View source for The Syntax and Meaning of Ps 49:16

=Introduction=

The MT of Ps 49:16 reads as follows:<ref>The Hebrew text comes from [https://hb.openscriptures.org/read/ OSHB].</ref> 

אַךְ־אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִפְדֶּ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִֽיַּד־שְׁא֑וֹל כִּ֖י יִקָּחֵ֣נִי סֶֽלָה׃

This verse deals with the posthumous fate of the righteous speaker in contrast to the lot of the foolish, self-reliant rich, and is variously represented among modern translations. For example: 

* But God will redeem my soul '''from the power of Sheol''', '''For''' He will receive me. Selah (NASB)
* But God will rescue me; he will save me '''from the power of death'''. (GNT)
* But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will '''surely''' take me to himself. (NIV) 
* God will ransom my soul from the hand of Sheol '''when''' he shall take me. Selah (JUB)

These translations indicate that there are two main difficulties in the interpretation of v. 16.

#One difficulty is related to the line division and syntax of v. 16. Should the prepositional phrase "from the power of Sheol" (מִיַּד שְׁאוֹל) be grouped with the preceding clause/line or with the following? The MT places the major disjunctive accent ''atnach'' on the word "Sheol," thereby grouping "from the power of Sheol" (מִיַּד שְׁאוֹל) with the preceding clause/line. Some modern translations follow this punctuation. For example, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me" (NASB). Other interpreters, however, group "from the power of Sheol" (מִיַּד שְׁאוֹל) with the following clause/line, rendering this verse as, "But God will ransom me, from the power of Sheol will he surely snatch me".<ref>Dahood 1966, 301.</ref> The latter reading indicates that the psalm presupposes the idea of "assumption" (cf. Gen 5:24; 2 Kgs 2:3, 5, 9, 10).  
#Another challenging point is the function of כִּי in v. 16b. Some read it as "for/because", thus subordinating v. 16b to v. 16a, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me" (NKJV). Some take it temporally, i.e., as "when" (e.g., JUB; WYC; etc.). Yet others take כִּי as the emphatic "surely," rendering the verse as, "But God will save me from the place of the dead. He will certainly take me to himself" (NIRV).

