New International Version
Psalms 90:3
3You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
Psalms 90:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals!”
Context of Psalms 90:3
1Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” 4A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. 5Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning:
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 104:29When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.
- Psalms 146:4When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
- Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
- Genesis 6:6The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.
- Numbers 14:35I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.”
- Job 12:10In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
- Job 34:14If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath,
- Ecclesiastes 12:7and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns 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
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