Psalms 118:18 — Word Study
WLCיַסֹּ֣ר יִסְּרַ֣נִּי יָּ֑הּ וְ֝לַמָּ֗וֶת לֹ֣א נְתָנָֽנִי׃
BSAThe LORDYâhh [Jah, the self-existent One] ◂disciplined me severelyyâçar [chastened, corrected, or punished, sorely, very harshly] but He has notlôʼ [in no way] given me overnâthan■ [handed me over, delivered me] to deathmâveth [the end of life, eternal separation]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יַסֹּ֣ר | certainly | Verb, Piel, infinitive absolute |
| יִסְּרַ֣נִּי | he has disciplined me | Verb piel imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| יָּ֑הּ | Yahweh | Noun proper masculine |
| וְ֝לַמָּ֗וֶת | and to death | Conjunction, preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| לֹ֣א | not | Particle |
| נְתָנָֽנִי׃ | he has given me | Verb qal perfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The LORD disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death. |
| KJV | The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. |
| ASV | Jehovah hath chastened me sore; But he hath not given me over unto death. |
| YLT | Jah hath sorely chastened me, And to death hath not given me up. |
| WEB | Yah has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death. |
| BBE | The hand of Jah has been hard on me; but he has not given me up to death. |
Where they part company is יַסֹּ֣ר — see How Translations Differ.
A main clause followed by a contrasting clause, emphasizing the relationship between discipline and mercy.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיָהּ
verbיָסַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 118:18
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Affirmation of God's Disciplinegenerated
Psalm 118:18 expresses the psalmist's recognition of God's severe discipline, which he interprets as a form of correction rather than abandonment. The surrounding verses highlight a theme of life and deliverance, reinforcing the idea that God's discipline is ultimately for the good of His people, leading them away from death and towards life and righteousness.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 66:10–12 | For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us like silver. |
| 2 | Psalm 94:12–13 | Blessed is the man You discipline, O LORD, and teach from Your law, |
| 3 | 2 Samuel 12:10 | Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ |
| 4 | 2 Samuel 13:1–39 | After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom. |
| 5 | 2 Samuel 16:1–23 | When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יַסֹּ֣ר, ya.Sorgenerated
The verb יָסַר (yasar) means to discipline or chasten. It encompasses a range of corrective actions, including teaching and punishing. This word emphasizes God's role as a teacher who corrects His people to guide them back to the right path.
In this verse, the infinitive absolute form indicates certainty and intensity in the discipline, suggesting that it is not a casual correction but a serious and impactful one. The context implies that such discipline is necessary for growth and improvement.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יִסְּרַ֣נִּי governs the whole verse, with two main phrases: the first describes the action of discipline, and the second expresses the outcome of that discipline. The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the discipline first, highlighting its significance.
The structure shows a clear contrast: the severe discipline is acknowledged, but it is immediately followed by the affirmation that the psalmist has not been given over to death, emphasizing God's mercy and protection.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the Greek word παιδεύων, which means 'to educate' or 'to train.' This rendering shows a broader understanding of discipline as not only punishment but also as a form of teaching and nurturing.
This choice indicates a more interpretive approach, suggesting that the discipline serves a purpose beyond mere correction — it is also about growth and maturity.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 118:18 shows the psalmist recognizing that while God has disciplined him severely, He has not allowed him to die. This highlights the balance between God's correction and His mercy, emphasizing that discipline is part of God's care for His people.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God corrected the psalmist in a serious way, which is seen as necessary for growth and guidance.
Discipline is important because it helps individuals learn from their mistakes and encourages them to follow the right path.
It signifies that despite the severity of God's discipline, He has not abandoned the psalmist to ultimate ruin or separation from Him.
We can understand it as a form of love and care, aimed at correcting and guiding us towards righteousness.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's discipline in my life?
- How can I respond positively to God's correction?
- What does it mean to me that God has not given me over to death?
- How can I help others understand the purpose of discipline in their lives?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Christian writers reflect on this verse to discuss the nature of God's discipline and its purpose in the life of believers.
Nevertheless, let him point out to us, why the body of Christ, the holy Church, the people of adoption, suffered such indignities.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 118 →
[Syncletica] also said, ‘When the devil does not use the goad of poverty to tempt us, he uses wealth for the same purpose. When he cannot win by scorn and mockery, he tries praise and flattery.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 118 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 118:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe Lord hath chastened me sore,.... Or, "in chastening hath chastened me" (d).
Read John Gill on Psalms 118 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. The chastisement was by the Chaldeans (cf. Habakkuk 1:12).
