The Meaning of Psalms 39:5 Explained

Psalms 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.

YLT: Lo, handbreadths Thou hast made my days, And mine age is as nothing before Thee, Only, all vanity is every man set up. Selah.

Darby: Behold, thou hast made my days as hand-breadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before thee; verily, every man, even the high placed, is altogether vanity. Selah.

ASV: Behold, thou hast made my days as handbreadths; And my life-time is as nothing before thee: Surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Selah

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 39:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 39:1-13 - The Fleeting Measure Of Our Days
In the opening verses David describes the circumstances out of which this psalm arose. The presence and prosperity of the wicked stirred him to the depths, but he carefully refrained from speech. There are hot moments in our lives, when we do well not to say what is in our hearts. But if our feelings demand a vent, let us get alone and speak out our hearts to God. A softer tone settles on heart and tongue, when we reach His holy presence.
How frail we are, not only in our life, but in our moods! We need not fear men; they are but for a moment; as a breath that curls up in the frosty air, or as a shadow sweeping across the mountainside. Only God abides. Man is vanity; his pride and beauty are like a bursting soap-bubble; he is a stranger and pilgrim along this bank and shoal of time. But the child of the Eternal God is a guest with him, Psalms 39:12. He travels in our company. He makes Himself responsible for our well-being. He will bring us safely home as He did all our "fathers." [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 39

1  David's care of his thoughts
4  The consideration of the brevity and vanity of life
7  the reverence of God's judgments
10  and prayer, are his bridles of impatience

What do the individual words in Psalms 39:5 mean?

Indeed [as] handbreadths You have made my days and my age as [is] nothing before You Certainly every [is] but vapor Every man at his best state Selah
הִנֵּ֤ה טְפָח֨וֹת ׀ נָ֘תַ֤תָּה יָמַ֗י וְחֶלְדִּ֣י כְאַ֣יִן נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ אַ֥ךְ כָּֽל־ הֶ֥בֶל כָּל־ אָ֝דָ֗ם נִצָּ֥ב סֶֽלָה

הִנֵּ֤ה  Indeed 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
טְפָח֨וֹת ׀  [as]  handbreadths 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: טֶפַח 
Sense: span, width of the hand, hand breadth.
נָ֘תַ֤תָּה  You  have  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יָמַ֗י  my  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וְחֶלְדִּ֣י  and  my  age 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: חֶלֶד  
Sense: age, duration of life, the world.
כְאַ֣יִן  as  [is]  nothing 
Parse: Preposition-k, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ  before  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
אַ֥ךְ  Certainly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
כָּֽל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הֶ֥בֶל  [is]  but  vapor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: הֶבֶל  
Sense: vapour, breath.
כָּל־  Every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אָ֝דָ֗ם  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
נִצָּ֥ב  at  his  best  state 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הֻצַּב 
Sense: to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish.
סֶֽלָה  Selah 
Parse: Interjection
Root: סֶלָה  
Sense: to lift up, exalt.