Psalms 118:17 (WEB)

Passage

I will not die, but live, and declare Yah’s works.

Nearby Context

Psalms 118:15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous. “The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly.

Psalms 118:16 The right hand of Yahweh is exalted! The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!”

Psalms 118:17 I will not die, but live, and declare Yah’s works.

Psalms 118:18 Yah has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

Psalms 118:19 Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them. I will give thanks to Yah.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "live", "declare", and "works". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "live" and "declare", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "The right hand of Yahweh is exalted..." into verse 18's "Yah has punished me severely but he...", so "live" and "declare" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "live" and "declare" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.