God’s Word Translation
Psalms 144:3
3O Lord, what are humans that you should care about them? What are mere mortals that you should think about them?
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?
- English Standard Version (ESV)O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?
- 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?
Context of Psalms 144:3
1Thank the Lord, my rock, who trained my hands to fight and my fingers to do battle, 2my merciful one, my fortress, my stronghold, and my savior, my shield, the one in whom I take refuge, and the one who brings people under my authority. O Lord, what are humans that you should care about them? What are mere mortals that you should think about them? 4Humans are like a breath of air. Their life span is like a fleeting shadow. 5O Lord, bend your heaven low, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will 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 a mortal that you remember him or the Son of Man that you take care of him?
- Job 7:17“What is a mortal that you should make so much of him, that you should be concerned about him?
- Job 16:14He inflicts wound after wound on me. He lunges at me like a warrior.
- Hebrews 2:6Instead, someone has declared this somewhere in Scripture: “What is a mortal that you should remember him, or the Son of Man that you take care of him?
- Psalms 146:3Do not trust influential people, mortals who cannot help you.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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