Psalms 78:39

37 Their hearts were disloyal to Him, and they were unfaithful to His covenant.

38 And yet He was compassionate; He forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them. He often restrained His anger and did not unleash His full wrath.

He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.

40 How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!

41 Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

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

Compare

BSB
He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.
KJV
For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
WEB
He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn’t come again.
ASV
And he remembered that they were but flesh, A wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
DARBY
And he remembered that they were flesh, a breath that passeth away and cometh not again.
BLB
And He remembered that they [were] flesh, a breath going by that does not return.
ÅB
Og han kom i hu at de var kjød, et åndepust som farer avsted og ikke kommer tilbake.
OTB
Så Han husket at de var bare kjød,
En forbigående vind som ikke vender tilbake.
B1930
Og han kom i hu at de var kjød, et åndepust som farer avsted og ikke kommer tilbake.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references