The Meaning of Psalms 89:48 Explained

Psalms 89:48

KJV: What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

YLT: Who is the man that liveth, and doth not see death? He delivereth his soul from the hand of Sheol. Selah.

Darby: What man liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.

ASV: What man is he that shall live and not see death, That shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah

KJV Reverse Interlinear

What man  [is he that] liveth,  and shall not see  death?  shall he deliver  his soul  from the hand  of the grave?  Selah. 

What does Psalms 89:48 Mean?

Study Notes

grave
Heb. "Sheol," .
hell
Sheol is, in the O.T., the place to which the dead go.
(1) Often, therefore, it is spoken of as the equivalent of the grave, merely, where all human activities cease; the terminus toward which all human life moves (e.g. Genesis 42:38 grave Job 14:13 grave Psalms 88:3 grave
(2) To the man "under the sun," the natural man, who of necessity judges from appearances, sheol seems no more than the grave-- the end and total cessation, not only of the activities of life, but of life itself. Ecclesiastes 9:5 ; Ecclesiastes 9:10
(3) But Scripture reveals sheol as a place of sorrow 2 Samuel 22:6 ; Psalms 18:5 ; Psalms 116:3 ; in which the wicked are turned Psalms 9:17 and where they are fully conscious; Isaiah 14:9-17 ; Ezekiel 32:21 see, especially, Jonah 2:2 what the belly of the great fish was to Jonah that sheol is to those who are therein). The sheol of the O.T. and hades of the N.T. (See Scofield " Luke 16:23 ") are identical.

Context Summary

Psalm 89:38-52 - "a Consuming Fire"
Here the psalmist falls into expostulation and lament. Whether he alludes to the time when Jerusalem was taken by Shishak in the days of Rehoboam, 1 Kings 14:25-26, or when the youthful prince Jehoiachin was deposed by Nebuchadnezzar, 2 Kings 24:10-16, it is impossible to say; but it seemed as if God's faithfulness had failed. The psalmist dwells sorrowfully upon the contrast between God's ancient Covenant and the sad reality. The family that had been promised perpetual duration and dominion had lost its luster and had become like a dying lamp.
Then the psalmist betakes himself to prayer, and bases his argument upon the brevity of the age. There is but a little while during which God has the opportunity of manifesting His love and truth. Literally the words are, "Remember-what a transitoriness!" Psalms 89:47. In the last three verses another plea is presented-that dishonor will accrue to God if He does not arrest the continuance of disaster. The insults and reproaches that are hurled against the servants are really directed against their God; therefore He is entreated, in vindicating them, to vindicate Himself.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 89

1  The psalmist praises God for his covenant
5  For his wonderful power
15  For the care of his church
19  For his favor to the kingdom of David
38  Then complaining of contrary events
46  He expostulates, prays, and blesses God

What do the individual words in Psalms 89:48 mean?

Who [is] the man [that] can live and not see death can he deliver his life from the power of the grave Selah
מִ֤י גֶ֣בֶר יִֽ֭חְיֶה וְלֹ֣א יִרְאֶה־ ؟ מָּ֑וֶת יְמַלֵּ֨ט נַפְשׁ֖וֹ מִיַּד־ שְׁא֣וֹל ؟ סֶֽלָה

מִ֤י  Who  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
גֶ֣בֶר  the  man  [that] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֶּבֶר  
Sense: man, strong man, warrior (emphasising strength or ability to fight).
יִֽ֭חְיֶה  can  live 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִרְאֶה־  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
؟ מָּ֑וֶת  death 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
יְמַלֵּ֨ט  can  he  deliver 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַט 
Sense: to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered.
נַפְשׁ֖וֹ  his  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
מִיַּד־  from  the  power 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
שְׁא֣וֹל  of  the  grave 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: שְׁאֹול  
Sense: sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit.
؟ סֶֽלָה  Selah 
Parse: Interjection
Root: סֶלָה  
Sense: to lift up, exalt.