=Argument Maps=
==Line Division of v. 16==
==="...Sheol" belongs with first clause===
Some modern translations group the phrase "from the power of Sheol" with the first line/clause. For example, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me" (NASB; cf. NIV; NET; ESV; JPS 1985; NRSV; WYC; Luther 2017; NGÜ; ELB; EÜ; RVR95; NVI; BTX4; DHH; NBS; S21; PDV; BDS; NVSR; NRT; RST; UKR; BULG; etc.).
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seeing v. 16a as a case of "enjambment", a device, whereby a poetic thought spills over across two or more lines without a pause.<ref>Raabe 1990, 81.</ref>
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[Belongs with first clause]: The phrase "from the power of Sheol" belongs with the first line/clause of the verse: "But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol" (NASB).#dispreferred
 + <Ancient Witnesses>: Some ancient witnesses support the reading of כִּי as temporal, which would support the MT's atnach after "Sheol."#dispreferred 
  + [LXX]: “On the other hand, God will ransom my soul from Hades’ hand, when/όταν he receives me. Interlude on strings” (NETS).#dispreferred
  + [Vulg.]: The Vulg. uses cum/when/since/while.#dispreferred
 + <External Evidence>: In the Hebrew Bible, the phrase "the power of Sheol" is used in conjunction with the verb "to redeem"/פדה. #dispreferred
  + [Hos 13:14a]: "I will ransom them from the power of the grave/מִיַּ֤ד שְׁאֹול֙ אֶפְדֵּ֔ם..." #dispreferred
    <_<Hos 13:14>: Hos 13:14 places a prepositional phrase ("from Sheol" and "from death") before each predicate: מִיַּ֤ד שְׁאֹול֙ אֶפְדֵּ֔ם מִמָּ֖וֶת אֶגְאָלֵ֑ם 
 + <The MT's Punctuation>: The MT places the major disjunctive accent atnach after "Sheol."#dispreferred
  + [Ps 49:16 (MT)]: אַךְ־אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִפְדֶּ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִֽיַּד־שְׁאֹ֑ול כִּ֖י יִקָּחֵ֣נִי סֶֽלָה׃.#dispreferred
 - <Imbalance>:
</argdown>
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  + [Enjambment]: MT uses a literary device, whereby a poetic thought spills over across two or more lines without a pause (Raabe 1990, 81 :M:).#dispreferred
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==="...Sheol" belongs with second clause (preferred)===
Some scholars and translations group the phrase "from the power of Sheol" with the second line/clause. For example, Dahood renders this verse as "But God will ransom me, from the power of Sheol will he surely snatch me" (cf. NLT; GNT; CEV; NEB/REB; etc.).<ref>Dahood 1966, 301. He explains the significance of this punctuation and the link of  מִֽיַּד־שְׁא֑וֹל to כִּ֖י יִקָּחֵ֣נִי as follows, "The  correct  stichometric  division  is  owed to  the  Ugaritic  specialists,  who  identified  in  ''ki  yiqqaheni'' the  emphasizing  particle  ''ki''  which  often  causes  the  postposition  of  the  verb.  Thus  in his  Ugaritic  Grammar  (Rome,  1940),  p.  54,  C.  H.  Gordon  listed  the present  passage  among  those  exhibiting  the  syntactic  phenomenon  placed in  such  clear  light  by,  e.g.,  UT,  62:1:14-15,  ''lktp  ‘nt  ktsth'',  'Upon  the shoulders  of  Anath  she  surely  puts  him.'" Ibid., 301.</ref> With such division, כִּי in v. 16b would be taken as having an asseverative role, which is well established in Biblical Hebrew<ref> See Muraoka 1985, 158–64; JM §164, 165a, e; IBHS §39.3.4e.</ref> and is widely accepted for Ps 49:16.<ref>Dobbs-Allsopp 2015, 343, 521.</ref>  
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[Belongs with second clause]: The phrase "from the power of Sheol" belongs with the second clause/line of the verse: "from the power of Sheol will he surely snatch me" (Dahood 1966, 301 :C:). 
 + <Ancient Versions>: Some ancient witnesses group the phrase "from the power of Sheol" with the second line of the verse.
  + [LXX]: 
  + [Peshitta]: ܐܠܗܐ ܢܦܪܩܝܗܿ ܠܢܦܫܝ ܘܡܢ ܐܝܕܐ ܕܫܝܘܠ ܢܣܩܢܝ܂/"God will save me; he will bring me up from the power of Sheol" (Taylor 2020).   
 + <Biblical Usage of "To Take">: In the Hebrew Bible, in death-related contexts, the verb לקח represents a divinely-assisted transition to the afterlife.
  + [Biblical Usage]: Gen 5:24; 2 Kings 2:3, 5, 9 (cf. Sirach 13:15, 48:9); Ps 73:24.
 + <Ugaritic Usage>: In Ugaritic texts, the verb lqh appears in a similar death-related context (Dahood 1966, 301-302 :C:).
  + [UT, 2059:21-22]: “And I snatched/lqht all of them from the hand(s) of the Master of Death (= Mot)” (Dahood 1966, 301-302 :C:).
 + <Syntax>: Clause initial אַךְ in v. 16a and מִֽיַּד־שְׁא֑וֹל in v. 16b are emphatic.
 + <Balance>:
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<!--
 + <Asseverative Use of כִּי>: The particle may have an asseverative-emphatic use, "emphasizing purpose when directly fixed to the predicate, and that almost exclusively in poetic context” (Muraoka 1985, 158–64 :M:; JM §164, 165a, e :G:; IBHS §39.3.4e :G:).
  + [Asseverative כִּי]: Gen 22:17; Deut 2:7; 1 Sam 26:16; Isa 1:27, 29–30; 7:15–16; Jer 22:5, 24; 31:18–19;
Amos 4:2; 77:12; Lam 3:22 (Dobbs-Allsopp 2015, 343 :M:; Muilenburg 1961, 143 :A:; Dahood 1966, 301-302 :C:).
  + [Emphatic/Asseverative כִּי]: It is widely accepted for Ps 49:16 (Dobbs-Allsopp 2015, 343 :M:; Muilenburg 1961, 143 :A:; Dahood 1966, 301-302 :C:; Krause 1988, 480 :C:).
-->

