Psalms 146 · Verse 4

Psalms 146:4

His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
Psalms 146:4, King James Version

Psalms 146:4 in other translations

BSBWhen his spirit departs, he returns to the ground; on that very day his plans perish.
WEBHis spirit departs, and he returns to the earth. In that very day, his thoughts perish.
ASVHis breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; In that very day his thoughts perish.
YLTHis spirit goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, In that day have his thoughts perished.
DARBYHis breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his purposes perish.
BBEMan's breath goes out, he is turned back again to dust; in that day all his purposes come to an end.
WebsterHis breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

What does Psalms 146:4 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 His breath goeth forth - His existence depends merely, under God, on the air he breathes. When he ceases to respire he ceases to live; his body from that moment begins to claim its affinity to the earth; and all his thoughts, purposes, and projects, whether good or evil, come to nought and perish. He, then, who has no other dependence, must necessarily be miserable.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 146:1-4

If it is our delight to praise the Lord while we live, we shall certainly praise him to all eternity. With this glorious prospect before us, how low do worldly pursuits seem! There is a Son of man in whom there is help, even him who is also the Son of God, who will not fail those that trust in him. But all other sons of men are like the man from whom they sprung, who, being in honour, did not abide. God has given…

Read the full comment on Psalms 146:1-4 →

Psalms 146:4 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.

תֵּצֵ֣אte.Tze'it will go outH3318
ר֭וּחוֹru.chobreath hisH7307
יָשֻׁ֣בya.Shuvhe will returnH7725
לְאַדְמָת֑וֹle.'ad.ma.Toto earth hisH127
בַּיּ֥וֹםbai.Yomon the dayH3117
הַ֝ה֗וּאha.Hu'<the> thatH1931
אָבְד֥וּ'a.ve.Duthey have perishedH6
עֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָֽיו\׃'esh.to.no.Tavplans hisH6250

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

Cross references for Psalms 146:4

  • Ecclesiastes 12:7

    Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

  • Psalms 104:29

    Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

  • Genesis 2:7

    And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

  • Genesis 3:19

    In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

  • 1 Corinthians 2:6

    Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

  • Job 27:3

    All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

  • Daniel 5:23

    But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

  • Psalms 33:10

    The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

  • Isaiah 2:22

    Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?

  • Job 14:21

    His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

  • Job 17:11

    My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.

  • Job 14:10

    But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
His breath.
104:29; Ge 2:7; 6:17; Job 14:10; 17:1; 27:3; Da 5:23
he returneth.
90:3; Ge 3:19; Ec 12:7
his thoughts.
Job 14:21; 17:11; Isa 2:22; La 4:20; 1Co 2:6

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

Context

  • Psalms 146:3

    Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

  • Psalms 146:4

    His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

  • Psalms 146:5

    Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:

Read all of Psalms 146

Psalms 146:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Saldrá su espíritu, tornaráse en su tierra: en aquel día perecerán sus pensamientos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Son esprit sort, l’homme retourne dans le sol d’où il est tiré; en ce même jour ses desseins périssent.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Sein Geist geht aus, er kehrt wieder zu seiner Erde: an selbigem Tage gehen seine Pläne zu Grunde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
qui numerat multitudinem stellarum, et omnibus eis nomina vocat.