Psalms 30:9

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

7Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. 8I cried out to you, O Lord. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, “What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness? 10Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord.” 11You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,

Psalms 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 6:5For the dead do not remember you. Who can praise you from the grave?
• Psalms 88:10Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you? Interlude
• Psalms 115:17The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord, for they have gone into the silence of the grave.
• Psalms 118:17I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done.
• Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
• Isaiah 38:18For the dead cannot praise you; they cannot raise their voices in praise. Those who go down to the grave can no longer hope in your faithfulness.

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

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Dead (People)
• Death
• Hades

In the dictionaries

• Hide
• Corruption
• Dust
• Eschatology of the Old Testament
• Pentateuch
• Psalms, Book of

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