==The Meaning and Function of כִּי==

===Causal ("because")===
Some modern translations read the conjunction כִּי as a causal conjunction ("for" or "because"). For example, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me" (NKJV; cf. ESV; JPS 1985; NRSV; RVR95; BTX4; NBS; BDS; UKR; BULG; etc.). 
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[Causal]: The כִּי in v. 16 is a causal conjunction: "For He shall receive me" (NKJV).#dispreferred
 + <Causal כִּי in Biblical Hebrew>: The particle כִּי very often acts as a causal conjunction (HALOT, 470 :L:).#dispreferred
  + [Causal כִּי in Biblical Hebrew]: #dispreferred
 + <Context>: Interpreting the כִּי as a causal conjunction makes sense contextually. #dispreferred
  + [Ps 49:16]: "But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for He shall receive me" (NKJV; cf. ESV; JPS 1985; NRSV; RVR95; BTX4; NBS; BDS; UKR; BULG; etc.).#dispreferred
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  + [Asseverative Use of כִּי]: Gen 22:17; Deut 2:7; 1 Sam 26:16; Isa 1:27, 29–30; 7:15–16; Jer 22:5, 24; 31:18–19;
Amos 4:2; 77:12; Lam 3:22 (Dobbs-Allsopp 2015, 343 :M:; Muilenburg 1961, 143 :A:; Dahood 1966, 301-302 :C:).
 - <Asseverative כִּי>: It is widely accepted for Ps 49:16 (Dobbs-Allsopp 2015, 343 :M:; Muilenburg 1961, 143 :A:; Dahood 1966, 301-302 :C:; Krause 1988, 480 :C:).
 - <The Placement of כִּי>: For the emphasizing purpose, in poetic texts, the particle can be directly fixed to the predicate (e.g., Ps 77:12; Isa 32:13) (Muraoka 1985, 163 :M:). 
  + [Ps 128:2a]: "You will surely eat what your hands have worked for/יְגִ֣יעַ כַּ֭פֶּיךָ כִּ֣י תֹאכֵ֑ל..." (HCSB; cf. CSB; Krause 1988, 480 :C:; vad der Lugt 2007, 70 :M:).
 - <Syntax>: Clause initial אַךְ in v. 16a and מִֽיַּד־שְׁא֑וֹל in v. 16b are emphatic.
-->

===Temporal ("when")===
Some modern translations read כִּי as a temporal conjunction ("when"). For example, WYC renders v. 16 as "Nevertheless God shall again-buy my soul from the power of hell; when he shall take me" (cf. JUB; NRT; RST; etc.). 
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[Temporal]: The כִּי in v. 16 is a temporal conjunction: "when he shall take me" (WYC).#dispreferred
 + <Temporal כִּי in Biblical Hebrew>: The particle כִּי may be used temporally (JM §166o :G:).#dispreferred
  + [Temporal כִּי in Biblical Hebrew]: #dispreferred
 + <Context>: The interpretation of כִּי as a temporal conjunction makes sense in the context.#dispreferred
  + [Ps 49:16]: "Nevertheless God shall again-buy my soul from the power of hell; when he shall take me" (cf. JUB; NRT; RST; etc.).#dispreferred
 + <Ancient Versions>: Some of the ancient versions interpreted the כִּי as a temporal conjunction ("when").#dispreferred
  + [LXX]: "...when (ὅταν) he receives me" (NETS). #dispreferred
  + [Jerome (Hebr.)]: ...when (cum) he receives me." #dispreferred
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 - <Other Uses of כִּי in Biblical Hebrew>: The particle may have a asseverative-emphatic use; "it may be used for the emphasizing purpose when directly fixed to the predicate, and that almost exclusively in poetic context.” (Muraoka 1985, 158–64 :M:; JM §164, 165a, e :G:; IBHS §39.3.4e :G:).
  + [Asseverative Use of כִּי]: Gen 22:17; Deut 2:7; 1 Sam 26:16; Isa 1:27, 29–30; 7:15–16; Jer 22:5, 24; 31:18–19;
Amos 4:2; 77:12; Lam 3:22 (Dobbs-Allsopp 2015, 343 :M:; Muilenburg 1961, 143 :A:; Dahood 1966, 301-302 :C:).
  + [Ps 128:2a]: "You will surely eat what your hands have worked for/יְגִ֣יעַ כַּ֭פֶּיךָ כִּ֣י תֹאכֵ֑ל..." (HCSB; cf. CSB; Krause 1984, 480 :C:; vad der Lugt 2007, 70 :M:).
-->

