave, i.e. not die, as that phrase is oft used, as has been noted before.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 49 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 49:9 That he should still live for ever, [and] not see corruption.Ver. 9. That he should still live for ever] As every wicked man would, if it might be had for money; for he knoweth no happiness but to have and to hold; on the other side of the grave he looketh for no good; whereas a godly man holdeth mortality a mercy, as Philippians 1:23, he hath Mortem in desiderio et vitam in patientia, as Fulgentius saith, he desireth to die, and yet is content to live; accepting of life rather than affecting it, enduring it rather than desiring it. And not see corruption] Heb. the pit of corruption. The Chaldee understandeth it as hell; to the which the wicked man’ s death is as a trap door.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 49 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9) That—i.e., in order that; introducing the purpose of the imagined ransom in Psalms 49:7. Others connect it consecutively with Psalms 49:8, “He must give up for ever the hope of living for ever.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 49 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges9. The preceding verse is a parenthesis, and this verse is to be connected with Psalms 49:7 and rendered, That he should live on perpetually, (And) should not see the pit. ‘To see the pit’ = to experience death. The word shachath, rendered corruption in the A.V., must mean ‘pit’ in some passages where it occurs (e.g. Psalms 7:15; Psalms 30:9), and may have this meaning always. Cp. note on Psalms 16:10.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 49 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThat he should still live for ever - That his brother whom he could not redeem - or that he himself - should not die, Psalms 49:8.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 49 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible6-9. His first argument is grounded on the insufficiency of wealth and worldly power to save life, or to bring back from the grave.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 49 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
that he should live on forever and not see decay.
that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.
that he should live on forever and not see decay.
so that he might continue to live forever and not experience death.
Tyndale line
That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
That he should still live alway, That he should not see corruption.
That he should still live alway, that he should not see corruption.
That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
That he may liue still for euer, and not see the graue.
Strictly literal
That he should still live perpetually, [and] not see corruption.
And still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit.
And still he lives forever, || He does not see the pit.
(49:10) And should he still live for ever? not see the pit?
No one can live forever so that his body should not decay.
From the Latin
I will not take calves out of thy house: nor he goats out of thy flocks.
Simplified
that they could live forever and not face the grave.
So that he might have eternal life, and never see the underworld.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in wording, with all key terms matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls fragments provide partial support, indicating the presence of similar themes and vocabulary, though some words were restored by editors.
וִֽיחִי־ ע֥וֹד לָנֶ֑צַח לֹ֖א יִרְאֶ֣ה הַשָּֽׁחַת׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[ויקר] [פדיון] [נפש׳ם] וחדל לעולם
5 words of the verse are on this fragment — 3 supplied entire by an editor.
[ויקר] פדיון נפש׳ם וחלו
4 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 partly restored, 1 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 49:9
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
חָיָה (chayah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to live or have life, encompassing both literal and figurative senses. It includes various nuances such as reviving, preserving life, and restoring health. The entries detail its use in different stems, with Qal focusing on living and being quickened, while Piel and Hiphil emphasize giving life and reviving. No specific verse references are provided.
חָיָה 283 vb. live
Qal 203
live
be quickened, revive
Pi.
preserve alive, let live
give life
quicken, revive, refresh
Hiph.
preserve alive, let live
quicken, revive
base
H2421 חָיָה live .. live
. be quickened, revive
. . preserve alive, let live
. give life
. quicken, revive, refresh
. . preserve alive, let live
. quicken, revive
2421 chayah khaw-yaw'
a primitive root (compare 2331, 2421); to live, whether
literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive:--keep
(leave, make) alive, X certainly, give (promise) life, (let,
suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken,
recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, (X God) save
(alive, life, lives), X surely, be whole.
see HEBREW for 02331
see HEBREW for 02421
חָיָה (cha.yah) — to live.
1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to live
1a1a) to have life
1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive
1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon
1a1d) to live (prosperously)
1a2) to revive, be quickened
1a2a) from sickness
1a2b) from discouragement
1a2c) from faintness
1a2d) from death
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to preserve alive, let live
1b2) to give life
1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh
1b3a) to restore to life
1b3b) to cause to grow
1b3c) to restore
1b3d) to revive
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to preserve alive, let live
1c2) to quicken, revive
1c2a) to restore (to health)
1c2b) to revive
1c2c) to restore to life
HC/Vqj3ms — Conjunction · verb qal jussive third person masculine singularHC/Vqj3ms
עוֹד (owd) primarily denotes a sense of iteration or continuance, functioning mostly as an adverb meaning 'still,' 'yet,' or 'again.' It can also imply addition or repetition, as in 'more' or 'besides.' The word appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing persistence or continuation.
עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
base
H5750 עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
5750 `owd ode
or rod {ode}; from 5749; properly, iteration or continuance;
used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again,
repeatedly, still, more:--again, X all life long, at all,
besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer,
(any) more(-over), X once, since, (be) still, when, (good,
the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet
(within).
see HEBREW for 05749
עוֹד (od) — still.
subst
1) a going round, continuance
adv
2) still, yet, again, besides
2a) still, yet (of continuance or persistence)
2b) still, yet, more (of addition or repetition)
2c) again
2d) still, moreover, besides
Aramaic equivalent: od (עוֹד "still" H5751)
HAcmsa — HAcmsa
stil: "To be still" is "to keep silence" (Ps 4:4, etc.) and so "to be quiet" (Ps 107:29, etc.) or "inactive" in any way (Jud 18:9; 1Ki 22:3; Zec 1:11, etc.). So "be still" in Ps 46:10 means "desist from your war" (compare the Revised Version margin "let be"). The "still small voice" of 1Ki 19:12 (the Revised Version margin "sound of gentle stillness") is due to taking the Hebrew demamah in its literal force of "silent," but the word here means "whisper"--"a whispering, little voice." This familiar passage…
נֵ֫צַח (netsach) encompasses concepts of eminence, enduring strength, and perpetuity. It is derived from a root meaning 'goal' or 'bright object' and conveys ideas of splendor, truthfulness, and confidence. The term is used to express notions of victory and continual existence, often implying an everlasting quality.
