Psalms

Psalm 39:4–7

⁴“Show me, O LORD, my end

and the measure of my days.

Let me know how fleeting my life is.

⁵You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths,

and my lifetime as nothing before You.

Truly each man at his best

exists as but a breath.

Selah

⁶Surely every man goes about like a phantom;

surely he bustles in vain;

he heaps up riches

not knowing who will haul them away.

⁷And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in You.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Show me	הוֹדִ֘יעֵ֤נִי	hō·w·ḏî·‘ê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H3045 know
O LORD	יְהוָ֨ה׀	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
my end	קִצִּ֗י	qiṣ·ṣî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H7093 end
and the measure	וּמִדַּ֣ת	ū·mid·daṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H4060 measure, measurement, stature, size, garment
of my days	יָמַ֣י	yā·may	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H3117 day
Let me know	אֵ֝דְעָ֗ה	’ê·ḏə·‘āh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H3045 know
how	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
fleeting	חָדֵ֥ל	ḥā·ḏêl	Adjective - masculine singular	H2310 forbearing, lacking
my life is	אָֽנִי׃	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You	הִנֵּ֤ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
indeed	הִנֵּ֤ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
have made	נָ֘תַ֤תָּה	nā·ṯat·tāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
my days	יָמַ֗י	yā·may	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H3117 day
handbreadths	טְפָח֨וֹת׀	ṭə·p̄ā·ḥō·wṯ	Noun - masculine plural	H2947 a span, hand-breadth
and my lifetime	וְחֶלְדִּ֣י	wə·ḥel·dî	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H2465 duration, world
as nothing	כְאַ֣יִן	ḵə·’a·yin	Preposition-k; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
before You	נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ	neḡ·de·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H5048 what is conspicuous or in front
Truly	אַ֥ךְ	’aḵ	Adverb	H389 surely
each	כָּֽל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
man	אָ֝דָ֗ם	’ā·ḏām	Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
at his best	נִצָּ֥ב	niṣ·ṣāḇ	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular	H5324 take one's stand, stand
exists as but a breath	הֶ֥בֶל	he·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H1892 vapour, breath
Selah	סֶֽלָה׃	se·lāh	Interjection	H5542 lift up

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Surely	אַךְ־	’aḵ-	Adverb	H389 surely
every man	אִ֗ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
goes about	יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־	yiṯ·hal·leḵ-	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
like a phantom	בְּצֶ֤לֶם׀	bə·ṣe·lem	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H6754 image
surely	אַךְ־	’aḵ-	Adverb	H389 surely
he bustles	יֶהֱמָי֑וּן	ye·hĕ·mā·yūn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; Paragogic nun	H1993 murmur, growl, roar, be boisterous
in vain	הֶ֥בֶל	he·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H1892 vapour, breath
he heaps up	יִ֝צְבֹּ֗ר	yiṣ·bōr	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6651 heap up
not	וְֽלֹא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
knowing	יֵדַ֥ע	yê·ḏa‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3045 know
who	מִי־	mî-	Interrogative	H4310 who?
will haul them away	אֹסְפָֽם׃	’ō·sə·p̄ām	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H622 gather, remove

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And now	וְעַתָּ֣ה	wə·‘at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H6258 now
O Lord	אֲדֹנָ֑י	’ă·ḏō·nāy	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H136 lord
for what	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
do I wait	קִּוִּ֣יתִי	qiw·wî·ṯî	Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular	H6960 wait for
My hope is	תּ֝וֹחַלְתִּ֗י	tō·w·ḥal·tî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H8431 hope
in	לְךָ֣	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
You	הִֽיא׃	hî	Pronoun - third person feminine singular	H1931 he, she