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Psalms 39:5

Death and lossWisdomContentment

3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,

4 LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.

Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

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Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah
KJV
Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
WEB
Behold, you have made my days hand widths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.” Selah.
ASV
Behold, thou hast made my days [as] handbreadths; And my life-time is as nothing before thee: Surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Selah
DARBY
Behold, thou hast made my days [as] hand-breadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before thee; verily, every man, [even] the high placed, is altogether vanity. Selah.
BLB
Behold, [as] handbreadths have made my days, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each one [is] a vapor, each man is stationary. Selah
ÅB
Se, som en håndsbredd har du satt dagene mine,
og livstiden min er som ingenting for deg;
bare tomhet er hvert menneske, hvor fast han enn står.»
Sela.
OTB
Se, Du har gjort mine dager så korte som håndsbredder,
Og mitt liv er som ingenting for Deg;
Sannelig, all menneskehet er bare et pust.
Sela
B1930
Se, som en håndsbredd har du satt mine dager, og min livstid er som intet for dig; visselig, bare tomhet er hvert menneske, hvor fast han enn står. Sela.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Psalms 144:4

    Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

    Read in context

  • Psalms 89:47

    Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

    Read in context

  • Psalms 62:9

    Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

    Read in context

  • Psalms 90:9–10

    For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

    Read in context

  • Ecclesiastes 2:11

    Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

    Read in context

  • Psalms 39:11

    When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.

    Read in context

  • James 4:14

    Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

    Read in context

  • Job 14:1–2

    Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

    Read in context