English Standard Version
Psalms 144:3
3O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?
Psalms 144:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
- New International Version (NIV)Lord, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
- New Living Translation (NLT)O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them, mere mortals that you should think about them?
Context of Psalms 144:3
1Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; 2he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him? 4Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!
Read all of Psalms 144Psalms 144:3 word by word
יְֽהוָ֗ה מָה־אָ֭דָם וַתֵּדָעֵ֑הוּ בֶּן־אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ וַֽתְּחַשְּׁבֵֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 144:3
- Psalms 8:4what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
- Job 7:17What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him,
- Job 16:14He breaks me with breach upon breach; he runs upon me like a warrior.
- Hebrews 2:6It has been testified somewhere, "What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?
- Psalms 146:3Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
Commentaries on Psalms 144:3
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? - The sentiment here is the same as in Psalm 8:4, though the language is not precisely the same. See the notes at that passage. The word rendered “that thou takest knowledge of him,” means here to take notice of; to regard. The idea is, It is amazing that a being so insignificant as man should be an object of interest to God, or that One so great should pay any attention to him and to his affairs. In…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4what is man: The same question in Psalm 8:4–6 leads to the answer that humans are only mortal (they do not live forever), yet God gives them honor and responsibility to rule. The psalmist focuses on how brief and fragile human life is. He describes it as temporary and passing quickly (see Psalms 90:3, 7–10; 102:11; 109:23; 146:4).Read the comment
- Rashi on Tanakh · v. 3what is man What are Persia [Esau, acc. to mss.] and Ishmael before You that You know them to lavish greatness upon them?Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 144:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 144
- 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
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries