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 King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Psalms 39:6

4My heart was hot within me, while I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue: 5“Let me know, Adonai, my end and what the number of my days is. Let me know how short-lived I am. Behold, You made my days mere hand-breadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Surely all humanity is but vapor. Selah 7Everyone goes about as a mere phantom. Surely they are making an uproar in vain, heaping up stuff— yet not knowing who will gather it. 8And now, my Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.

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 the world, as though not using it to the fullest. For the present form of this world is passing away.
• James 4:14Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. What is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
• Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the deeds done under the sun; and behold, all is meaningless and chasing after the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 2:17And so I hated life, because the work done under the sun was grievous to me. All is but vapor and chasing after the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 4:7Again I saw something futile under the sun:
• Ecclesiastes 6:11When there are many words, futility increases! How does that benefit anyone?
• Ecclesiastes 12:8“Evanescent vapors,” says Kohelet. All is futility.
• Isaiah 55:2Why do you spend money for what is not bread? Your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance.
• Luke 10:40But Martha was distracted with much serving; so she approached Yeshua and said, “Master, doesn’t it concern you that my sister has left me to serve alone? Then tell her to help me!”
• Luke 12:20But God said to him, ‘You fool! Tonight your soul is being demanded back from you! And what you have prepared, whose will that be?’
• 1 Peter 5:7Cast all your worries on Him, for He cares for you.
• Psalms 49:10Will he live forever— and never see the Pit?
• Job 27:16Though he piles up silver like dust, and clothing like heaps of mortar,
• Proverbs 13:22A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
• Proverbs 23:5When you cast your eyes 0n riches, it is gone; for it surely sprouts wings and flies off into the sky like an eagle.
• Proverbs 27:24for riches are not forever, nor a crown from generation to generation.

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