Psalm 144:4

4 Man is like a breath: his life is like a shade which is quickly gone.

Psalm 144:4 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 144:4

Man is like to vanity
Is vanity itself, in every age, state, and condition; yea, in his best estate, ( Psalms 39:5 ) ; or, "to the breath" ^F8 of the mouth, as Kimchi; which is gone as soon as seen almost: or, to a vapour ^F9; to which the life of man is compared, ( James 4:14 ) ; his days [are] as a shadow that passeth away;
as the former denotes the frailty and mortality of man, this the shortness of his duration; his days fleeing away, and of no more continuance than the shadow cast by the sun, which presently declines and is gone.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (lbhl) "halitui", Muis; so Kimchi.
F9 "Vapori", Cocceius; so the Syriac and Arabic versions

Psalm 144:4 In-Context

2 He is my strength, and my Rock; my high tower, and my saviour; my keeper and my hope: he gives me authority over my people.

3 Lord, what is man, that you keep him in mind? or the son of man that you take him into account?

4 Man is like a breath: his life is like a shade which is quickly gone.

5 Come down, O Lord, from your heavens: at your touch let the mountains give out smoke.

6 With your storm-flames send them in flight: send out your arrows for their destruction.