נֵ֫צַח n.m. eminence, enduring, everlasting, perpetuity
base
H5331 נֵ֫צַח eminence, enduring, everlasting, perpetuity
5331 netsach neh'-tsakh
or netsach {nay'-tsakh}; from 5329; properly, a goal, i.e.
the bright object at a distance travelled towards; hence
(figuratively), splendor, or (subjectively) truthfulness, or
(objectively) confidence; but usually (adverbially),
continually (i.e. to the most distant point of
view); --alway(-s), constantly, end, (+ n-)ever(more),
perpetual, strength, victory.
see HEBREW for 05329
נֵ֫צַח (ne.tsach) — perpetuity.
1) eminence, perpetuity, strength, victory, enduring, everlastingness
1a) eminence
1b) enduring of life
1c) endurance in time, perpetual, continual, unto the end
1d) everlastingness, ever
HR/Ncmsa — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
HTn — ParticleHTn
רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.
רָאָה 1315 vb. see
Qal 1141
see, subj.
see, c. acc. rei
see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design
see, so as to learn to know
abs. see, have (power of) vision
see = perceive
look at, see, by direct volition
of mental observation
c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest
see, c. acc. rei
Niph.
appear
be seen
be visible
Pu. appar. his bones are not detected
Hithp. recipr. look at each other
Hiph.
cause one to see something, shew
cause to experience something
cause to look intently at, to behold
Hoph.
be caused to see, be shewn
be exhibited to
base
H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.
. see, c. acc. rei
. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design
. see, so as to learn to know
. abs. see, have (power of) vision
. see = perceive
. look at, see, by direct volition
. of mental observation
. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest
. see, c. acc. rei
. . appear
. be seen
. be visible
. appar. his bones are not detected
. recipr. look at each other
. . . cause one to see something, shew
. cause to experience something
. cause to look intently at, to behold
. . be caused to see, be shewn
. be exhibited to
H7200b רְאוּת look
7200 ra'ah raw-aw'
a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in
numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,
intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,
behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have
experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look
(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,
upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,
regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one
another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X
surely, X think, view, visions.
רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.
: see/show
1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to see
1a2) to see, perceive
1a3) to see, have vision
1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out
1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish
1a6) to look at, gaze at
1a7) to provide, choose
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to appear, present oneself
1b2) to be seen
1b3) to be visible
1c) (Pual) to be seen
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to see, show
1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at
1e) (Hophal)
1e1) to be caused to see, be shown
1e2) to be exhibited to
1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face
רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.
: examine/consider
1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to see
1a2) to see, perceive
1a3) to see, have vision
HVqi3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
se: In addition to the ordinary sense of perceiving by the eye, we have
(1) chazah, "to see" (in vision): "Words of Amos .... which he saw concerning Israel" (Am 1:1). The revelation was made to his inward eye. "The word of Yahweh .... which he (Micah) saw concerning Samaria" (Mic 1:1), describing what he saw in prophetic vision (compare Hab 1:1); see REVELATION, III, 4;
The Hebrew word שַׁ֫חַת (shachath) means 'pit' and is derived from a root that suggests destruction or corruption. It covers a range of meanings including a physical pit, grave, and figuratively, hell or destruction. The entries note its use in contexts related to traps and Sheol, the grave.
שַׁ֫חַת n.f. pit
base
H7845 שַׁ֫חַת pit
7845 shachath shakh'-ath
from 7743; a pit (especially as a trap); figuratively,
destruction:--corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit.
see HEBREW for 07743
שַׁ֫חַת (sha.chat) — Pit: hell.
Pit, of hell
Another name of she.ol (שְׁאוֹל "Sheol" H7585)
This name means pit, grave
שַׁ֫חַת (sha.chat) — pit: grave.
1) pit, destruction, grave
1a) pit (for catching lions)
HTd/Ncfsa — Particle · noun common feminine singular absoluteHTd/Ncfsa
The word translates different Hebrew words of which the most important are:
(1) bor, "pit" or "cistern," made by digging, (Ge 37:20); hence, "dungeon" (Jer 38:6, margin "pit");
(2) be'er, "pit" or "well" made by digging (Ge 21:25);
(3) she'ol, generally rendered "hell" in the King James Version (see HELL);
Pit
A hole in the ground (Ex. 21:33, 34), a cistern for water (Gen. 37:24; Jer. 14:3), a vault (41:9), a grave (Ps. 30:3). It is used as a figure for mischief (Ps. 9:15), and is the name given to the unseen place of woe (Rev. 20:1, 3). The slime-pits in the vale of Siddim were wells which yielded asphalt (Gen. 14:10).
[HELL]
A reservoir, either natural or artificial, for water. Pits were sometimes used as dungeons, Ge 37:20; Jer 38:6; or being slightly covered, and baited, they served as traps to catch wild beasts, a device which illustrates the plots of designing men and women, Ps 119:85; Pr 22:14; 26:27; Eze 19:4. The word pit is also used to denote the grave, Ps 28:1; 30:3,9; and hell, Re 20:1.