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Selected Verse: Psalms 146:4 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 146:4	King James	His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
His breath goeth forth - He dies like other people, no matter how exalted he is. See the notes at Isa 2:22. He returneth to his earth - See the notes at Psa 90:3. The earth - the dust - is "his" - (a) It is his, as that from which he was made: he turns back to what he was. Gen 3:19 : "dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (b) The earth - the dust - the grave is his, as it is his home - the place where he will abide. (c) It is his, as it is the only property which he has in reversion. All that a man - a prince, a nobleman, a monarch, a millionaire - will soon have will be his grave - his few feet of earth. That will be his by right of possession; by the fact that, for the time being, he will occupy it, and not another man. But that, too, may soon become another man's grave, so that even there he is a tenant only for a time; he has no permanent possession even of a grave. How poor is the richest man! In that very day - The very day - the moment - that he dies. His thoughts perish - His purposes; his schemes; his plans; his purposes of conquest and ambition; his schemes for becoming rich or great; his plans of building a house, and laying out his grounds, and enjoying life; his design of making a book, or taking a journey, or giving himself to ease and pleasure. Luk 12:19-20 : "and I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry; but God said unto him, Thou fool! this night thy soul shall be required of time." Such are all the purposes of men!

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

His breath goeth forth - He dies like other people, no matter how exalted he is. See the notes at Isa 2:22.

He returneth to his earth - See the notes at Psa 90:3. The earth - the dust - is "his" -

(a) It is his, as that from which he was made: he turns back to what he was. Gen 3:19 : "dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

(b) The earth - the dust - the grave is his, as it is his home - the place where he will abide.

(c) It is his, as it is the only property which he has in reversion. All that a man - a prince, a nobleman, a monarch, a millionaire - will soon have will be his grave - his few feet of earth. That will be his by right of possession; by the fact that, for the time being, he will occupy it, and not another man. But that, too, may soon become another man's grave, so that even there he is a tenant only for a time; he has no permanent possession even of a grave. How poor is the richest man!

In that very day - The very day - the moment - that he dies.

His thoughts perish - His purposes; his schemes; his plans; his purposes of conquest and ambition; his schemes for becoming rich or great; his plans of building a house, and laying out his grounds, and enjoying life; his design of making a book, or taking a journey, or giving himself to ease and pleasure. Luk 12:19-20 : "and I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry; but God said unto him, Thou fool! this night thy soul shall be required of time." Such are all the purposes of men!

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
That day - As soon as ever he is dead. Thoughts - All his designs and endeavours either for himself or for others.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

That day - As soon as ever he is dead. Thoughts - All his designs and endeavours either for himself or for others.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
His breath goeth forth - His existence depends merely, under God, on the air he breathes. When he ceases to respire he ceases to live; his body from that moment begins to claim its affinity to the earth; and all his thoughts, purposes, and projects, whether good or evil, come to nought and perish. He, then, who has no other dependence, must necessarily be miserable.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

His breath goeth forth - His existence depends merely, under God, on the air he breathes. When he ceases to respire he ceases to live; his body from that moment begins to claim its affinity to the earth; and all his thoughts, purposes, and projects, whether good or evil, come to nought and perish. He, then, who has no other dependence, must necessarily be miserable.

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