Psalms 62:9

Psalms 62:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
• New International Version (NIV)Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, They are altogether lighter than vapor.

Context of Psalms 62:9

7My salvation and my glory rest on God; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. 8Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah People of low standing are only breath, and people of rank are a lie; In the balances they go up. Together they are lighter than breath. 10Do not trust in oppression, And do not vainly rely on robbery; If wealth increases, do not set your heart on it. 11God has spoken once; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God;

Psalms 62:9 word by word

אַ֤ךְ׀ הֶ֥בֶל בְּנֵֽי־אָדָם֮ כָּזָ֪ב בְּנֵ֫י אִ֥ישׁ בְּמֹאזְנַ֥יִם לַעֲל֑וֹת הֵ֝֗מָּה מֵהֶ֥בֶל יָֽחַד׃Read the interlinear

• Peopleבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• Peopleאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• are onlyאַךְ'ak · surelyH389
• breathהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• and peopleאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• lieכָּזָבkâzâb · lieH3577
• balancesמֹאזֵןmô'zên · balanceH3976
• they goעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• Togetherיַ֫חַדyachad · unitednessH3162
• thanמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480

Cross-references for Psalms 62:9

• Psalms 39:5Behold, You have made my days like hand widths, And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Certainly all mankind standing is a mere breath. Selah
• 1 Samuel 18:5And David went into battle wherever Saul sent him, and always achieved success; so Saul put him in charge of the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
• 1 Samuel 23:12Then David said, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will hand you over.”
• 2 Samuel 15:6Absalom dealt this way with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.
• Matthew 21:9Now the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!”
• John 19:15So they shouted, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king except Caesar.”
• Psalms 55:13But it is you, a man my equal, My companion and my confidant;
• Psalms 118:9It is better to take refuge in the Lord Than to trust in noblemen.
• 1 Samuel 18:21For Saul thought, “I will give her to him so that she may become a trap for him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “For a second time you may become my son-in-law, today.”
• 1 Samuel 26:21Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again since my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have made a very great mistake.”
• 2 Samuel 15:31Now someone informed David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “Lord, please make the advice of Ahithophel foolish.”
• Romans 3:4Far from it! Rather, God must prove to be true, though every person be found a liar, as it is written: “So that You are justified in Your words, And prevail when You are judged.”
• Daniel 5:27‘Tekēl’--you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.
• Isaiah 40:15Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

Commentaries on Psalms 62:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Men of low degree are vanity - אדם בני beney Adam, which we here translate men of low degree, literally, sons of Adam, are put in opposition to איש בני beney ish, men of high degree, literally, the sons of substance, or children of substantial men. Adam was the name of the first man when formed out of the earth; Ish was his name when united to his wife, and they became one flesh. Before, he was the incomplete man; after, he was the complete man; for it…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Surely men of low degree are vanity - literally, “vanity are the sons of Adam,” but the word Adam here is used evidently to represent men, or the race. The same word is also employed particularly to represent common men, or men of the humbler rank, in contradistinction to the word אישׁ 'ı̂ysh - which is the other word used here, and rendered “men of high degree.” Compare, for this use of the word, Hosea 6:7. The same antithesis between the two words is…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-12Verses 8-12 Those who have found the comfort of the ways of God themselves, will invite others into those ways; we shall never have the less for others sharing with us. the good counsel given is, to trust wholly in God. We must so trust in him at all times, as not at any time to put that trust in ourselves, or in any creature, which is to be put in him only. Trust in him to guide us when in doubt, to protect us when in danger, to supply us when in want…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9are but a lie: People often try to appear stronger and better than they truly are.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. No kind of men are reliable, compared with God (Is 2:22; Jr 17:5). altogether--alike, one as the other (Psa 34:3).Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 62:9

• False Confidence
• Vanity

In the dictionaries

• Balance
• Expectation
• Imagine
• Jeduthun
• Psalms
• Altogether
• Degree
• Korahites; Sons of Korah
• Psalms, Book of

Commentaries on Psalms 62

• 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