The Meaning of Psalms 27:13 Explained

Psalms 27:13

KJV: I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

YLT: I had not believed to look on the goodness of Jehovah In the land of the living!

Darby: Unless I had believed to see the goodness of Jehovah in the land of the living ...!

ASV: I had fainted , unless I had believed to see the goodness of Jehovah In the land of the living.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[I had fainted], unless  I had believed  to see  the goodness  of the LORD  in the land  of the living. 

What does Psalms 27:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 27:1-14 - The Song Of Fearless Trust In God
This psalm probably dates from the time when the exiled king, surrounded by unscrupulous foes, looked from his hiding-place beyond the Jordan to the Holy City, where the Ark abode. One thing he desired above all else. The "one thing" people are irresistible, Philippians 3:13-14.
Here we have assurance, Psalms 27:1-6. God's house for us is His presence. We may live day by day in the New Jerusalem, which needs no light of sun or candle. We are in it, though we know it not. Oh, that our eyes might be opened to see where we are! 2 Kings 6:20. How beautiful must God be, who has made the world so fair!
Next we have supplication, Psalms 27:7-14. The triumphant note changes to sadness. Did the writer look from his Redeemer to the winds and waves? But sometimes God seems to hide His face only to draw us to a point of trust and abandonment which otherwise the soul had never dared to adopt, Mark 7:28. The dearest may forsake, but the Lord gathers, Isaiah 40:11. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 27

1  David sustains his faith by prayer

What do the individual words in Psalms 27:13 mean?

[I would have lost heart] unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living
לׅׄוּלֵׅׄ֗אׅׄ‪‬ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־ יְהוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים

לׅׄוּלֵׅׄ֗אׅׄ‪‬  [I  would  have  lost  heart]  unless 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לוּלֵא  
Sense: unless, if not, except.
הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי  I  had  believed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.
לִרְא֥וֹת  that  I  would  see 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בְּֽטוּב־  the  goodness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: טוּב  
Sense: goods, good things, goodness.
יְהוָ֗ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
חַיִּֽים  of  the  living 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.