God’s Word Translation
Psalms 90:3
3You turn mortals back into dust and say, “Return, descendants of Adam.”
Psalms 90:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
- New International Version (NIV)You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)You return man to dust and say, "Return, O children of man!"
- New King James Version (NKJV)You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men.”
Context of Psalms 90:3
1O Lord, you have been our refuge throughout every generation. 2Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, you were God. You are God from everlasting to everlasting. You turn mortals back into dust and say, “Return, descendants of Adam.” 4Indeed, in your sight a thousand years are like a single day, like yesterday—already past— like an hour in the night. 5You sweep mortals away. They are a dream. They sprout again in the morning like cut grass.
Read all of Psalms 90Psalms 90:3 word by word
תָּשֵׁ֣ב אֱ֭נוֹשׁ עַד־דַּכָּ֑א וַ֝תֹּ֗אמֶר שׁ֣וּבוּ בְנֵי־אָדָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 90:3
- Psalms 104:29You hide your face, and they are terrified. You take away their breath, and they die and return to dust.
- Psalms 146:4When they breathe their last breath, they return to the ground. On that day their plans come to an end.
- Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow, you will produce food to eat until you return to the ground, because you were taken from it. You are dust, and you will return to dust.”
- Genesis 6:6The Lord was sorry that he had made humans on the earth, and he was heartbroken.
- Numbers 14:35I, the Lord, have spoken. I swear I will do these things to all the people in this whole wicked community who have joined forces against me. They will meet their end in this desert. Here they will die!”
- Job 12:10The life of every living creature and the spirit in every human body are in his hands.
- Job 34:14If he thought only of himself and withdrew his Spirit and his breath,
- Ecclesiastes 12:7Then the dust ⌞of mortals⌟ goes back to the ground as it was before, and the breath of life goes back to God who gave it.
Commentaries on Psalms 90:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Thou turnest man to destruction - Literally, Thou shalt turn dying man, אנוש enosh, to the small dust, דכא dacca but thou wilt say, Return, ye children of Adam. This appears to be a clear and strong promise of the resurrection of the human body, after it has long slept, mingled with the dust of the earth.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Thou turnest man to destruction - In contradistinction from his own unchangeableness and eternity. Man passes away; God continues ever the same. The word rendered “destruction” - דכא dakkâ' - means properly anything beaten or broken small or very fine, and hence, “dust.” The idea here is, that God causes man to return to dust; that is, the elements which compose the body return to their original condition, or seem to mingle with the earth. Genesis 3:19…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-6Unlike God, humans are mortal and temporary.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. to destruction--literally, "even to dust" (Ge 3:19), which is partly quoted in the last clause.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 90:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 90
- 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
- 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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