Psalms 39:6

Psalms 39:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
• New International Version (NIV)“Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
• New Living Translation (NLT)We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.

Context of Psalms 39:6

4“Lord, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. 5Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them. 7“And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You. 8Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.

Psalms 39:6 word by word

אַךְ־בְּצֶ֤לֶם׀ יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־אִ֗ישׁ אַךְ־הֶ֥בֶל יֶהֱמָי֑וּן יִ֝צְבֹּ֗ר וְֽלֹא־יֵדַ֥ע מִי־אֹסְפָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Surely every manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• walkethהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• in a vain shewצֶ֫לֶםtselem · imageH6754
• surely they are disquietedהָמָהhâmâh · to roarH1993
• in vainהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• he heapeth upצָבַרtsâbar · to heapH6651
• and knowethיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• not who shall gatherאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622

Cross-references for Psalms 39:6

• 1 Corinthians 7:31and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.
• James 4:14whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
• Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 2:17Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 4:7Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:
• Ecclesiastes 6:11Since there are many things that increase vanity, How is man the better?
• Ecclesiastes 12:8“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.”
• Isaiah 55:2Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
• Luke 10:40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”
• Luke 12:20But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
• 1 Peter 5:7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
• Psalms 49:10For he sees wise men die; Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, And leave their wealth to others.
• Job 27:16Though he heaps up silver like dust, And piles up clothing like clay—
• Proverbs 13:22A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
• Proverbs 23:5Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
• Proverbs 27:24For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

Commentaries on Psalms 39:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Walketh in a vain show - בצלם betselem, in a shadow. He is but the semblance of being: he appears for a while, and then vanisheth away. Some of the fathers read, "Although every man walketh in the image of God, yet they are disquieted in vain." He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them - He raketh together. This is a metaphor taken from agriculture: the husbandman rakes the corn, etc., together in the field, and yet, so uncertain is…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Surely every man walketh in a vain show - Margin, “an image.” The word rendered “vain show” - צלם tselem - means properly a shade, a shadow; and then, an image or likeness, as shadowing forth any real object. Then it comes to denote an idol, 2 Kings 11:18; Amos 5:26. Here the idea seems to be that of an image, as contradistinguished from a reality; the shadow of a thing, as distinguished from the substance. Man seems to be like an image, a shadow, a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6Due to his suffering and sin, the psalmist concludes that life is meaningless and short (see Job 7:7–10; Isaiah 40:6–8). He had expected only a wicked life to be like that (see Psalms 37:2, 20; 103:15–16), but now it seems irrelevant whether a person is godly or not.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-74-7. Some take these words as those of fretting, but they are not essentially such. The tinge of discontent arises from the character of his suppressed emotions. But, addressing God, they are softened and subdued. make me to know mine end--experimentally appreciate. how frail I am--literally, "when I shall cease."Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 39:6

• Care
• Life
• Vanity

In the dictionaries

• Altogether
• Frail
• Jeduthun
• Measure
• Psalms
• Silence
• Vain
• Death
• Dumb
• Heap

Commentaries on Psalms 39

• 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