Psalm 39:6

Translations

Modern

Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

Traditional

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.

Literal

…surely like a shadow every man goes about; surely in vain they are in commotion; he heaps up, and does not know who will gather them.

Latin

Verumtamen in imagine pertransit homo; sed et frustra conturbatur: thesaurizat, et ignorat cui congregabit ea.

Original

Hebrew

English

Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

Notes

Psalms 39:4–6

Due 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.

Psalms 39:1–13

This prayer for rescue shows the psalmist's discouragement, which comes from not fully understanding his situation.

Theme notes and profiles

David Complaints Wisdom Psalms

Related verses

Luke 12:20–21
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’
James 4:14
You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Ecclesiastes 2:26
To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Ecclesiastes 12:13
When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
1 Corinthians 7:31
…and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
Psalm 127:2
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat—for He gives sleep to His beloved.
Ecclesiastes 5:14
…or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.
Luke 12:29
And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it.
Ecclesiastes 2:17–21
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Ecclesiastes 4:7–8
Again, I saw futility under the sun.
1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
Ecclesiastes 2:8
…and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.

Glossary

David Ethan Jeduthun Music Psalms, Book of

Topics

Care: Worldly Covetousness is Vanity Life: Brevity and Uncertainty of Man: Walks in a Vain Show Overmuch Care: Vanity of Riches: The Wicked: Heap Up Riches: Vanity of Heaping Up Vanity: Evil People: Live In Vanity: The Wicked: Walk In Vanity: Worldly Anxiety Vanity: Worldy Anxiety Is

Psalm 39:6

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