Psalm 39 5

Psalm 39:5 kjv

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.

Psalm 39:5 nkjv

Indeed, 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

Psalm 39:5 niv

You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.

Psalm 39:5 esv

Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah

Psalm 39:5 nlt

You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath." Interlude

Psalm 39 verses

Psalm 39 5 Meaning

This verse conveys a profound truth about the radical brevity and inherent insignificance of human life when measured against the eternal God. It asserts that human existence is divinely limited to an incredibly short duration, likened to mere "handbreadths"—a minuscule measurement—and is essentially "nothing" from an eternal divine perspective. The statement is then universalized, declaring that all humanity is as ephemeral as a fleeting "breath" or vapor, highlighting our transient and insubstantial nature.

Psalm 39 5 Context

Psalm 39 is a personal lament by David, characterized by an internal struggle between maintaining silence under affliction and pouring out his soul before God. Prior to verse 5, David resolves to keep silent and not sin with his tongue, enduring his suffering quietly. However, this restraint causes further anguish, compelling him to speak and express his deep distress. He then turns his contemplation towards the brevity of his life, asking God to show him "how fleeting" his time is (v. 4). This immediate verse (v. 5) serves as his profound conclusion to that contemplation—a stark recognition of the transient and insignificant nature of human existence. It's a foundational statement within the Psalm, leading him to place his hope solely in God (v. 7). The historical context is generally understood as a period of intense personal suffering or affliction for David, leading him to profound reflection on human mortality and God's sovereignty.

Psalm 39 5 Word analysis

• Behold (הִנֵּה - hinneh): An interjection demanding attention and indicating the presentation of an important, often surprising, truth. It signifies an imperative to consider deeply the profound revelation that follows.
• you have made (שַׁתָּה - shattah): Derived from shît, meaning "to set, place, appoint." This verb is in the perfect tense, asserting God as the direct and sovereign agent in determining the lifespan of humanity. It emphasizes divine intentionality in life's brevity.
• my days (יָמַי - yamai): Literally "my days." Refers to the span of one's entire life. The plural form signifies the full allotment of time granted.
• a few handbreadths (טְפָחִים - tefahim): Tefach (singular) is an ancient unit of measurement, specifically the width of four fingers or a handbreadth (approximately 3-4 inches). The use of such a tiny measure vividly underscores the extreme brevity and limited extent of human life compared to God's eternal nature. It’s an intensely personal and visual metaphor for shortness.
• and my lifetime (וְחֶלְדִּי - vekheldi): Cħeled primarily means "duration of life," "existence," or "age." While it can sometimes refer to the world or creation, in this context, it clearly denotes the full measure of one's mortal existence.
• is as nothing (כְּאָיִן - k'ayin): K'ayin combines the prefix k'a ("as, like") with ayin ("nothing, non-existence, naught"). This emphasizes the utter lack of substance or lasting significance of human life when viewed from an eternal, divine perspective. It is entirely insignificant when contrasted with the infinite God.
• before you (נֶגְדֶּךָ - negdekha): "In your presence" or "in your sight." This phrase is crucial as it highlights the contrast. Human life appears significant to humans, but before God and His eternal scale, it dissolves into nothingness. It establishes God's perspective as the ultimate standard.
• Surely (אַךְ - 'akh): An emphatic particle meaning "indeed," "only," "truly." It reinforces the certainty and universality of the statement that follows, strengthening the truth declared.
• all mankind (כָּל־אִישׁ - kol-ish): Kol ("all, every") and ish ("man, each person"). This universalizes the Psalmist's personal realization. It is not just his life, but the life of every human being that shares this ephemeral quality.
• stands (נִצָּב - nitṣav): The Hiphil participle of natṣav, meaning "to be positioned," "to stand." Here, it signifies "exists" or "takes his place," implying a temporary, fleeting presence rather than a permanent fixture.
• as a mere breath (הֶבֶל - hevel): This potent Hebrew word literally means "breath," "vapor," "mist." It metaphorically conveys "vanity," "emptiness," "futility," and extreme transience. Like a quickly dissipating mist or a puff of breath, human life appears and then swiftly vanishes, leaving no lasting trace from an eternal vantage point. It underscores the insubstantial and fragile nature of existence.
• Selah (סֶלָה - Selah): A musical or liturgical direction, inviting a pause for contemplation and profound reflection on the preceding truth. It prompts the reader to internalize the sobering reality just expressed about the fleetingness of life.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths": This phrase establishes God as the deliberate architect of human brevity. Our limited time is not accidental but a divine decree, calling us to observe this fundamental reality.
• "and my lifetime is as nothing before you": Building upon the previous thought, this expands the metaphor. Our finite existence, though a personal experience, is utterly eclipsed by God's infinite nature, reducing it to utter insignificance when viewed from His eternal perspective.
• "Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!": This climactic statement broadens the observation from personal reflection to a universal truth about the human condition. "Surely" reinforces the absolute certainty that every single person is no more substantial or lasting than a transient puff of air, making all earthly pursuits without God's perspective ultimately "hevel."

Psalm 39 5 Bonus section

• The raw honesty of David's lament in Psalm 39 sets this verse within a deeply personal struggle with suffering and mortality. It highlights that acknowledging the brevity of life is often prompted by hardship, illness, or proximity to death, forcing a perspective shift from self-sufficiency to reliance on God.
• The vivid imagery of "handbreadths" and "breath/vapor" powerfully conveys the ephemeral nature of life more effectively than abstract terms, rooted in common human experience and the observable natural world. This echoes wisdom literature, particularly Job's and Ecclesiastes' similar uses of metaphors like "shadow," "flower," and "wind" to depict human fragility.
• This verse stands as a powerful antidote to human pride and self-sufficiency, compelling a reorientation towards humility and an eternal perspective. Understanding our finitude helps to guard against anxiety over fleeting achievements and temporal losses, fostering a greater focus on what truly lasts—God and His kingdom.

Psalm 39 5 Commentary

Psalm 39:5 serves as a potent contemplation on the ephemeral nature of human existence, set against the backdrop of God's eternality. David, in a moment of intense personal reflection, grasps the stark reality that the duration of his life is minutely brief, "a few handbreadths," a unit of measure so small it underscores how truly limited our time on earth is. This is not arbitrary; it is "You" who has "made" it so, emphasizing God's sovereign control over life and death.

The verse progresses to a humbling realization: his entire "lifetime is as nothing before you." From a divine perspective, human life is utterly inconsequential, lacking any inherent permanence or ultimate substance. This truth can be disorienting, challenging the human tendency to perceive our own lives as vastly significant.

The culminating exclamation, "Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah," universalizes this observation. It's not just the Psalmist, but every human being who is as fleeting as hevel—a word rich with meaning, signifying breath, vapor, and profound vanity or emptiness. This points to the insubstantiality of human endeavors when disconnected from divine purpose. The accompanying "Selah" is a call to pause, to deeply absorb this sobering truth. It prompts us to humble ourselves before the Everlasting God, reassess our earthly priorities, and remember that genuine meaning and lasting significance are found not in temporal accumulation but in our relationship with the eternal Creator.