Psalm 144:4

4 Man is like to vanity: his days pass as a shadow.

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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

Psalm 144:4 In-Context

2 My mercy, and my refuge; my helper, and my deliverer; my protector, in whom I have trusted; who subdues my people under me.

3 Lord, what is man, that thou art made known to him? or the son of man, that thou takest account of him?

4 Man is like to vanity: his days pass as a shadow.

5 O Lord, bow thy heavens, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

6 Send lightning, and thou shalt scatter them: send forth thine arrows, and thou shalt discomfit them.