Psalm 27:13-14
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The verse powerfully expresses that the Psalmist's faith – specifically, the belief that he would experience God's goodness in this life – was the very thing preventing him from giving up in despair. This wasn't just a passive hope, but an active, life-sustaining conviction that God's presence and favor would be seen and enjoyed even amidst hardship, not just in some distant afterlife.
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
English Standard Version (ESV)
After describing his desperate enemies surrounding him, David expresses the overwhelming despair he would have felt if he hadn't held onto faith. This verse, therefore, emphasizes that his ability to face present dangers and hope for future deliverance hinges entirely on his belief that he will indeed experience God's goodness in this life.
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed you couldn't finish your thought? The Bible captures that raw emotion, revealing faith's strength in moments of crisis.
The verse begins with an implied thought, a near-whisper of desperation: 'I had fainted...' or 'I would have despaired...'. This isn't a grammatical error; it's a powerful literary device called aposiopesis, or the deliberate breaking off of a sentence.
Imagine David, surrounded by enemies, facing seemingly insurmountable odds. His initial reaction is to acknowledge the overwhelming despair he would have felt if not for one thing: his faith.
This incomplete thought highlights just how dire his situation felt, making the antidote—his belief in God's goodness—even more potent. It’s faith acting as the solid ground beneath him when everything else is shaking.
What does it truly mean to 'see the goodness of the LORD'? It’s more than just waiting for the afterlife; it's about experiencing God's presence and provision right now.
The phrase 'in the land of the living' is key here. While it can certainly point forward to eternal life, in its immediate context, it refers to this earthly life.
David wasn't just holding onto a hope for heaven; he was clinging to the belief that God's goodness would sustain him here and now. This means experiencing God's provision, protection, deliverance, and presence even amidst suffering and opposition.
It's about seeing God work in the midst of your current reality, not just in some distant, future realm. This perspective shifts faith from a passive waiting game to an active trust in God's ongoing faithfulness.
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When all other supports crumble, what is the one thing that prevents us from falling apart? This verse points to the indispensable power of belief.
The core of David's declaration is his belief. The original text emphasizes that without this fundamental trust, he 'had fainted' or 'would have perished'.
Faith here isn't just intellectual agreement; it's a deep-seated conviction that God is good and will act according to His promises, even when circumstances scream the opposite. It's the anchor that holds during the storm.
This belief isn't about ignoring the reality of hardship; it's about choosing to believe God's truth over the evidence of our senses or the weight of our troubles. It’s the resilient hope that fuels endurance and prevents utter despair.
Understand the original words
tub · Hebrew Noun
God’s gracious benevolence, favor, and moral excellence; it describes both His character and the tangible blessings He provides to His people.
erets chayyim · Hebrew Noun phrase
A poetic reference to the present, earthly life where believers experience God’s intervention, in contrast to the realm of the dead (Sheol).
qavah · Hebrew Verb
An active, patient expectation and trust in God’s timing and intervention; it is a form of spiritual discipline that relies on His promises rather than human effort.
chazaq · Hebrew Verb
Used to describe inner fortitude and firmness of purpose, often commanded to believers as they face trials and rely on God’s strength.
lebab · Hebrew Noun
In Hebrew thought, the seat of the intellect, will, and emotions; it is the center of human decision-making and the primary place where trust in God is cultivated.
amats · Hebrew Verb
To be brave, bold, or confident, especially in the face of fear or opposition, grounded in the knowledge of God’s presence.
This verse reflects King David's deep trust in God's promises during times of extreme peril, believing he would experience God's goodness in this life, not just in the afterlife. His faith was anchored in the assurance of God's covenant faithfulness, exemplified by the eventual succession of his son Solomon to the throne.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
David's troubled reign
David faced numerous internal and external threats throughout his reign, including rebellions from his own family and constant warfare with neighboring nations.
c. 1000 BC
David's reliance on God's promises
Despite intense pressure and danger, David clung to God's promises, particularly the covenant promise of an enduring kingdom and a successor who would sit on his throne.
c. 975 BC
Solomon's succession
David's son Solomon eventually succeeded him, fulfilling the promise of a continued dynasty and providing tangible evidence of God's faithfulness.
Hezekiah expresses a similar sentiment, feeling that he would not live to 'see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living' after a severe illness, highlighting the 'land of the living' as this earthly life contrasted with the grave.
Job 28:13This passage speaks of wisdom's value, stating 'Man does not know its price, nor is it found in the land of the living,' also using the phrase to denote the realm of human experience and existence.
Jeremiah 11:19The prophet Jeremiah describes a plot against him, where conspirators say, 'Let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more,' showing how 'the land of the living' is the sphere from which one can be removed by death.
Romans 8:24-25Paul's teaching on hope in this life, contrasting it with future glory, resonates with the Psalmist's confidence in experiencing God's goodness here and now, even amidst suffering, stating, 'For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope.'
cambridgePsalms 27:13: "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living."
13 . The word for unless is marked with dots in the Massoretic text as probably spurious. Omitting it, we may render; I believe that I shall see &c. If it is retained, the construction is an aposiopesis: O! had I not believed &c.; or an apodosis may be supplied, as in A.V. to see ] The construction of the Heb. verb implies the sense, to see and enjoy . in the land of the living ] Here…
jfbPsalms 27:13: "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living."
- The strong emotion is indicated by the incomplete sentence, for which the English Version supplies a proper clause; or, omitting that, and rendering, "yet I believed," &c., the contrast of his faith and his danger is expressed.to see—is to experience (Ps 22:17).
The verse powerfully expresses that the Psalmist's faith – specifically, the belief that he would experience God's goodness in this life – was the very thing preventing him from giving up in despair. This wasn't just a passive hope, but an active, life-sustaining conviction that God's presence and favor would be seen and enjoyed even amidst hardship, not just in some distant afterlife.
After describing his desperate enemies surrounding him, David expresses the overwhelming despair he would have felt if he hadn't held onto faith. This verse, therefore, emphasizes that his ability to face present dangers and hope for future deliverance hinges entirely on his belief that he will indeed experience God's goodness in this life.
After describing his desperate enemies surrounding him, David expresses the overwhelming despair he would have felt if he hadn't held onto faith. This verse, therefore, emphasizes that his ability to face present dangers and hope for future deliverance hinges entirely on his belief that he will indeed experience God's goodness in this life.
"I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" — The verse powerfully expresses that the Psalmist's faith – specifically, the belief that he would experience God's goodness in this life – was the very thing preventing him from giving up in despai…
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Last reviewed October 2026