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 118 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHath chastened me sore by the hands of mine enemies, whom God used to that very purpose for my greater good, and their own greater and surer ruin and confusion.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 118 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 118:18 The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.Ver. 18. The Lord hath chastened me sore] Corripuit me seria et severa castigatione; and yet David was his darling. But he hath not given me over unto death] It might have been worse, may the afflicted saint say; and it will yet be better: It is in mercy and in measure that God chastiseth his children. It is his care that the spirit fail not before him, nor the souls which he hath made, Isaiah 57:16. If his child swoons in the whipping God lets fall the rod, and falls a kissing it, to fetch life into it again.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 118 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15–18. The rejoicings of the festival in gratitude to Jehovah for preserving the nation’s life.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 118 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe Lord hath chastened me sore - Hebrew, “The Lord has chastened - has chastened me.” See the notes at Psalms 118:13.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 118 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible18. Unto death—Still the image of death, so recently escaped, (Psalms 118:17,) is before him. There is a wonderful freshness and life in this psalm. It is the recital of experience.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 118 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
The LORD disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death.
Yah has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
The LORD disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death.
The Lord severely punished me, but he did not hand me over to death.
Tyndale line
The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
Jehovah hath chastened me sore; But he hath not given me over unto death.
The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
The LORD hath chastened me severely: but he hath not given me over to death.
The Lord hath chastened me sore, but he hath not deliuered me to death.
Strictly literal
Jah hath chastened me sore; but he hath not given me over unto death.
Jah hath sorely chastened me, And to death hath not given me up.
YAH has severely disciplined me, || And has not given me up to death.
Severely hath the Lord chastised me; but unto death hath he not given me up.
Yahweh has punished me harshly; but he has not handed me over to death.
From the Latin
Open thou my eyes: and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law.
Simplified
Even though the Lord punished me severely, he did not let me die.
The hand of Jah has been hard on me; but he has not given me up to death.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint align closely, with five of the six words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls also support the MT, with a minor editorial addition in one word, indicating a strong consistency across these ancient witnesses.
יַסֹּ֣ר יִסְּרַ֣נִּי יָּ֑הּ וְ֝לַמָּ֗וֶת לֹ֣א נְתָנָֽנִי׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
יסור יסר׳ני יה ולמות [לא] נתנ׳ני
5 words on the leather — 1 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 118:18
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
יָסַר (yacar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to discipline or chasten. It encompasses a range of actions including instructing, correcting, and admonishing, with nuances depending on the grammatical form used. The entries indicate that it can involve both physical punishment and verbal instruction, with various forms expressing different aspects of correction and teaching.
[יָסַר] vb. discipline, chasten, admonish
Qal
admonish
instruct
discipline
Niph. let oneself be corrected, admonished
Pi.
discipline, correct (the moral nature, with more or less severity acc. to circumstances)
more severely, chasten, chastise
Nithp. pass. be disciplined, corrected
Hiph. chasten
base
H3256 [יָסַר] discipline, chasten, admonish
3256 yacar yaw-sar'
a primitive root; to chastise, literally (with blows) or
figuratively (with words); hence, to instruct:--bind, chasten,
chastise, correct, instruct, punish, reform, reprove, sore,
teach.
יָסַר (ya.sar) — to discipline.
1) to chasten, discipline, instruct, admonish
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to chasten, admonish
1a2) to instruct
1a3) to discipline
1b) (Niphal) to let oneself be chastened or corrected or admonished
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to discipline, correct
1c2) to chasten, chastise
1d) (Hiphil) to chasten
1e) (Nithpael) to teach
V-Piel-Ptc — Verb · Piel · infinitive absoluteHVpaa
יָסַר (yacar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to discipline or chasten. It encompasses a range of actions including instructing, correcting, and admonishing, with nuances depending on the grammatical form used. The entries indicate that it can involve both physical punishment and verbal instruction, with various forms expressing different aspects of correction and teaching.
[יָסַר] vb. discipline, chasten, admonish
Qal
admonish
instruct
discipline
Niph. let oneself be corrected, admonished
Pi.
discipline, correct (the moral nature, with more or less severity acc. to circumstances)
more severely, chasten, chastise
Nithp. pass. be disciplined, corrected
Hiph. chasten
base
H3256 [יָסַר] discipline, chasten, admonish
3256 yacar yaw-sar'
a primitive root; to chastise, literally (with blows) or
figuratively (with words); hence, to instruct:--bind, chasten,
chastise, correct, instruct, punish, reform, reprove, sore,
teach.