===Asseverative ("surely") (preferred)===
Others take כִּי as the emphatic "surely", rendering the verse as, "But God will save me from the place of the dead. He will certainly take me to himself" (NIRV; cf. NIV; NET; EÜ; S21; NFC; PDV; etc.). The asseverative כִּי has received much attention<ref> For bibliography, see Muraoka 1985, 158–64; JM §164, 165a, e; IBHS §39.3.4e.</ref> and is widely accepted for Ps 49:16.<ref>Cf. Muraoka’s discussion on the asseverative use of this particle כִּי: “The etymologically deducible original demonstrative force of the particle ''ki'' was still alive alongside its later specializations, and this demonstrative function is the source of its occasional asseverative-emphatic use... It is used particularly when it appears in oath formulas, and closely related to that in the apodosis of conditional sentences. Beyond these uses, it may be used for the emphasizing purpose when directly fixed to the predicate, and that almost exclusively in poetic context” (Muraoka 1985, 163). In all cases, emphasis is a consequence of contextual considerations (Dobbs-Allsopp 2015, 521).</ref>.  
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[Asseverative]: The כִּי in v. 16 is asseverative or emphatic: "surely...!" (e.g., NIRV).
 + <The Function of כִּי in Biblical Hebrew>: The particle כִּי may have an asseverative-emphatic use (Muraoka 1985, 158–64 :M:; JM §164, 165a, e :G:; IBHS §39.3.4e :G:).
  + [Asseverative Use of כִּי]: Gen 22:17; Deut 2:7; 1 Sam 26:16; Isa 1:27, 29–30; 7:15–16; Jer 22:5, 24; 31:18–19;
Amos 4:2; 77:12; Lam 3:22 (Dobbs-Allsopp 2015, 343 :M:; Muilenburg 1961, 143 :A:; Dahood 1966, 301-302 :C:).
 + <The Placement of כִּי>: For the emphasizing purpose, in poetic texts, the particle can be directly fixed to the verb (Muraoka 1985, 163 :M:). 
  + [Ps 128:2a]: "You will surely eat what your hands have worked for/יְגִ֣יעַ כַּ֭פֶּיךָ כִּ֣י תֹאכֵ֑ל..." (HCSB; cf. CSB; Krause 1988, 480 :C:; van der Lugt 2007, 70 :M:; see also Ps 77:12; Isa 32:13).
 + <Comparative Evidence>: In Ugaritic, this particle can also be used emphatically (Gordon 1940, 54 :G:).
  + [UT,  62:1:14-15]: "Upon  the shoulders  of  Anath  she  surely  puts  him"/''lktp  ‘nt  ktsth'' (Gordon 1940, 54 :G:).
 + <Syntax>: Clause initial אַךְ in v. 16a and מִֽיַּד־שְׁא֑וֹל in v. 16b are emphatic.
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=Conclusion (B)=

On balance, reading "from the power of Sheol" with v. 16b and כִּי as representing emphasis, e.g., "surely" is preferable. Such line division a.) makes most sense contextually; b.) has version support (''Syr''.);  c.) reflects the usage of לקח in death-related contexts in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Gen 5:24; 2 Kgs 2:3, 5, 9, 10) and in extrabiblical sources (UT, 2059:21-22); and d.) is well represented among modern translations. The asseverative use of כִּי/"surely" has good support from a.) internal and external biblical evidence; and b.) context. At this juncture in the psalm, the psalmist seems to be indicating that he will be like one of those privileged individuals whom God "took" from life—e.g., Enoch and Elijah (Gen 5:24; 2 Kgs 2:3, 5, 9, 10). "In light of broader OT usage, this 'taking' will be a rescuing from this-worldly trouble (cf. Ps. 18:16 [17]; Ezek. 36:24; 37:21), a rescuing from the threat of Sheol or from the way death can get its clutches on us in life (cf. 16:10; 18:5 [6]; 30:3 [4])."<ref>Goldingay 2007, 105-106. Cf. H.W. Wolff, who states: “The overcoming of death’s agony is not manifested in any elaborate hope of the beyond, but in the calm certainty that the communion with Yahweh cannot be ended by death, because of his faithfulness" (Wolff, ''Anthropology of the OT'' [1974], 109).</ref>

