God’s Word Translation
Psalms 30:9
9“How will you profit if my blood is shed, if I go into the pit? Will the dust ⌞of my body⌟ give thanks to you? Will it tell about your truth?”
Psalms 30:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?
- New International Version (NIV)“What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
- English Standard Version (ESV)"What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?
- New King James Version (NKJV)“What profit is there in my blood, When I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?
Context of Psalms 30:9
7O Lord, by your favor you have made my mountain stand firm. When you hid your face, I was terrified. 8I will cry out to you, O Lord. I will plead to the Lord for mercy: “How will you profit if my blood is shed, if I go into the pit? Will the dust ⌞of my body⌟ give thanks to you? Will it tell about your truth?” 10Hear, O Lord, and have pity on me! O Lord, be my helper! 11You have changed my sobbing into dancing. You have removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy
Read all of Psalms 30Psalms 30:9 word by word
מַה־בֶּ֥צַע בְּדָמִי֮ בְּרִדְתִּ֪י אֶ֫ל־שָׁ֥חַת הֲיוֹדְךָ֥ עָפָ֑ר הֲיַגִּ֥יד אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- What profitבֶּ֫צַעbetsa‛ · unjust-gainH1215
- in my bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- when I go downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- to the pitשַׁ֫חַתshachath · Pit: hellH7845
- Shall the dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
- praiseיָדָהyâdâh · to give thanksH3034
- thee? shall it declareנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- thy truthאֱמֶת'emeth · truth: faithfulH571
Cross-references for Psalms 30:9
- Psalms 6:5In death, no one remembers you. In the grave, who praises you?
- Psalms 88:10Will you perform miracles for those who are dead? Will the spirits of the dead rise and give thanks to you? Selah
- Psalms 115:17Those who are dead do not praise the Lord, nor do those who go into the silence ⌞of the grave⌟.
- Psalms 118:17I will not die, but I will live and tell what the Lord has done.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it with ⌞all⌟ your might, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or skill in the grave where you’re going.
- Isaiah 38:18Sheol doesn’t thank you! Death doesn’t praise you! Those who go down to the pit cannot expect you to be faithful.
Commentaries on Psalms 30:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9What profit is there in my blood - My being cut off will not magnify thy mercy. Let not the sword, therefore, come against me. If spared and pardoned, I will declare thy truth; I will tell to all men what a merciful and gracious Lord I have found. Hear, therefore, O Lord; Psalm 30:10.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9What proof is there in my blood - That is, What profit or advantage would there be to thee if I should die? What would be “gained” by it? The argument which the psalmist urges is that he could better serve God by his life than by his death; that his death, by removing him from the earth, would prevent his rendering the service which he might by his life. The same argument is presented also in Psalm 6:5 (see the notes at that verse), and is found again in…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-12Verses 6-12 When things are well with us, we are very apt to think that they will always be so. When we see our mistake, it becomes us to think with shame upon our carnal security as our folly. If God hide his face, a good man is troubled, though no other calamity befal him. But if God, in wisdom and justice, turn from us, it will be the greatest folly if we turn from him. No; let us learn to pray in the dark. The sanctified spirit, which returns to God…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-12The psalmist faced death (also in Psalm 30:1–3), either literally or figuratively. When he turned to the Lord, the Lord rescued him and changed his mourning into joyful dancing. Only God's favor can permanently and powerfully overcome human failure and deep despair.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-118-11. As in Psa 6:5; 88:10; Is 38:18, the appeal for mercy is based on the destruction of his agency in praising God here, which death would produce. The terms expressing relief are poetical, and not to be pressed, though "dancing" is the translation of a word which means a lute, whose cheerful notes are contrasted with mourning, or (Am 5:16) wailing.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 30:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 30
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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