Psalms 55 Hell?

[Searching_For_The_Truth]

I am wondering if the following verse implies that Sheol and Hell are the same thing.


Psalms 55:15
KJV
Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.


Let death come deceitfully upon them; Let them go down alive to Sheol, For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.
- New American Standard Version (1995)

Let the hand of death come on them suddenly, and let them go down living into the underworld; because evil is in their houses and in their hearts.
- Basic English Bible

Many other translations for the verse can be found in http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Psalms-55-15/

I thought that Sheol was supposed to be the grave. Then how can people go to the grave alive? Unless Sheol is meant to be Hell. I would appreciate your feedback

God Bless

[Seth]

Wouldn't it stink for death to come upon you so suddenly as to throw you into the grave and be buried alive?

[jabcat]

Many, perhaps even most Christian Universalists believe there is a place for corrective punishment after death.  Sheol means "the unseen state, the realm of the dead".  "Hell" is from an old English word, hel, which means covered over [hidden].  It's just that this place is not seen as eternal, it's seen as lasting for an age, until its purposes have been accomplished - every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus is Lord.  Also, re: the specific scripture.  It seems possible David was praying that his enemies be punished by sent to this underworld/unseen place while alive, as said, quickly and without preparation?  Blessings.

[Lazarus Short]

In the books of Moses, there is at least one instance of people being punished by God by the ground opening, and the people falling alive into the opening, to die under the ground.  I think the Psalmist meant it that way.

[saintwalee]

SFTT Quote: "I am wondering if the following verse implies that Sheol and Hell are the same thing.
Psalms 55:15
KJV
Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them."

I think another point of view is to look at the body as a grave:

Mat 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

Luk_9:60  Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

"For wickedness is in their dwelling". Wouldn't this be the condition of the unrighteous, that wickedness dwells inside them?

The Youtube video halleluhah in hell describes this condition :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F27jxwHDrzM

[eaglesway]

Hell is a word that was applied to Sheol by men who were coerced to enforce a false doctrine with a deceitful translation. Any tru scholars among them were overuled by the professional clerics among them. If there is a hell(fiery torment, demons toruring and being tortured, infants women and children in torment forever) Moses or David or Isaiah would have said SOMETHING about it IN DETAIL- but no prophet of the old testament ever did, . :Chinscratch:

www.hell-is-a-myth.webs.com

[jabcat]

 :thumbsup:  Agreed.  No one in the OT warned about it as a consequence of sin, God didn't use it to warn Adam and Eve, and Paul never did (who said he preached the WHOLE gospel).  I think it's impossible that ET could be an option if not ever warned about throughout the whole OT.   :2c:

[Seth]

 :iagree:

[gregoryfl]

In the books of Moses, there is at least one instance of people being punished by God by the ground opening, and the people falling alive into the opening, to die under the ground.  I think the Psalmist meant it that way.

I would see it the same way. The word 'quick' in the AV does not mean what it means today. It meant 'alive' back then, such as in another more familiar scripture which speaks of God 'quickening the dead.'

Sheol and the grave are not the same. Sheol is שאול which comes from the root שאל, which means 'to ask'. Sheol is a place that asks, or requests those who end up in it.  It was considered in those days to be beneath the earth, and since only the dead went there, it was an unseen and unknown place. Grave in Hebrew is קבורה comes from the root קבר, which means 'to heap over'. A grave is literally a heaped over place, where you dig a hole, put the body in it, and heap the dirt on top.

[marie glen]

..the state of sleeping in death? that would be my thought.. :smile:

[eaglesway]

Gregoryfl -Quote........"It was considered in those days to be beneath the earth, and since only the dead went there,"


Sounds a lot like the grave. :o)

IMO, Sheol is often used as a euphemism for "the grave", speaking cryptically of death.

[Seth]

..the state of sleeping in death? that would be my thought.. :smile:

I would agree. Words are not always concrete in the way they are used. Sheol can mean something different from the grave but also can be used interchangeably. For example, in the news you see how it often says "The White House claims that all their hard drives have suddenly crashed and nobody knows how it happened." The White House didn't literally claim that but the term is used interchangeably for "The President" or his spokespeople. Same thing can happen with Sheol and the grave.

