The Meaning of Psalms 56:13 Explained

Psalms 56:13

KJV: For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

YLT: For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, Dost Thou not my feet from falling? To walk habitually before God in the light of the living!

Darby: For thou hast delivered my soul from death; wilt thou not keep my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

ASV: For thou hast delivered my soul from death: Hast thou not delivered my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For thou hast delivered  my soul  from death:  [wilt] not [thou deliver] my feet  from falling,  that I may walk  before  God  in the light  of the living? 

What does Psalms 56:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 56:1-13 - "what Can Man Do Unto Me?"
This psalm was composed under the same circumstances as Psalms 34:1-22. See 1 Samuel 21:1-15. What a strange medley is here shown-David feigning madness and composing psalms! Commenting on Psalms 56:3, one says that Isaiah's resolve is still better: "I will trust and not be afraid," Isaiah 12:2. Note, the magnificent refrain at the close of each of the first two strophes, Psalms 56:4; Psalms 56:10. The psalmist asks: "What can flesh do?" "Nothing," is the Apostle Paul's emphatic answer. Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers can hurt a man who makes God his stronghold, Romans 8:31.
Let us use the last verse for our life-prayer. Live as one on whom God's vows rest. Thank Him that by His Cross and Passion He has delivered thy soul from death. Could He have done so much at such cost, and then fail? Surely He must deliver our feet from falling, Psalms 116:8, or all the past will have been in vain. Whenever the shadows gather, and past sins threaten, and the enemies of your soul seek to overthrow, plead this prayer: Thou hast"¦ wilt not Thou? [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 56

1  David, praying to God in confidence of his word, complains of his enemies,
9  He professes his confidence in God's word, and promises to praise him

What do the individual words in Psalms 56:13 mean?

For You have delivered my soul from death [Have not [You kept] my feet from falling that I may walk before God in the light of the living
כִּ֤י הִצַּ֪לְתָּ נַפְשִׁ֡י מִמָּוֶת֮ הֲלֹ֥א רַגְלַ֗י מִ֫דֶּ֥חִי לְ֭הִֽתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּ֝א֗וֹר הַֽחַיִּֽים

הִצַּ֪לְתָּ  You  have  delivered 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
נַפְשִׁ֡י  my  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
מִמָּוֶת֮  from  death 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
הֲלֹ֥א  [Have  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
רַגְלַ֗י  [You  kept]  my  feet 
Parse: Noun, fdc, first person common singular
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
מִ֫דֶּ֥חִי  from  falling 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דְּחִי  
Sense: a stumbling, falling.
לְ֭הִֽתְהַלֵּךְ  that  I  may  walk 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hitpael, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֱלֹהִ֑ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּ֝א֗וֹר  in  the  light 
Parse: Preposition, Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֹור  
Sense: light.
הַֽחַיִּֽים  of  the  living 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.