I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just a declaration of survival; it's a promise of purpose. The psalmist isn't simply saying, "I'm alive!" but rather, "I am preserved to recount the deeds of the Lord." This emphasizes that life itself is a gift meant to be used for God's glory, a divine commission to testify to His wondrous works.
I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm is a song of thanksgiving, likely for deliverance from a grave national crisis, possibly an invasion or a period of severe oppression. The speaker, representing Israel, recounts a time when they were brought to the brink of destruction and felt utterly abandoned, yet God intervened with mighty power. Now, having been rescued from death's door, they commit to using their renewed life to proclaim all that God has done.
Ever felt like you've been through the wringer, only to emerge stronger? This verse speaks to that powerful moment of survival and the purpose that follows.
The psalmist stands on the precipice of death, declaring with unwavering faith, 'I shall not die, but live.' This isn't just a wish; it's a profound declaration rooted in God's faithfulness.
Surviving the Storm
What is the ultimate purpose of being given a second chance? This verse answers with a mission of testimony.
The profound truth revealed here is that life, especially a life snatched from the jaws of death, is a gift to be used for God's glory. The purpose isn't self-preservation for its own sake, but for a specific divine assignment.
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The Mission of Testimony
Understand the original words
mût · Hebrew Verb
The cessation of biological life or spiritual separation. In the Psalms, it often represents the threat of destruction or the state of being cut off from the presence of God.
sāpar · Hebrew Verb
To recount or proclaim the works of God. It implies bearing witness to God's character and salvation so that His fame is spread among others.
maʿăśeh · Hebrew Noun
The acts, accomplishments, or wondrous works of God. It refers to His interventions in history to save, judge, or sustain His people.
This psalm speaks to moments of profound crisis where life itself seems to hang in the balance, whether for an individual like David or for the entire nation of Israel. The core message is that survival isn't just about escaping death, but about living to actively praise and testify about God's mighty acts.
c. 1000 BC
David's Many Troubles
King David faced numerous life-threatening situations, including from enemies like Saul, the Philistines, and internal rebellions. This verse reflects a profound sense of deliverance from imminent death.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
Deliverance from Imminent Death
The psalmist, possibly David himself or representing Israel, expresses a powerful affirmation of life after facing extreme peril. This is the immediate context of the verse, a moment of profound relief and renewed purpose.
c. 538 BC
Return from Babylonian Exile
After decades of exile, the Jewish people were allowed to return to Jerusalem. This event brought a renewed sense of national life and an opportunity to declare God's faithfulness.
c. 515 BC
Rebuilding of the Second Temple
The completion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem marked a significant moment of restoration and worship for the returned exiles, allowing them to publicly declare God's works.
This passage speaks of God creating a people for Himself specifically so that they would declare His praise, echoing the sentiment of living to recount God's deeds.
Luke 1:74-75These verses describe God delivering His people from their enemies so they might serve Him in righteousness and holiness, a profound sense of living to fulfill God's purpose after salvation.
Romans 6:4This New Testament passage connects believers' resurrection with Christ to a newness of life, where the purpose is to walk in that new life, similar to recounting God's works.
John 11:4Jesus states that Lazarus's illness was 'not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it,' highlighting a divinely appointed survival that leads to the magnification of God's works.
clarkePsalms 118:17: "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD."
I shall not die - I was nigh unto death; but I am preserved, - preserved to publish the wondrous works of the Lord.
gillPsalms 118:17: "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD."
I shall not die, but live,.... Not that he should never die, David knew he should; but that his present afflictions would not issue in death; or he should not die by the hands of his enemies, he sometimes feared he should; but now believed he should live, as he did, to a good old age: he knew he should live spiritually and eternally, and not die a second death; and so may all true believers and members of Christ say.…
This isn't just a declaration of survival; it's a promise of purpose. The psalmist isn't simply saying, "I'm alive!" but rather, "I am preserved to recount the deeds of the Lord." This emphasizes that life itself is a gift meant to be used for God's glory, a divine commission to testify to His wondrous works.
This psalm is a song of thanksgiving, likely for deliverance from a grave national crisis, possibly an invasion or a period of severe oppression. The speaker, representing Israel, recounts a time when they were brought to the brink of destruction and felt utterly abandoned, yet God intervened with mighty power. Now, having been rescued from death's door, they commit to using their renewed life to proclaim all that God has done.
This psalm is a song of thanksgiving, likely for deliverance from a grave national crisis, possibly an invasion or a period of severe oppression. The speaker, representing Israel, recounts a time when they were brought to the brink of destruction and felt utterly abandoned, yet God intervened with mighty power. Now, having been rescued from death's door, they commit to using their renewed life to proclaim all that God has done.
"I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD." — This isn't just a declaration of survival; it's a promise of purpose. The psalmist isn't simply saying, "I'm alive!" but rather, "I am preserved to recount the deeds of the Lord." This emphasizes t…
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Last reviewed October 2026