Psalms 39:6

Psalms 39:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
• New International Version (NIV)“Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
• New King James Version (NKJV)Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them.

Context of Psalms 39:6

4“Show me, O LORD, my end and the measure of my days. Let me know how fleeting my life is. 5You, 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. Selah Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away. 7And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You. 8Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of fools.

Psalms 39:6 word by word

אַךְ־בְּצֶ֤לֶם׀ יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־אִ֗ישׁ אַךְ־הֶ֥בֶל יֶהֱמָי֑וּן יִ֝צְבֹּ֗ר וְֽלֹא־יֵדַ֥ע מִי־אֹסְפָֽם׃Read the interlinear

• Surelyאַךְ'ak · surelyH389
• every manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• goes aboutהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• like a phantomצֶ֫לֶםtselem · imageH6754
• he bustlesהָמָהhâmâh · to roarH1993
• in vainהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• he heaps upצָבַרtsâbar · to heapH6651
• notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• knowingיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• whoמִיmîy · who?H4310
• will haul them awayאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622

Cross-references for Psalms 39:6

• 1 Corinthians 7:31and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
• James 4:14You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
• Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 2:17So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 4:7Again, I saw futility under the sun.
• Ecclesiastes 6:11For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?
• Ecclesiastes 12:8“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”
• Isaiah 55:2Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.
• Luke 10:40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!”
• Luke 12:20But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’
• 1 Peter 5:7Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
• Psalms 49:10For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.
• Job 27:16Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,
• Proverbs 13:22A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is passed to the righteous.
• Proverbs 23:5When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
• Proverbs 27:24for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to every generation.

Commentaries on Psalms 39:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Walketh in a vain show - בצלם betselem, in a shadow. He is but the semblance of being: he appears for a while, and then vanisheth away. Some of the fathers read, "Although every man walketh in the image of God, yet they are disquieted in vain." He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them - He raketh together. This is a metaphor taken from agriculture: the husbandman rakes the corn, etc., together in the field, and yet, so uncertain is…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Surely every man walketh in a vain show - Margin, “an image.” The word rendered “vain show” - צלם tselem - means properly a shade, a shadow; and then, an image or likeness, as shadowing forth any real object. Then it comes to denote an idol, 2 Kings 11:18; Amos 5:26. Here the idea seems to be that of an image, as contradistinguished from a reality; the shadow of a thing, as distinguished from the substance. Man seems to be like an image, a shadow, a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6Due to his suffering and sin, the psalmist concludes that life is meaningless and short (see Job 7:7–10; Isaiah 40:6–8). He had expected only a wicked life to be like that (see Psalms 37:2, 20; 103:15–16), but now it seems irrelevant whether a person is godly or not.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-74-7. Some take these words as those of fretting, but they are not essentially such. The tinge of discontent arises from the character of his suppressed emotions. But, addressing God, they are softened and subdued. make me to know mine end--experimentally appreciate. how frail I am--literally, "when I shall cease."Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 39:6

• Care
• Life
• Vanity

In the dictionaries

• Altogether
• Frail
• Jeduthun
• Measure
• Psalms
• Silence
• Vain
• Death
• Dumb
• Heap

Commentaries on Psalms 39

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings