Isaiah 38:18 “For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend…”

Isaiah 38:18

For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

World English Bible

For Sheol can’t praise you. Death can’t celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth.

American Standard Version

For Sheol cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

Geneva Bible 1599

For the graue cannot confesse thee: death cannot praise thee: they that goe downe into the pit, cannot hope for thy trueth.

Darby Translation

For not Sheol shall praise thee, nor death celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit do not hope for thy truth.

Young's Literal Translation

For Sheol doth not confess Thee, Death doth not praise Thee, Those going down to the pit hope not for Thy truth.

Bible in Basic English

For the underworld is not able to give you praise, death gives you no honour: for those who go down into the underworld there is no hope in your mercy.

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Cross references

“the grave”

Ecclesiastes 9:10 Psalm 6:5 Psalm 30:9 Psalm 88:11 Psalm 115:17 Psalm 115:18

Ecclesiastes 9:10 · BSB

Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

Psalm 6:5 · BSB

For there is no mention of You in death; who can praise You from Sheol?

Psalm 30:9 · BSB

“What gain is there in my bloodshed, in my descent to the Pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?

Psalm 88:11 · BSB

Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon ?

Psalm 115:17 · BSB

It is not the dead who praise the LORD, nor any who descend into silence.

Psalm 115:18 · BSB

But it is we who will bless the LORD, both now and forevermore. Hallelujah!

“they that”

Numbers 16:33 Proverbs 14:32 Matthew 8:12 Matthew 25:46 Luke 16:26–31

Numbers 16:33 · BSB

They went down alive into Sheol with all they owned. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.

Proverbs 14:32 · BSB

The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin, but the righteous man has a refuge even in death.

Matthew 8:12 · BSB

But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 25:46 · BSB

And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Luke 16:26–31 · BSB

And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’

Also

Psalm 88:10–11

Psalm 88:10–11 · BSB

Do You work wonders for the dead? Do departed spirits rise up to praise You? Selah

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

17Surely for my own welfare I had such great anguish; but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

19The living, only the living, can thank You, as I do today; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness.

Read Isaiah 38