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Selected Verse: Psalms 144:4 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ps 144:4 |
King James |
Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Man is like to vanity - See the notes at Psa 39:5-6; Psa 62:9. The idea here is, that man can be compared only with that which is utterly vain - which is emptiness - which is nothing.
His days are as a shadow that passeth away - See the notes at Psa 102:11 : "My days are like a shadow that declineth." The idea is essentially the same. It is, that as a shadow has no substance, and that as it moves along constantly as the sun declines, until it vanishes altogether, so man has nothing substantial or permanent, and so he is constantly moving off and will soon wholly disappear. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Man is like to vanity - אדם להבל דמה Adam lahebel damah, literally, Adam is like to Abel, exposed to the same miseries, accidents, and murderers; for in millions of cases the hands of brothers are lifted up to shed the blood of brothers. What are wars but fratricide in the great human family?
His days are as a shadow - The life of Abel was promissory of much blessedness; but it afforded merely the shadow of happiness. He was pure and holy, beloved of his parents, and beloved of God; but, becoming the object of his brother's envy, his life became a sacrifice to his piety. |
11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.
9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
5 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.
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.