Psalm 144:4

4 Man is like a breath, his days are like a passing 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.

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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 my rock and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues the peoples under him.

3 O LORD, what is man that thou dost regard him, or the son of man that thou dost think of him?

4 Man is like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow.

5 Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains that they smoke!

6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them, send out thy arrows and rout them!