I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
Psalm 118:17 is the confidence of the righteous sufferer whom the LORD preserves for His own glory. Psalm 118 is plainly Messianic. The New Testament repeatedly uses this psalm of Jesus Christ: the rejected stone becoming the head stone of the corner (v.22; Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7), the blessed One coming in the name of the Lord (v.26; Matthew 21:9; 23:39), and the day the LORD hath made in His glorious work (v.24). Therefore verse 17 must be read in that light. David may speak from his own deliverance, but the psalm rises far beyond David to Christ, the true rejected and exalted King.
“I shall not die.” In David’s immediate case, this is confidence that his enemies would not prevail to take his life. He had been compassed about, thrust sore at, and chastened, but the LORD helped him (vv.10-13,18). The sentence of death seemed near, but God had not appointed his destruction. The righteous man may be brought low, surrounded, wounded, and chastened, yet he cannot die until the LORD’s purpose for him is finished.
In the mouth of Christ, this phrase must be handled with reverence. It does not deny His appointed death. Jesus truly died for the sins of His people, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3). He laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:15). He gave up the ghost (John 19:30). Yet death did not conquer Him, hold Him, or end His work. Peter preached that God raised Him up, “having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it” (Acts 2:24). Thus, in the Messianic height of the psalm, “I shall not die” means death shall not have final dominion. The grave would receive Him, but it would not retain Him.
This agrees with Psalm 16, another Messianic psalm, where David wrote, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption” (Psalm 16:10). Peter and Paul both applied that promise to Christ’s resurrection (Acts 2:25-32; 13:35-37). Psalm 118:17 stands in the same resurrection confidence. The rejected stone would be cast aside by builders, but God would make Him the head of the corner (v.22). The suffering King would be brought through death into indestructible life.
“But live.” Life is the contrast and triumph. David expected continued life by God’s deliverance. Christ received resurrection life after suffering death. He is “alive for evermore” and has “the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:18). Paul wrote, “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him” (Romans 6:9). That is the fullest answer to Psalm 118:17. The Messiah lives beyond the reach of death.
This living is not survival only, but appointed life for divine purpose. The LORD does not preserve His servant so he may live unto himself. David’s life was spared so he could praise, testify, rule, and serve. Christ’s resurrection life is for His glory, His reign, His intercession, His church, and the final subduing of every enemy. He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25). He lives as Priest, King, Saviour, and Judge.
“And declare.” Here is the great use of the mouth in this verse. Life preserved must become truth declared. The psalmist does not say, I shall not die, but live, and enjoy myself; or live, and boast in my escape; or live, and forget the LORD. He says he will declare. God’s deliverance opens the mouth for testimony. This agrees with the repeated lesson of the Psalms: “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so” (Psalm 107:2); “I believed, therefore have I spoken” (Psalm 116:10); “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16); “My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long” (Psalm 35:28).
The word “declare” is stronger than private feeling. It means to tell, publish, make known, and bear witness. The works of God deserve open confession. Silence after mercy is not fitting. If God preserves a man from death, delivers him from enemies, restores his soul, forgives his sin, orders his steps, or raises him from despair, he should declare it. A spared life should have a speaking tongue.
This declaration also has a proper subject. He will not chiefly declare his courage, wisdom, suffering, worthiness, or perseverance. He will declare “the works of the LORD.” The speech is God-centered. The righteous man knows who has acted. The LORD helped him (v.13). The right hand of the LORD did valiantly (vv.15-16). The LORD chastened him sore, but did not give him over unto death (v.18). Therefore, the testimony belongs to Jehovah.
“The works.” These are God’s acts in power, mercy, judgment, deliverance, chastening, salvation, and exaltation. In Psalm 118, the works include deliverance from enemies, preservation under chastening, the rejected stone made the head stone of the corner, and the day the LORD made (vv.10-24). In Christ, the works rise to their highest glory: incarnation, obedience, suffering, death, resurrection, exaltation, and kingdom. These are not the works of man’s will, but the works of Jehovah.