[marie glen]

    :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:

[gregoryfl]

Of course. I give up. Farewell everyone.

[Searching_For_The_Truth]

:thumbsup:  Agreed.  No one in the OT warned about it as a consequence of sin, God didn't use it to warn Adam and Eve, and Paul never did (who said he preached the WHOLE gospel).  I think it's impossible that ET could be an option if not ever warned about throughout the whole OT.   :2c:

I completely agree. However, some Mainstream Christians argue that Hell was created for the devil and his angels around the time when Lord Jesus was resurrected and it is the ultimate destination of all who don't accept Lord Jesus in this lifetime. Some of them also believe that Abraham's Bosom was the original Heaven before Lord Jesus came along while the original Hell was the grave/sheol. In other words, many believe Hell didn't exist in the OT but it appeared in the NT

[eaglesway]

On what scriptures would they base such a belief? Or do we just make it up as we go along? :o)

[Searching_For_The_Truth]

On what scriptures would they base such a belief? Or do we just make it up as we go along? :o)

I think a lot of it is pure speculation on their part unless there is something they know that we don't. However, as for Abraham's Bosom representing Heaven, the Catholic Duay Rhames Bible states that on the footnotes of the Lazarus and the Rich Man Parable. But if Abraham's Bosom truly was Heaven before Lord Jesus came along then what about those from before Abraham? I heard there is a youtube video called three Heavens which explains that. However, I never bothered to watch it because I mainly think it's based more on speculation than scripture.

[marie glen]

I LOVE scripture!! Not very fond of speculation!  :smile: If they can't give the verses.. forget it! ..not interested in handed down speculation no matter how deeply lodged or widely accepted..

[micah7:9]

 :nod:

[Seth]

Some of them also believe that Abraham's Bosom was the original Heaven before Lord Jesus came along while the original Hell was the grave/sheol.

I agree with Marie Glen, why accept speculation? There are plenty of scriptures which detail both WHY and HOW belief in Jesus Christ gives all believers a direct line to becoming the seed (children) of Abraham by virtue of faith in Christ. Why wouldn't the parable be referencing that, rather than some speculative pre-Heaven?

[micah7:9]

Psalm 139:7-8 Whither could I |go from Your spirit,
And whither could I run |away from Your presence?

8 If I should climb to the heavens, You are there,
And should I make my berth in the unseen,
behold, You are there.

[Searching_For_The_Truth]

I agree with Marie Glen, why accept speculation? There are plenty of scriptures which detail both WHY and HOW belief in Jesus Christ gives all believers a direct line to becoming the seed (children) of Abraham by virtue of faith in Christ. Why wouldn't the parable be referencing that, rather than some speculative pre-Heaven?

I also agree that we should be wary of speculation unless it is backed by scripture. However, I am curious whether people at the time thought they would go to Abraham's Bosom when they die. As for the parable of Lazarus and the Rich man, this Tentmaker article has a great explanation for it

http://tentmaker.org/articles/Lazarus-byHuie.htm

[saintwalee]

Looking at Psalm 55, there is a bit more to consider who the enemy is that the Pslamist is speaking of:

Psa 55:12  For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
Psa 55:13  But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
Psa 55:14  We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.
Psa 55:15  Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
Psa 55:16  As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

I believe David is speaking of the enemies within him, it is his own unrighteousness that he desires to go to the grave.

[micah7:9]

Looking at Psalm 55, there is a bit more to consider who the enemy is that the Pslamist is speaking of:

Psa 55:12  For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
Psa 55:13  But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
Psa 55:14  We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.
Psa 55:15  Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
Psa 55:16  As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

I believe David is speaking of the enemies within him, it is his own unrighteousness that he desires to go to the grave.

Excellent  :iagree:

[eaglesway]

I disagree. Remember what David said to Solomom just before he died? "Let not his white head go down to the grave in peice" ;o)

David lived in another age, an age that we find difficult to understand. In some ways, he was a hard man, with faults like all of us. But he called upn the Lord to chastise his enemies, and I think he was speaking in the prophetic spirit of Christ concernng Judas as well. Did Judas hang himself without the hand of God making him do it?

We can't hav it both ways, if God controls everything, IMO, He fulfilled Psalm 55 as it regarded Christ in the suicide of Judas.