Psalms 144 · Verse 4

Psalms 144:4

Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.
Psalms 144:4, King James Version

Psalms 144:4 in other translations

BSBMan is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.
WEBMan is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.
ASVMan is like to vanity: His days are as a shadow that passeth away.
YLTMan to vanity hath been like, His days are as a shadow passing by.
DARBYMan is like to vanity; his days are as a shadow that passeth away.
BBEMan is like a breath: his life is like a shade which is quickly gone.
WebsterMan is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

What does Psalms 144:4 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Man is like to vanity - אדם להבל דמה Adam lahebel damah, literally, Adam is like to Abel, exposed to the same miseries, accidents, and murderers; for in millions of cases the hands of brothers are lifted up to shed the blood of brothers. What are wars but fratricide in the great human family? His days are as a shadow - The life of Abel was promissory of much blessedness; but it afforded merely the shadow of happiness. He was pure and holy, beloved of his parents, and beloved of God; but, becoming the object of his brother's envy, his life became a sacrifice to his piety.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 144:1-8

When men become eminent for things as to which they have had few advantages, they should be more deeply sensible that God has been their Teacher. Happy those to whom the Lord gives that noblest victory, conquest and dominion over their own spirits. A prayer for further mercy is fitly begun with a thanksgiving for former mercy. There was a special power of God, inclining the people of Israel to be subject to David…

Read the full comment on Psalms 144:1-8 →

Psalms 144:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אָ֭דָם'A.domhumankindH120
לַהֶ֣בֶלla.He.velto <the> breathH1892
דָּמָ֑הda.Mahhe is likeH1819
יָ֝מָ֗יוya.Mavdays hisH3117
כְּצֵ֣לke.Tzel[are] like a shadowH6738
עוֹבֵֽר\׃o.VerpassingH5674

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 144:4

  • Psalms 102:11

    My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

  • Psalms 109:23

    I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.

  • Job 8:9

    (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

  • Psalms 39:5-6

    Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. 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.

  • Ecclesiastes 12:8

    Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

  • 2 Samuel 14:14

    For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

  • Psalms 39:11

    When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.

  • Psalms 89:47

    Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

  • Job 14:1-3

    Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

  • 1 Chronicles 29:15

    For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

  • Ecclesiastes 8:13

    But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:2

    Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Man.
39:5,6; 62:9; 89:47; Job 4:19; 14:1-3; Ec 1:2,14; 12:8
his days.
102:11; 103:15,16; 109:23; 2Sa 14:14; 1Ch 29:15; Job 8:9; Ec 8:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 144:3

    Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!

  • Psalms 144:4

    Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

  • Psalms 144:5

    Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

Read all of Psalms 144

Psalms 144:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El hombre es semejante á la vanidad: sus días son como la sombra que pasa.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		L’homme ressemble à la vanité; ses jours sont comme une ombre qui passe.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Der Mensch gleicht dem Hauche; seine Tage sind wie ein vorübergehender Schatten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Generatio et generatio laudabit opera tua, et potentiam tuam pronuntiabunt.