Psalms 16:10

For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

For thou wilt not leave {H5800} my soul {H5315} in hell {H7585}; neither wilt thou suffer {H5414} thine Holy One {H2623} to see {H7200} corruption {H7845}.

for you will not abandon me to Sh'ol, you will not let your faithful one see the Abyss.

For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.

For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption.

Context of Psalms 16:10

Psalm 16 is a Davidic Psalm, a prayer or meditation attributed to King David, expressing his confidence and trust in God's faithfulness and protection. While it reflects David's personal walk with God, particularly his hope in divine preservation from death and decay, this specific verse, Psalms 16:10, is profoundly prophetic. It points beyond David's own experience to a greater fulfillment, becoming a cornerstone of New Testament theology regarding the resurrection.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Preservation from Death: The core promise is that God will not abandon the soul to the grave nor allow His "Holy One" to experience physical decay. This speaks to a triumph over the natural process of death and decomposition.
  • Messianic Prophecy: The most significant theme is the prophecy of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The New Testament apostles, Peter (Acts 2:27-31) and Paul (Acts 13:35-37), explicitly interpret this verse as referring to Jesus, arguing that David himself died and saw corruption, but Christ did not.
  • Hope Beyond the Grave: For believers, this verse offers immense hope, assuring them of God's power over death and the promise of eternal life through Christ's victory.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Hell" (Hebrew: Sheol): In this context, Sheol refers to the grave or the realm of the dead, the common abode of all departed souls in the Old Testament understanding. It does not necessarily denote a place of eternal torment as the New Testament term "hell" (Gehenna) often does. The promise is not that the soul would avoid death itself, but that it would not be *left* permanently in Sheol.
  • "Thine Holy One" (Hebrew: Chasid): This term means "pious one," "godly one," or "one who is loyal to God's covenant." While it can refer to any faithful person, the prophetic context, as interpreted by the apostles, unequivocally points to Jesus Christ as the ultimate and perfect "Holy One" who uniquely fulfilled this prophecy.
  • "Corruption" (Hebrew: Shachath): This word specifically means "decay," "decomposition," or "putrefaction." The prophecy states that the Holy One's body would not undergo this process, a clear reference to the immediate resurrection of Jesus before His body could begin to decay after death.

Practical Application

For the modern believer, Psalms 16:10 provides powerful reassurance and hope. It highlights God's sovereignty over life and death and His ultimate plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. We can find comfort in knowing that:

  • Death is Not the End: Christ's resurrection, foretold here, is the guarantee of our own future resurrection and victory over death's sting.
  • God Keeps His Promises: This verse demonstrates God's meticulous fulfillment of prophecy, strengthening our faith in all His promises.
  • Hope in Suffering: Even in times of loss or fear of death, believers can cling to the hope that God will not abandon His faithful ones to permanent decay, but offers eternal life through the resurrected Christ.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Acts 2:27

    Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

  • Acts 2:31

    He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

  • Acts 13:35

    Wherefore he saith also in another [psalm], Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

  • Acts 13:38

    Be it known unto you therefore, men [and] brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

  • Psalms 49:15

    ¶ But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

  • Revelation 1:18

    [I am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

  • Revelation 20:13

    And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
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