Psalm 39

Psalms · Chapter 39

Psalms 39:5

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
5Behold, 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.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. SelahBehold, 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

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
here!הִנֵּ֤הhi-NEHH2009
behold

הִנֵּה (hin.neh) behold, lo, see, if

handbreadthsטְפָח֨וֹת׀te-fa-CHOTH2947
handbreadth

טֶ֫פַח (te.phach) 1) span, width of the hand, hand breadth 1a) a unit of measurement, measurement of length 2) coping (an architectural term)

you have madeנָ֘תַ֤תָּהna-TA-tahH5414I
to give: give

נָתַן (na.tan) : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted …

days myיָמַ֗יya-MAIH3117G
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

and lifespan myוְחֶלְדִּ֣יve-chel-DIH2465
lifetime/world

חֶ֫לֶד (che.led) age, duration of life, the world

[is] like nothingכְאַ֣יִןkhe-'A-yinH0369
nothing

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of

before youנֶגְדֶּ֑ךָneg-DE-khaH5048
before

נֶ֫גֶד (ne.ged) subst 1) what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv 2) in front of, straight forward, before, in sight of 3) in front of oneself, straightforward 4) before your face, in your view or purpose with prep 5) what is in front of, corresponding to 6) in front of, before 7) in the sight or presence of 8) parallel to 9) over, for 10) in front, opposite 11) at a distance prep 12) from the front of, away from 13) from before the eyes of, opposite to, at a distance from 14) from before, in front of 15) as far as the front of Aramaic equivalent: ne.ged (נֶ֫גֶד "before" H5049)

[is] onlyאַ֥ךְ'akhH0389
surely

אַךְ (akh) 1) indeed, surely (emphatic) 2) howbeit, only, but, yet (restrictive)

allכָּֽל־kal-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

vanityהֶ֥בֶלHE-velH1892
vanity

הֶ֫בֶל (he.vel) 1) vapour, breath 1a) breath, vapour 1b) vanity (fig.) adv 2) vainly

allכָּל־kol-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

humankindאָ֝דָ֗ם'a-DAMH0120G
man

אָדָם (a.dam) 1) man, mankind 1a) man, human being 1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT) 1c) Adam, first man 1d) city in Jordan valley

[which] standsנִצָּ֥בni-TZAVH5324
to stand

נָצַב (na.tsav) 1) to stand, take one's stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to station oneself, take one's stand 1a2) to stand, be stationed 1a3) to stand, take an upright position 1a4) to be stationed, be appointed 1a5) deputy, prefect, appointed, deputed (subst) 1a6) to stand firm 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to station, set 1b2) to set up, erect 1b3) to cause to stand erect 1b4) to fix, establish 1c) (Hophal) to be fixed, be determined, be stationary

Selahסֶֽלָה׃SE-lahH5542
Selah

סֶ֫לָה (se.lah) § 1) to lift up, exalt 1a) Selah 1a1) a technical musical term probably showing accentuation, pause, interruption

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.