Psalms

Psalm 39:5–6

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.

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
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

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Psalm 39:5 Psalm 144:4 · Psalm 89:47 · Psalm 90:9–10 · Psalm 62:9 · Ecclesiastes 2:11 · Psalm 39:11 · Job 14:1–2 · James 4:14 · Psalm 90:4–5 · Job 9:25–26 · Job 7:6 · Genesis 47:9

Psalm 39:6 Luke 12:20–21 · Ecclesiastes 2:26 · James 4:14 · 1 Corinthians 7:31 · Ecclesiastes 12:13 · Psalm 127:2 · Ecclesiastes 2:17–21 · Ecclesiastes 4:7–8 · Luke 12:29 · Ecclesiastes 5:14 · 1 Peter 5:7 · Ecclesiastes 6:11–12

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.