=Research=

==Translations==
===Ancient===
* LXX 
** πλὴν ὁ θεὸς λυτρώσεται τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου, ὅταν λαμβάνῃ με. διάψαλμα<ref>[https://archive.org/details/PsalmiCumOdis/page/n159/mode/2up?view=theater Rahlfs 1931].</ref>
*** On the other hand, God will ransom my soul from Hades’ hand, when he receives me. Interlude on strings. (NETS)
* Peshitta
** ܐܠܗܐ ܢܦܪܩܝܗܿ ܠܢܦܫܝ ܘܡܢ ܐܝܕܐ ܕܫܝܘܠ ܢܣܩܢܝ܂<ref>[https://cal.huc.edu/index.html CAL].</ref>
*** God will save me<ref>Translation note: "'me': lit. 'my soul'." (Taylor 2020, 191).</ref>; he will bring me up from the power<ref>Translation note: "'power': lit. 'hand'." (Taylor 2020, 191).</ref> of Sheol.<ref>Taylor 2020, 191.</ref>
* Jerome (Iuxta LXX)
** verumtamen Deus redimet animam meam de manu inferi cum acceperit me DIAPSALMA<ref>Footnote: "16 diapsalma ''om''. RHWc." Weber-Gryson 5th edition.</ref>
* Jerome (Iuxta Hebr)
** verumtamen Deus redimet animam meam de manu inferi cum adsumpserit me SEMPER<ref>Footnote: "16 semper ''om.'' I". Weber-Gryson 5th edition.</ref>
* Targum
**  אמר דוד ברוח נבואה ברם אלהא יפרוק נפשי מן דין גהנם ארום ילפינני אוריתיה לעלמין \/ודברינני לחולקיה לעלמא דאתי#1#/׃	<ref>[https://cal.huc.edu/index.html CAL].</ref>
***''David said through the spirit of prophecy''<ref> A note to see Introduction III.3 (Stec 2004, 103), which reads, "TgPss takes an interest in prophecy. In particular, the “spirit of prophecy” is a means of revelation associated with David (14:1; 49:16; 51:13,14; and probably also 22:27; 45:3), the sons of Korah (45:l[mss]; 46:1), Asaph (77:3; 79:1), and the prophets (68:34). Moreover, David is said to have sung a psalm in prophecy (18:1), to have spoken one in prophecy (103:1), and to have prophesied (49:17), and Solomon is said to have spoken in prophecy (72:1). Psalm 98 is described as a psalm of prophecy (98:1). The verb ''nb’'', “prophesy” is found five times in TgPss (107:4, 10, 17, 23, 33), but not at all in the MT of the Psalms. Moreover, whereas the Hebrew noun ''nby’'', “prophet” occurs only three times in the MT of the Psalter (51:2; 74:9; 105:15), its Aramaic equivalent is found an additional nine times in TgPss. As well as referring to prophets in general (18:17; 68:34; 74:9) or unnamed prophets (90:12; 110:7), TgPss also uses the word “prophet” in connection with particular prophets of the Bible: Moses (68:19; 90:1), Samuel (118:27), and Joel (107:33)" (Stec 2004, 5-6).</ref> “But God will redeem<ref>"Crn, with B M Pm P 110; C P17 + ''yty'', 'me.' This is perhaps an alternative translation to ''npšy'', 'my soul,' which has entered the text" (Stec 2004, 103).</ref> my soul from ''the judgment of Gehenna'',<ref>"MT 'the power {lit. hand} of Sheol'” (Stec 2004, 103).</ref> for he will ''teach me his Law''.” ''For ever''.<ref>  "Following 'his Law,' and in place of 'For ever,' M P110 read 'and he will lead me to his portion in the
world to come.'" (Stec 2004, 103).</ref>

