Psalms 94:17 — Word Study
WLCלוּלֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה עֶזְרָ֣תָה לִּ֑י כִּמְעַ֓ט׀ שָֽׁכְנָ֖ה דוּמָ֣ה נַפְשִֽׁי׃
BSAUnlesslûwlêʼ [if not, except] the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the divine Helper] had been my helperʻezrâh [aid, assistance, support] Inephesh would soonmᵉʻaṭ have dwelt in the abodeshâkan■ [lived, stayed, resided, place, dwelling] of silencedûwmâh [stillness, death, quiet]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לוּלֵ֣י | if not | Particle |
| יְ֭הוָה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| עֶזְרָ֣תָה | [had been] a help | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| לִּ֑י | of me | Preposition, suffix |
| כִּמְעַ֓ט׀ | like a little | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| שָֽׁכְנָ֖ה | it dwelt | Verb, Qal, perfect third person feminine singular |
| דוּמָ֣ה | silence | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| נַפְשִֽׁי׃ | self my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Unless the LORD had been my helper, I would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence. |
| KJV | Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. |
| ASV | Unless Jehovah had been my help, My soul had soon dwelt in silence. |
| YLT | Unless Jehovah [were] a help to me, My soul had almost inhabited silence. |
| WEB | Unless Yahweh had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence. |
| BBE | If the Lord had not been my helper, my soul would quickly have gone down into death. |
Where they part company is עֶזְרָתָה — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence begins with a conditional clause, followed by the main clause that describes the consequence of lacking divine help.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיהוה
verbמְעַט
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 94:17
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 — The Assurance of God's Helpgenerated
Psalm 94:17 expresses the psalmist's gratitude for the LORD's support in times of distress. The surrounding verses highlight the struggle against wickedness and the comfort found in God's presence. The psalmist contrasts his potential despair without divine aid with the assurance that God is always there to help, reflecting a deep reliance on the LORD's faithfulness.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 118:13 | I was pushed so hard I was falling, but the LORD helped me. |
| 2 | Psalm 124:1–2 | If the LORD had not been on our side— let Israel now declare— |
| 3 | Psalm 125:1 | Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion. It cannot be moved; it abides forever. |
| 4 | Psalm 142:4–5 | Look to my right and see; no one attends to me. There is no refuge for me; no one cares for my soul. |
| 5 | John 16:32 | “Look, an hour is coming and has already come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְהוָה, Yahwehgenerated
The name יְהוָה (Yahweh) signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. It is a proper noun used to denote the God of Israel, emphasizing His role as a divine helper and protector. The parsing as a noun proper indicates its unique and sacred status within the Hebrew tradition.
This name appears frequently throughout the Old Testament, underscoring God's covenant relationship with His people. The psalmist's use of יְהוָה here highlights a personal acknowledgment of God's sustaining presence in his life.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is governed by the finite verb שָׁכְנָה, it dwelt, with a prepositional phrase indicating the subject's location and an adverbial phrase describing the state of being. The structure emphasizes the conditional nature of the statement, beginning with לוּלֵי, which sets the stage for the psalmist's reflection on divine help.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the LORD as the subject, followed by the action of dwelling, which underscores the psalmist's reliance on God for support.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, יְהוָה is rendered as κύριος (kurios), which is a common Greek term for 'Lord' and reflects the authority and divinity of God. This choice maintains the reverence associated with the name Yahweh.
The translation of עֶזְרָתָה as βοήθεια (boētheia) indicates a focus on the aspect of help or assistance, aligning with the original Hebrew meaning.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 94:17 states that without the LORD's help, the psalmist would have quickly fallen into silence. This highlights the importance of God's support in difficult times, emphasizing that divine assistance is crucial for overcoming challenges.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The phrase indicates that the psalmist relies on God for support and assistance in times of trouble, recognizing that without divine help, he would face despair.
The 'abode of silence' symbolizes a state of despair or death, suggesting that without God's help, the psalmist could fall into a place of hopelessness.
This verse encapsulates the theme of God's protection and support against wickedness, reinforcing the psalmist's trust in the LORD's faithfulness.
The use of 'unless' emphasizes the psalmist's recognition of the critical role that God's help plays in his life, framing his situation as dependent on divine intervention.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's help in my life?
- How can I cultivate a deeper reliance on the LORD during difficult times?
- What does it mean for me to dwell in the 'abode of silence' without God's support?
- How can I encourage others to seek God's help in their struggles?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers, such as Augustine of Hippo, reference this verse to discuss the necessity of divine help in overcoming despair.
