From Newsgroup: alt.bible

Satan's Witnesses point to Psalm 146:3-4 as an anchor for the doctrine
of soul sleep or total annihilation. They argue that if a manrCOs
"thoughts perish" the moment his breath departs, he must necessarily
cease to have any conscious existence. However, a closer look at the
Hebrew grammar and the surrounding context reveals that this passage
isn't a treatise on the nature of the soul, but a practical warning
against trusting in the fleeting power of human rulers. When a prince
dies, it is his earthly agendarConot his conscious beingrCothat comes to an abrupt end.

Grammar

To begin, "estonet" can mean "plans" or "thoughts".

rCLPut not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that
very day his plans perish.rCY (Psalm 146:3rCo4, ESV)

rCLDonrCOt put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all
their plans die with them.rCY (Psalm 146:3rCo4, NLT)

rCLPut not confidence in nobles, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that
very day his purposes perish.rCY (Psalm 146:3rCo4, DARBY)

rCLPut not your trust in princes, Nor in the son of man, in whom there is
no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; In that very
day his thoughts perish.rCY (Psalm 146:3rCo4, KJV 1900)

Conclusion: "estonet" can be understood to mean "plans", "purposes" or "thoughts". We are not contractually obligated to interpret Psalm
146:3-4 is meaning that when men die, their spirit and conscious
existence ceases to exist. It may refer to their earthly plans and their ability to carry them out.

Next, the word "perish" (avad) does not necessitate cessation of
existence. It can carry mean to be lost or go astray.

In the Hebrew Bible, the verb +E+++a+++o (avad) is frequently translated as "perish," "destroy," or "lose." However, its primary concrete meaning
often denotes a change of state, location, or functionrCosuch as
wandering, being scattered, or losing operational purposerCorather than annihilation or ceasing to exist.

And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost [avedu]. And Kish said to
Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek
the asses (1 Samuel 9:3, KJV).

I have gone astray like a lost [oved] sheep; seek thy servant; for I do
not forget thy commandments (Psalm 119:176, KJV).

My people hath been lost [ovedot] sheep: their shepherds have caused
them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they
have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace (Jeremiah 50:6, KJV).

The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which
was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have
ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that
which was lost [ha-ovedet]; but with force and with cruelty have ye
ruled them (Ezekiel 34:4, KJV).

A time to get, and a time to lose [le-abbed]; a time to keep, and a time
to cast away (Ecclesiastes 3:6, KJV).

Based on the lexical usage of avad in the Hebrew Bible, the claim that
Psalm 146:4 necessitates total non-existence or the permanent cessation
of conscious thought relies on an incomplete definition of the verb. In
Psalm 146:4, the text states that when a man dies, "in that very day his thoughts perish." The word used here for perish is a form of avad. As demonstrated in the preceding examples, avad routinely denotes a state
of being lost, scattered, misplaced, or rendered non-functional relative
to its original purpose, rather than necessitating cessation of
conscious existence.

Context

What is Psalm 146:3-4 talking about? It's ultimately telling people not
to put their trust in princes. That's the message. It's explaining why
you should not trust in them. But why would someone trust in a prince?
Would you trust a politician simply because he has conscious thoughts?
That's not very convincing. Or would it be you trust them because they
offer plans to save you? That sounds more reasonable. The context favors
the understanding that people would trust them because they have plans
or purposes (Darby) to save you.

Conclusion

The grammar allows and the context only makes sense if Psalm 146:3-4
teaches men's earthly "plans" and "purposes" (their ability to save you)
is what perishes when they die. It does not necessitate the
understanding that their spirit and conscious existence ceases to exist.
Such an interpretation contradicts clear New Testament revelation (e.g. Matthew 10:28).
--
Good News rCa

Through the cross, Christ erased the spiritual debt we owed to God for
our rebellion (Colossians 2:14), a reality established when God raised
Him from the dead (Romans 1:4). God can now righteously pardon our sins (Romans 3:26) and exempt us from the coming divine judgment (1
Thessalonians 1:10). Salvation cannot be earned; it is a free gift for believers (Romans 6:23). Trust in Jesus and invoke His name to be saved (Romans 10:9-13):

How to be saved: christrose.news/salvation
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