===Modern===
===="...Sheol" with first clause====
* But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. (NIV)
* But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol; certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah) (NET)
* But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah (ESV)
* But God will redeem my life from the clutches of Sheol, for He will take me. Selah (JPS 1985)
* But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah (NRSV)
* Nevertheless God shall again-buy my soul from the power of hell; when he shall take me.<ref>(But God shall redeem my soul; and he shall take me away from the power of Sheol, or ''the power of death''.)</ref> (WYC)
* Aber Gott wird mich erlösen aus des Todes Gewalt; denn er nimmt mich auf. Sela (Luther 2017)
* Mich aber wird Gott erlösen und den Klauen des Todes entreißen, er wird mich zu sich holen und bei sich aufnehmen.<ref>Translation note: "Wörtlich: 'denn er wird mich wegnehmen' (od 'zu sich nehmen')."</ref> (NGÜ)
* Gott aber wird mein Leben <ref>Translation note: "o. meine Seele."</ref> erlösen von der Gewalt des Scheols; denn er wird mich aufnehmen<ref>Translation note: "o. er wird mich ⟨dem Scheol⟩ entreißen."</ref>. (ELB)
* Doch Gott wird mich auslösen aus der Gewalt der Unterwelt, ja, er nimmt mich auf. [Sela] (EÜ)
* Pero Dios redimirá mi vida del poder del seol, porque él me tomará consigo. Selah (RVR95)
* Pero Dios me rescatará de las garras de la muerte<ref>Translation note: "49:15 ''de la muerte.'' Lit. ''del Seol''."</ref> y con él me llevará. Selah (NVI)
* Pero Elohim redimirá mi alma de la mano del Seol, Porque me llevará consigo. Selah (BTX4)
* Pero Dios me salvará del poder de la muerte, pues me llevará con él. (DHH) 
* <ref>Footnote: "'''49:16.''' Cf. 30.4; 2S 4.9; Os 13.14.-''il me prendra'': 73.24n; Gn 5.24; 2R 2.3,5; Lc 16.22."</ref>Mais Dieu me libérera du séjour des morts, car il me prendra. Pause (NBS)
* Mais Dieu rachètera mon âme du séjour des morts, oui, il me prendra. – Pause. (S21)
* Mais Dieu rachètera ma vie au pouvoir de la mort, oui, il me délivrera. (PDV) 
* Mais Dieu me délivrera ╵du séjour des morts, car il me prendra. Pause (BDS)
* Mais Dieu libérera mon âme du séjour des morts, Car il me prendra<ref> Translation note: "''prendra.'' On pourrait traduire aussi: ''car il me prendra de la main du séjour des morts''."</ref>. Pause. (NVSR)
* Но мою жизнь<ref>Translation note: "Или: «душу»."</ref> искупит Бог от власти мира мертвых, когда примет меня к Себе. Пауза (NRT)
* Но Бог избавит душу мою от власти преисподней, когда примет меня. (RST)
* Та визволить Бог мою душу із влади шеолу, бо Він мене візьме! Села. (UKR)
* Но Бог ще изкупи душата ми от силата на преизподнята. Защото ще ме приеме. (Села) (BULG)

===="...Sheol" with second clause====
* But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude (NLT)
* But God will rescue me; he will save me from the power of death. (GNT)
* But God will rescue me from the power of death. (CEV)
* But God will ransom my life, he will take me from the power of Sheol. (NEB)
* But God will ransom my life and take me from the power of Sheol. [''Selah'' (REB)
* (But God shall redeem my soul; and he shall take me away from the power of Sheol, or ''the power of death''. (WYC)
* Ich bin gewiss: Gott wird mich erlösen, er wird mich den Klauen des Todes entreißen. (HFA)
* Mein Leben aber – Gott selbst kauft es frei; aus den Krallen des Todes reißt er mich heraus! (GNB)
* Gott aber wird mein Leben loskaufen, aus der Gewalt des Totenreichs nimmt er mich auf. Sela (ZÜR)
* Mais Dieu me délivrera ! Oui, il m'arrache aux griffes de la mort ! Pause (NFC)

===="Because"====
* But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah (ESV)
* But God will redeem my life from the clutches of Sheol, for He will take me. Selah (JPS 1985)
* But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah (NRSV)
* Pero Dios redimirá mi vida del poder del seol, porque él me tomará consigo. Selah (RVR95)
* Pero Elohim redimirá mi alma de la mano del Seol, Porque me llevará consigo. Selah (BTX4)
* Mais Dieu me libérera du séjour des morts, car il me prendra. Pause (NBS)
* Mais Dieu me délivrera ╵du séjour des morts, car il me prendra. Pause (BDS)
* Та визволить Бог мою душу із влади шеолу, бо Він мене візьме! Села. (UKR)
* Но Бог ще изкупи душата ми от силата на преизподнята. Защото ще ме приеме. (Села) (BULG)

===="When"====
* Surely God will ransom my soul from the hand of Sheol when he shall take me. Selah. (JUB)
* Nevertheless God shall again-buy my soul from the power of hell; when he shall take me.<ref>(But God shall redeem my soul; and he shall take me away from the power of Sheol, or ''the power of death''.)</ref> (WYC)
* Но мою жизнь<ref>Translation note: "Или: «душу»."</ref> искупит Бог от власти мира мертвых, когда примет меня к Себе. Пауза (NRT)
* Но Бог избавит душу мою от власти преисподней, когда примет меня. (RST)