"If the Lord," he says, "had not helped me: within a little my soul had dwelt in hell" [Psalms 94:17].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 94 →
But why is there no fear of uttering an indirect lie? We do not deny that free will is healed by the grace of God, but we believe that we make progress through the daily grace of God, and we trust in its help.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 94 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 94:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleUnless the Lord had been my help,.... Against her enemies, which were so many and mighty, and her friends so few and feeble, and having no heart to defend her cause; especially this will be the case
Read John Gill on Psalms 94 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryUnless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 94 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleIn the place of silence, to wit, the grave. Compare ,18 Psalms 88:12 115:17.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 94 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 94:17 Unless the LORD [had been] my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.Ver. 17. Unless the Lord had been my help] He loveth to help at a pinch; he usually reserveth his hand for a dead lift. See 2 Timothy 4:16-17. My soul had almost dwelt in silence] i.e. In the dark cloisters of death. The Greek and Latin translators render it, In hell.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 94 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) In silence—i.e., of the grave, as in Psalms 31:17.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 94 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 17. Unless the Lord had been my help] Had not God in a strange manner supported us while under his chastising hand, we had been utterly cut off. My soul had almost dwelt in silence.] The Vulgate has in inferno, in hell or the infernal world; the Septuagint, τωαδη, in the invisible world.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 94 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges17. Cp. Psalms 124:1 ff. almost] R.V. soon. dwelt in silence] The stillness of the grave (Psalms 115:17).
Read Cambridge on Psalms 94 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleUnless the Lord had been my help - At the time referred to. If I had not had a God to whom I could have gone - if my mind had not been directed to him - if I had not actually found him a refuge and
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 94 →The verse in English, compared — 16 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
Unless the LORD had been my helper, I would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.
Unless Yahweh had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence.
Unless the LORD had been my helper, I would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.
If the Lord had not helped me, I would have laid down in the silence of death.
Tyndale line
Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
Unless Jehovah had been my help, My soul had soon dwelt in silence.
Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had soon dwelt in silence.
Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
If the Lord had not holpen me, my soule had almost dwelt in silence.
Strictly literal
If Jehovah had not been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
Unless Jehovah [were] a help to me, My soul had almost inhabited silence.
Unless YHWH [were] a help to me, || My soul had almost inhabited silence.
Unless the Lord had been a help unto me, but a little would have been wanting that my soul had dwelt in the silence of death.
Unless Yahweh had been my help, I would soon be lying down in the place of silence.
Simplified
If the Lord hadn't helped me, I would have soon gone down into the silence of the grave.
If the Lord had not been my helper, my soul would quickly have gone down into death.
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 reads: "לוּלֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה עֶזְרָ֣תָה לִּ֑י כִּמְעַ֓ט׀ שָֽׁכְנָ֖ה דוּמָ֣ה נַפְשִֽׁי׃" The Septuagint has a similar structure, matching 7 of the 8 words, but its wording and order differ from the Masoretic Text as it presents its own translation. The Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q84) also align closely with the Masoretic Text, though one word is partly restored and another is supplied by an editor. Overall, the Masoretic Text is supported by the Dead Sea Scrolls, while the Septuagint presents a variant translation.
לוּלֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה עֶזְרָ֣תָה לִּ֑י כִּמְעַ֓ט׀ שָֽׁכְנָ֖ה דוּמָ֣ה נַפְשִֽׁי׃
7 of the 8 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.
לולי יהוה עזרת׳ה [ל׳י] כמעט שכנה דומה נפש׳י
6 words on the leather — 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 94:17
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.
לוּלֵא (luwle') means 'if not' or 'unless.' It is derived from two other Hebrew words, indicating conditions or exceptions. The term appears in various contexts, emphasizing situations that depend on a negative condition.
לוּלֵא, elsewhere לוּלֵי 10 if not, unless
base
H3884 לוּלֵא if not, unless
3884 luwle' loo-lay'
or luwley {loo lay'}; from 3863 and 3808; if not:--except,
had not, if (...not), unless, were it not that.
see HEBREW for 03863
see HEBREW for 03808
לוּלֵא (lu.le) — unless.
unless, if not, except
Conj — ParticleHTc
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
עֶזְרָה (ezrah) refers to help, succour, or assistance. It is a feminine noun derived from the root meaning aid. The word appears in contexts related to providing support, including in Psalm 60:11 and Psalm 108:12, where it emphasizes the act of helping or the one who helps.
עֶזְרָה, עֶזְרָת, עֶזְרָ֫תָה n.f. help, succour, assistance
base
H5833 עֶזְרָה, עֶזְרָת, עֶזְרָ֫תָה help, succour, assistance
5833 `ezrah ez-raw'
or mezrath (Psa. 60:11 (13); 108:12 (13)) {ez-rawth'};
feminine of 5828; aid:--help(-ed, -er).
see HEBREW for 013
see HEBREW for 013
see HEBREW for 05828
עֶזְרָה (ez.rah) — help.