יָסַר (ya.sar) — to discipline.
1) to chasten, discipline, instruct, admonish
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to chasten, admonish
1a2) to instruct
1a3) to discipline
1b) (Niphal) to let oneself be chastened or corrected or admonished
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to discipline, correct
1c2) to chasten, chastise
1d) (Hiphil) to chasten
1e) (Nithpael) to teach
HVpi3ms/Sp1bs — Verb piel imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVpi3ms/Sp1bs
יָהּ (Yahh) is a shortened form of יהוה (YHWH), meaning 'LORD.' It appears in early Hebrew poetry and is often found in names ending with '-iah' or '-jah.' The entries confirm its use as a sacred name, but do not provide specific verse references.
יָהּ 60 n.pr.dei contr. fr. יהוה, first appears in early poems
base
H3050 יָהּ n. pr. dei contr. fr. יהוה, first appears in early poems
3050 Yahh yaw
contraction for 3068, and meaning the same; Jah, the sacred
name:--Jah, the Lord, most vehement. Compare names in "-iah,"
"- jah."
see HEBREW for 03068
יָהּ (yah) — LORD.
A shortened form of the name ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)
used in many compounds as the letters 'Je' or 'jah'
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
מָ֫וֶת (maveth) means 'death' and encompasses various aspects such as natural or violent death, the state of being dead, and the realm of the dead (hades). It can also refer to pestilence or ruin. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to die' and has an Aramaic equivalent, מוֹת (mot).
מָ֫וֶת 161 n.m. death
death, opp. life
death by violence
state of death or place of death
base
H4194 מָ֫וֶת death
4194 maveth maw'-veth
from 4191; death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead,
their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence,
ruin:--(be) dead((-ly)), death, die(-d).
see HEBREW for 04191
מָ֫וֶת (ma.vet) — death.
1) death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead
1a) death
1b) death by violence (as a penalty)
1c) state of death, place of death
Aramaic equivalent: mot (מוֹת "death" H4193)
Conj | Prep | N-ms — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Rd/Ncmsa
(maweth; thanatos):
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FIGURATIVE VIEW
The word "Death" is used in the sense of
(1) the process of dying (Ge 21:16);
(2) the period of decease (Ge 27:7);
(3) as a possible synonym for poison (2Ki 4:40);
(4) as descriptive of person in danger of perishing (Jud 15:18; "in deaths oft" 2Co 11:23). In this sense the shadow of death is a familiar expression in Job, the Psalms and the Prophets;
Death
May be simply defined as the termination of life. It is represented under a variety of aspects in Scripture: (1.) “The dust shall return to the earth as it was” (Eccl. 12:7).
(2.) “Thou takest away their breath, they die” (Ps. 104:29).
(3.) It is the dissolution of “our earthly house of this tabernacle” (2 Cor. 5:1); the “putting off this tabernacle” (2 Pet. 1:13, 14).
(4.) Being “unclothed” (2 Cor. 5:3, 4).
(5.) “Falling on sleep” (Ps. 76:5; Jer. 51:39;
Is taken in Scripture, first, for the separation of body and soul, the first death, Ge 25:11; secondly, for alienation from God, and exposure to his wrath, 1Jo 3:14, etc.; thirdly, for the second death, that of eternal damnation. Death was the penalty affixed to Adam’s transgression, Ge 2:17 3:19; and all his posterity are transgressors, and share the curse inflicted upon him. CHRIST is "our life." All believers share his life, spiritually and eternally; and though sin and bodily is taken away, and in the resurrection the last enemy shall be trampled under foot, Ro 5:12-21 1Co 15:1-58.
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.
נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set
Qal 1917
give
Put, set
Make, constitute
Niph.
82be given
Be put, set
Hoph.
be given, bestowed
= be given to one for wife
be put upon
base
H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give
. Put, set
. Make, constitute
. . be given
. Be put, set
. . . be given, bestowed
. = be given to one for wife
. be put upon
5414 nathan naw-than'
a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of
application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,
assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,
hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +
cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X
without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),
grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),
(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,
occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X
pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send
(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,
strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,
turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)
God, yield.
נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.
: give/deliver/send/produce
1) to give, put, set
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend
1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate
1a3) to make, constitute
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned
1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up
1c2) to be put upon
נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.
: put/set/apppoint
1) to give, put, set
1a) (Qal)
V-Qal-Perf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal perfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVqp3ms/Sp1bs