===="Surely"====
* But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. (NIV)
* But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol; certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah) (NET)
* Doch Gott wird mich auslösen aus der Gewalt der Unterwelt, ja, er nimmt mich auf. [Sela] (EÜ)
* Mais Dieu rachètera mon âme du séjour des morts, oui, il me prendra. – Pause. (S21)
* Mais Dieu me délivrera ! Oui, il m'arrache aux griffes de la mort ! Pause (NFC)
* Mais Dieu rachètera ma vie au pouvoir de la mort, oui, il me délivrera. (PDV)

==Secondary Literature==
: Barthélemy, Dominique. 2005. ''Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament.'' vol. 4: Psaumes. Fribourg, Switzerland: Academic Press.
: Briggs, Charles Augustus and Emilie Grace Briggs. 1906. ''A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms.'' vol. 2. ICC. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.
: Clifford, Richard. 2002. ''Psalm 1-72''. Abingdon Old Testament commentaries Nashville, TN: Abington Press.
: Craigie, Peter C., and Marvin E. Tate. 1983. 2nd ed. ''Psalms 1–50''. vol. 19. WBC.  Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
: Dahood, Mitchell. 1966. ''Psalms.'' Vol. 1. Anchor Bible Commentary. New York: Doubleday.
: DeClaissé-Walford, Nancy, Rolf A. Jacobson, and Beth LaNeel Tanner. 2014. ''The Book of Psalms''. NICOT. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
: Delitzsch, Franz. 1883. ''Biblical Commentary on the Psalms.'' vol. 1. Translated by Eaton David. New York, NY: Funk and Wagnalls. 
: Dobbs-Allsopp, F. W. 2015. ''On Biblical Poetry''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 
: Ewald, Heinrich. 1866. ''Die Dichter des Alten Bundes.'' Göttingen : Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. 
: Fohrer, G. 1993. ''Psalmen.'' Berlin: De Gruyter.
: Goldingay, John. 2007. ''Psalms 42–89''. vol. 2. BCOT. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
: Goulder, Michael D. 1982. ''The Psalms of the Sons of Korah''. Sheffield: JSOT Press.
: Gross, H. 1972. “Self-oder Fremderlösung.” Pages 65–70 in ''Wort, Lied und Gottesspruch: Beiträge zu Psalmen und Propheten.''ed. J. Schreiner. (J. Ziegler FS). Würzburg: Echter. 
: Hengstenberg, Ernst Wilhelm. 1863. ''Commentary on the Psalms''. vol. 2. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.
: Hitzig, Ferdinand. 1863-1865. ''Die Psalmen'', 2 vols. Leipzig: C.F. Winter. 
: Kissane, Edward. 1953. ''The Book of Psalms''. vol. 1, Westminster, MD: The Newman Press.
: Koehler, Ludwig, Walter Baumgartner, and Johann J. Stamm. 2001. ''The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament.'' 2 vols. Translated and edited under the supervision of Mervyn E. J. Richardson. Leiden: Brill.
: Kraus, Hans-Joachim. 1972. ''Psalmen 1–63.'' BKT XV/1. Neukirchen-Vluyn:  Neukirchener Verlag.
: Muraoka, J. 1985. ''Emphatic Words and Structures in Biblical Hebrew.'' Leiden: Brill.
: Sundermeier, Th. 1993. “Erlösung oder Versöhnung: Religionsgeschichtliche Anstöße.” ''EvT'' 53: 124-146.
: Taylor, Richard A. trans., 2020. ''The Syriac Peshitta Bible with English Translation: Psalms.'' ed. by George A. Kiraz and Joseph Bali. The Antioch Bible/ṢṢurath Kthobh. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias.
: VanGemeren, Willem A. 1997. ''New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis.'' 5 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
: Volz, Paul. 1937. “Psalm 49.” ''ZAW'' 55: 235–64. 
: Weiser, Artur. 1962. ''The Psalms.'' OTL. Trans. by Herbert Hartwell. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press.
: Witte, Markus. 2000. "‘Aber Gott wird meine Seele erlösen.’: Tod und Leben nach Psalm XLIX.” ''VT'' 50: 540–60.

=References=

[[Category:Argument maps]]

[[Chapter::49]]:[[Verse::16]]