“Of the LORD.” LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah. The works declared are His works. He gets the glory. Men rejected the stone, but the LORD made it the head stone of the corner (v.22). Men crucified Christ by wicked hands, but God raised Him up (Acts 2:23-24). Men meant death and defeat, but God wrought salvation and triumph. The mouth of the righteous must keep the glory where it belongs.
This verse rebukes wasted speech. God gives life, and men use the tongue for vanity. God delivers, and men return to murmuring. God preserves from death, and men fill their days with self, complaints, slander, jesting, and earthly trifles. Psalm 118:17 gives a better rule. If I live, I must declare. If God has spared me, my words are owed to Him. The tongue preserved in the land of the living should speak of the living God.
It also rebukes silent gratitude. Some are thankful in thought but rarely declare the works of the LORD. Yet the psalmist resolves to speak. Thanksgiving should be heard. Praise should be uttered. Mercy should be told. Paul commanded, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). A redeemed and preserved man should not need the world to draw words out of him; the works of the LORD should fill his testimony.
There is comfort here for afflicted saints. The LORD may chasten sore and yet not give over unto death (v.18). He may let enemies compass about and yet cut them off (vv.10-12). He may bring His servant near the grave and yet appoint him further work. Until God’s purpose is finished, no enemy can end the life He preserves. Therefore, the afflicted believer may say, not presumptuously, but dependently, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.”
Christ gives the fullest certainty to this hope. Because He lives, His people shall live also (John 14:19). Because death could not hold Him, it shall not finally hold those given to Him. He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). The believer’s final hope is not merely recovery from sickness or escape from earthly enemies, but resurrection unto glory by Jesus Christ. Then the redeemed shall declare the works of the LORD without sin, weariness, fear, or interruption.
Psalm 118:17 therefore gives a holy purpose for life. Life is not ours to spend in silence or vanity. The LORD preserves, delivers, chastens, raises, and saves so His works may be declared. Let the wicked use their mouths for lies and malice; let the redeemed use theirs for testimony. Let the saint say with David, and in the light of the risen Christ, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.”
I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
Psalm 118:17 is the confidence of the righteous sufferer whom the LORD preserves for His own glory. Psalm 118 is plainly Messianic. The New Testament repeatedly uses this psalm of Jesus Christ: the rejected stone becoming the head stone of the corner (v.22; Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7), the blessed One coming in the name of the Lord (v.26; Matthew 21:9; 23:39), and the day the LORD hath made in His glorious work (v.24). Therefore verse 17 must be read in that light. David may speak from his own deliverance, but the psalm rises far beyond David to Christ, the true rejected and exalted King.
“I shall not die.” In David’s immediate case, this is confidence that his enemies would not prevail to take his life. He had been compassed about, thrust sore at, and chastened, but the LORD helped him (vv.10-13,18). The sentence of death seemed near, but God had not appointed his destruction. The righteous man may be brought low, surrounded, wounded, and chastened, yet he cannot die until the LORD’s purpose for him is finished.
In the mouth of Christ, this phrase must be handled with reverence. It does not deny His appointed death. Jesus truly died for the sins of His people, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3). He laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:15). He gave up the ghost (John 19:30). Yet death did not conquer Him, hold Him, or end His work. Peter preached that God raised Him up, “having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it” (Acts 2:24). Thus, in the Messianic height of the psalm, “I shall not die” means death shall not have final dominion. The grave would receive Him, but it would not retain Him.
This agrees with Psalm 16, another Messianic psalm, where David wrote, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption” (Psalm 16:10). Peter and Paul both applied that promise to Christ’s resurrection (Acts 2:25-32; 13:35-37). Psalm 118:17 stands in the same resurrection confidence. The rejected stone would be cast aside by builders, but God would make Him the head of the corner (v.22). The suffering King would be brought through death into indestructible life.
“But live.” Life is the contrast and triumph. David expected continued life by God’s deliverance. Christ received resurrection life after suffering death. He is “alive for evermore” and has “the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:18). Paul wrote, “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him” (Romans 6:9). That is the fullest answer to Psalm 118:17. The Messiah lives beyond the reach of death.
