The Old Testament had no real doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, but in the spirituality of Israel, as we see it especially in the Psalms, there was a hope, even a fairly clear and firm conviction, that our life on earth must somehow continue beyond death. This is seen, for example, in many of the titles given to God, titles which affirm attributes of God in our regard. Thus, Psalm 18[17] lists many such titles: "my strength", "my rock", "my fortress", "my liberator", "my rock of refuge", "my shield", "the strength of my salvation". While many of these titles affirm that God is our protection against our enemies, they also imply that God is our protector against what Paul calls "the last enemy" (1Cor 15:26), namely death.

If death is pictured as a swamp into which we sink helplessly and hopelessly, nevertheless we shall not sink into death for ever: we shall touch firm ground, a rock, symbolizing the eternal salvation which God offers us in death. As God liberated Israel from Egypt in the Exodus, he will liberate us from death in the new Exodus, the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.