Psalms 94 · Verse 17

Psalms 94:17

Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
Psalms 94:17, King James Version

Psalms 94:17 in other translations

BSBUnless the LORD had been my helper, I would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.
WEBUnless the LORD had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence.
ASVUnless Jehovah had been my help, My soul had soon dwelt in silence.
YLTUnless Jehovah were a help to me, My soul had almost inhabited silence.
DARBYIf Jehovah had not been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
BBEIf the Lord had not been my helper, my soul would quickly have gone down into death.
WebsterUnless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.

What does Psalms 94:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 94:17-19
17-19. a fact fully confirmed by his past experience. dwelt in silence--as in the grave (Psa 31:17).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 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, τῳ ᾁδῃ, in the invisible world.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 94:12-23

That man is blessed, who, under the chastening of the Lord, is taught his will and his truths, from his holy word, and by the Holy Spirit. He should see mercy through his sufferings. There is a rest remaining for the people of God after the days of their adversity, which shall not last always. He that sends the trouble, will send the rest. The psalmist found succour and relief only in the Lord, when all earthly…

Read the full comment on Psalms 94:12-23 →

Psalms 94:17 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לוּלֵ֣יlu.Leiif notH3884
יְ֭הוָהYah.wehYahwehH3068
עֶזְרָ֣תָה'ez.Ra.tah[had been] <to> a helpH5833
לִּ֑יLiof me
כִּמְעַ֓ט\׀kim.'Atlike a littleH4592
שָֽׁכְנָ֖הsha.khe.Nahit dweltH7931
דוּמָ֣הdu.MahsilenceH1745
נַפְשִֽׁי\׃naf.Shiself myH5315

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 94:17

  • Psalms 124:1-2

    A Song of degrees of David. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say; If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us:

  • Psalms 31:17

    Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

  • 2 Timothy 4:16-17

    At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

  • Psalms 118:13

    Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the Lord helped me.

  • Psalms 115:17

    The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.

  • Psalms 13:3

    Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

  • Psalms 142:4-5

    I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

  • Psalms 125:1

    A Song of degrees. They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

  • 2 Corinthians 1:8-10

    For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

  • John 16:32

    Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Unless.
118:13; 124:1,2; 125:1; 142:4,5; Joh 16:32; 2Co 1:8-10; 2Ti 4:16,17
almost. or, quickly. dwelt.
13:3; 31:17; 115:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 94:16

    Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?

  • Psalms 94:17

    Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.

  • Psalms 94:18

    When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.

Read all of Psalms 94

Psalms 94:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Si no me ayudara Jehová, presto morara mi alma en el silencio.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Si l’ Éternel n’avait été mon aide, peu s’en serait fallu que mon âme n’ait été habiter dans le silence.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wäre nicht Jehova mir eine Hülfe gewesen, wenig fehlte, so hätte im Schweigen gewohnt meine Seele.