This living is not survival only, but appointed life for divine purpose. The LORD does not preserve His servant so he may live unto himself. David’s life was spared so he could praise, testify, rule, and serve. Christ’s resurrection life is for His glory, His reign, His intercession, His church, and the final subduing of every enemy. He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25). He lives as Priest, King, Saviour, and Judge.
“And declare.” Here is the great use of the mouth in this verse. Life preserved must become truth declared. The psalmist does not say, I shall not die, but live, and enjoy myself; or live, and boast in my escape; or live, and forget the LORD. He says he will declare. God’s deliverance opens the mouth for testimony. This agrees with the repeated lesson of the Psalms: “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so” (Psalm 107:2); “I believed, therefore have I spoken” (Psalm 116:10); “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16); “My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long” (Psalm 35:28).
The word “declare” is stronger than private feeling. It means to tell, publish, make known, and bear witness. The works of God deserve open confession. Silence after mercy is not fitting. If God preserves a man from death, delivers him from enemies, restores his soul, forgives his sin, orders his steps, or raises him from despair, he should declare it. A spared life should have a speaking tongue.
This declaration also has a proper subject. He will not chiefly declare his courage, wisdom, suffering, worthiness, or perseverance. He will declare “the works of the LORD.” The speech is God-centered. The righteous man knows who has acted. The LORD helped him (v.13). The right hand of the LORD did valiantly (vv.15-16). The LORD chastened him sore, but did not give him over unto death (v.18). Therefore, the testimony belongs to Jehovah.
“The works.” These are God’s acts in power, mercy, judgment, deliverance, chastening, salvation, and exaltation. In Psalm 118, the works include deliverance from enemies, preservation under chastening, the rejected stone made the head stone of the corner, and the day the LORD made (vv.10-24). In Christ, the works rise to their highest glory: incarnation, obedience, suffering, death, resurrection, exaltation, and kingdom. These are not the works of man’s will, but the works of Jehovah.
“Of the LORD.” LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah. The works declared are His works. He gets the glory. Men rejected the stone, but the LORD made it the head stone of the corner (v.22). Men crucified Christ by wicked hands, but God raised Him up (Acts 2:23-24). Men meant death and defeat, but God wrought salvation and triumph. The mouth of the righteous must keep the glory where it belongs.
This verse rebukes wasted speech. God gives life, and men use the tongue for vanity. God delivers, and men return to murmuring. God preserves from death, and men fill their days with self, complaints, slander, jesting, and earthly trifles. Psalm 118:17 gives a better rule. If I live, I must declare. If God has spared me, my words are owed to Him. The tongue preserved in the land of the living should speak of the living God.
It also rebukes silent gratitude. Some are thankful in thought but rarely declare the works of the LORD. Yet the psalmist resolves to speak. Thanksgiving should be heard. Praise should be uttered. Mercy should be told. Paul commanded, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). A redeemed and preserved man should not need the world to draw words out of him; the works of the LORD should fill his testimony.
There is comfort here for afflicted saints. The LORD may chasten sore and yet not give over unto death (v.18). He may let enemies compass about and yet cut them off (vv.10-12). He may bring His servant near the grave and yet appoint him further work. Until God’s purpose is finished, no enemy can end the life He preserves. Therefore, the afflicted believer may say, not presumptuously, but dependently, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.”
Christ gives the fullest certainty to this hope. Because He lives, His people shall live also (John 14:19). Because death could not hold Him, it shall not finally hold those given to Him. He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). The believer’s final hope is not merely recovery from sickness or escape from earthly enemies, but resurrection unto glory by Jesus Christ. Then the redeemed shall declare the works of the LORD without sin, weariness, fear, or interruption.
Psalm 118:17 therefore gives a holy purpose for life. Life is not ours to spend in silence or vanity. The LORD preserves, delivers, chastens, raises, and saves so His works may be declared. Let the wicked use their mouths for lies and malice; let the redeemed use theirs for testimony. Let the saint say with David, and in the light of the risen Christ, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.”