1) help, succour, assistance
1a) help, succour
1b) one who helps
N-fs | Suff — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
With the sense of that which brings aid, support, or deliverance, "help" (noun and vb.) represents a large variety of words in Hebrew and Greek (noun 7, verb 16). A principal Hebrew word is `azar, "to help," with the corresponding nouns `ezer, `ezrah; a chief Greek word is boetheo (Mt 15:25; Mr 9:22,24, etc.). True help is to be sought for in Yahweh, in whom, in the Old Testament, the believer is constantly exhorted to trust, with the renouncing of all other confidences (Ps 20:2; 33:20; 42:5; 46:1; 115:9,10,11; 121:2; Isa 41:10,13,14, etc.). In Ro 8:26 it is said, "the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity," the verb here…
נִי (ni) — me.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bs
מְעַט (m`at) refers to something that is small in quantity or degree, encompassing meanings like 'a little' or 'few.' It can be used adverbially to indicate a small amount or to describe something as almost or hardly. The term is derived from a root meaning 'to be small' and is associated with concepts of littleness and fewness.
מְעַט 101 subst. a little, fewness, a few
base
H4592 מְעַט a little, fewness, a few
4592 m`at meh-at'
or miat {meh-awt'}; from 4591; a little or few (often
adverbial or compar.):--almost (some, very) few(-er, -est),
lightly, little (while), (very) small (matter, thing), some,
soon, X very.
see HEBREW for 04591
מְעַט (me.at) — little.
1) littleness, few, a little, fewness
1a) little, small, littleness, fewness, too little, yet a little
1b) like a little, within a little, almost, just, hardly, shortly, little worth
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
שָׁכַן (shakan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to settle down, abide, or dwell. It encompasses various forms of residing, both literally and figuratively, and includes nuances of establishing or causing to dwell. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which express actions related to dwelling and establishing habitation.
שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן 129 vb. settle down, abide, dwell
Qal
settle down to abide
abide, dwell
Pi.
make settle down, establish
make to dwell
Hiph.
lay
cause birds to settle
cause to dwell
base
H7931 שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן settle down, abide, dwell
7931 shakan shaw-kan'
a primitive root (apparently akin (by transmission) to 7901
through the idea of lodging; compare 5531, 7925); to reside or
permanently stay (literally or figuratively):--abide,
continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-er), have habitation,
inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).
see HEBREW for 05531
see HEBREW for 07925
שָׁכַן (sha.khan) — to dwell.
1) to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to settle down to abide
1a2) to abide, dwell, reside
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to make settle down, establish
1b2) to make or cause to dwell
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to lay, place, set, establish, settle, fix
1c2) to cause to dwell or abide
Aramaic equivalent: she.khan (שְׁכֵן "to dwell" H7932)
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singularHVqp3fs
דּוּמָה (duwmah) refers to silence, with implications of death and concealment. It is derived from an unused root meaning to be dumb. The term can also denote an oracle of silence, suggesting hidden meanings.
דּוּמָה n.f. silence; also oracle of silence, i.e. of concealment, hidden meaning
base
H1745 דּוּמָה
1745 duwmah doo-maw'
from an unused root meaning to be dumb (compare 1820);
silence; figuratively, death:--silence.
see HEBREW for 01820
דּוּמָה (du.mah) — silence.
silence
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
si'-lens: Five Hebrew roots, with various derivatives, and two Greek words are thus translated. The word is used literally for dumbness, interrupted speech, as in La 2:10; Ps 32:3; Ec 3:7; Am 5:13; Ac 15:12; 1Co 14:28; 1Ti 2:11,12 the King James Version (the American Standard Revised Version "quietness"); Re 8:1, or figuratively of the unanswered prayers of the believer (Ps 83:1; 35:22;
The Hebrew word נֶ֫פֶשׁ (*nephesh*) broadly means 'soul' or 'living being,' encompassing concepts like life, self, person, desire, and emotion. It is derived from the root meaning 'to breathe' and signifies both physical and mental aspects of existence. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, including as the seat of appetites and emotions, though its application to will and character is uncertain.
נֶ֫פֶשׁ 756 n.f. soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
= that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
The נפשׁ becomes a living being
The נפשׁ is specif.
The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
נ׳ in D
base
H5315 נֶ֫פֶשׁ soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion . = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
. The נפשׁ becomes a living being
. The נפשׁ is specif.
. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
. נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
. נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
. נ׳ in D
5315 nephesh neh'-fesh
from 5314; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of
(abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal,
accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):--any,
appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire,
X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y),
(hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me,
mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-,
thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they,
thing, (X she) will, X would have it.
see HEBREW for 05314
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
1g1) uncertain
1h) activity of the will
1h1) uncertain
1i) activity of the character
1i1) uncertain
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul: life.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs