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Selected Verse: Psalms 144:3 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ps 144:3 |
King James |
LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him! |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? - The sentiment here is the same as in Psa 8:4, though the language is not precisely the same. See the notes at that passage. The word rendered "that thou takest knowledge of him," means here to take notice of; to regard. The idea is, It is amazing that a being so insignificant as man should be an object of interest to God, or that One so great should pay any attention to him and to his affairs. In Psa 8:4, the language is "that thou art mindful of him," that is, that thou dost remember him - that thou dost not altogether pass him over. In Psa 8:1-9 the remark is made in view of the heavens as being so exalted in comparison with man, and the wonder is, that in view of worlds so vast occupying the divine attention, and needing the divine care, "man," so insignificant, does not pass out of his view altogether. Here the remark seems to be made in illustration of the idea that there is no strength in man; that he has no power to accomplish anything of himself; that he is entirely dependent on God.
Or the son of man - Man - any of the race. See the notes at Psa 8:4.
That thou makest account of him! - Psa 8:4, "that thou visitest him." See the notes at that passage. The word here means "that thou shouldest "think" of him," that he should ever come into thy thought at all. |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
| It is evident that Psa 144:3 is a variation of Psa 8:5 with the use of other verbs. ידע in the sense of loving intimacy; חשּׁב, properly to count, compute, here rationem habere. Instead of כּי followed by the future there are consecutive futures here, and בּן־אדם is aramaizingly (בּר אנשׁ) metamorphosed into בּן־אנושׁ. Psa 144:4 is just such another imitation, like a miniature of Psa 39:6., Psa 39:11, cf. Psa 62:10. The figure of the shadow is the same as in Psa 102:12, cf. Psa 109:23. The connection of the third stanza with the second is still more disrupt than that of the second with the first. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| Lord, what is man - See the notes on Psa 8:4, Psa 8:5. What is Adam, that thou approvest of him? Can he do any thing worthy of thy notice? Or the son of feeble perishing man, that thou shouldest hold him in repute? What care, love, and attention, dost thou lavish upon him! |
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
1 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
23 I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.
12 But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
10 Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.
6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
4 Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
3 LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?