But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude
Parallel translations
- WEB But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah.
- KJV But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.
- BSB But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. Selah
- NKJV But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah
- NASB But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me. Selah
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
In contrast to the wealthy, the psalmist trusts that God will redeem his soul from the power of death and receive him. This is the believer's hope.
Overview
This is the psalm's turning point: what no riches could buy (vv. 7-9), God Himself freely gives—redemption from Sheol and reception into His presence. 'He will receive me' echoes language elsewhere associated with Enoch's being taken by God, hinting at life beyond death. The verse anticipates the resurrection and the redemption accomplished by Christ, who conquered the grave.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Ps 73:24You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
- Ps 56:13For you have delivered my soul from death, and prevented my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
- Ps 86:13For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.
- Ps 89:48What man is he who shall live and not see death, who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.
- Hos 13:14I will ransom them from the power of Sheol. I will redeem them from death! Death, where are your plagues? Sheol, where is your destruction? “Compassion will be hidden from my eyes.
- Rev 5:9They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,
- Ps 16:10–11For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.
- Gen 5:24Enoch walked with God, and he was not found, for God took him.
- Rev 14:13I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.”
- Ps 31:5Into your hand I commend my spirit. You redeem me, Yahweh, God of truth.
- Luke 23:46Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last.
- Acts 7:59They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
- John 14:3If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 49:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.