Even in his prime, when he feels most secure, humanity is "mere breath" before God. The Psalmist highlights that true stability isn't found in our own strength or accomplishments, but in recognizing our absolute dependence on the Eternal.
Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Psalmist has been contemplating his own sin and its consequences, leading him to confess his frailty and ask God to reveal the end of his days. This verse serves as a profound realization that even without divine chastisement, human life is incredibly brief and insignificant when compared to God's eternal perspective. David acknowledges that his days are fleeting, and all humanity, even at its peak, is ultimately like a puff of air.
Ever feel like time is just slipping through your fingers? This verse offers a profound perspective on just how short life is, especially when viewed through God's eternal lens.
The psalmist uses vivid imagery to express the extreme brevity of human life. He compares his days to a 'handbreadth' – a tiny, measurable amount, about the width of four fingers.
We often strive for significance, for something lasting. But what if the very essence of human existence, even at its peak, is something incredibly fleeting?
The psalmist drives home the point with the powerful image of humanity as 'a mere breath.'
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Amidst the stark pronouncements about life's brevity, there's an intentional pause marked by 'Selah.' What is this pause meant to teach us?
The word 'Selah' appears throughout the Psalms, often indicating a musical interlude or, more importantly, a moment for reflection and deeper consideration.
Understand the original words
selah · Hebrew Noun/Musical notation
A term used in the Psalms, likely a musical or liturgical instruction, indicating a pause for reflection or a crescendo in the preceding thought.
hebel · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor for the frailty, transience, and lack of substance in human life compared to the eternal nature of God.
tselem · Hebrew Noun
A fleeting, insubstantial, or transitory existence. It highlights the brevity and lack of permanence of human life compared to the eternal nature of God.
hamah · Hebrew Verb
Disturbance, agitation, or confusion. In this context, it refers to the useless, noisy, or restless activity of people seeking temporal gains.
This passage echoes the sentiment of Psalm 39:5 by highlighting humanity's brief and troubled existence, emphasizing how fleeting and uncertain life is, much like the brevity described by a 'handbreadth'.
Psalm 90:12This verse directly asks for wisdom to number our days, acknowledging their brevity, which aligns with the Psalmist's contemplation of life's shortness in Psalm 39:5.
Isaiah 40:6-8This passage vividly describes the transience of human glory and life, comparing it to grass that withers and flowers that fade, reinforcing the idea that all flesh is like a 'mere breath' before God's eternal word.
James 4:14This New Testament verse directly parallels Psalm 39:5 by likening human life to a 'mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes,' underscoring the fragility and impermanence of our existence.
calvinPsalms 39:4-6: "LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am."
- O Jehovah! cause me to know my end, and the number of my days, that I may understand how long I may live. [64] 5. Behold, thou hast made my days as a hand-breadth, and mine age as if it were nothing before thee: truly every man, while he standeth, is wholly vanity. Selah. 6. Surely man walketh in a shadow; surely he disquieteth himself in vain: they heap together [riches,…
bensonPsalms 39:5: "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."
Psalm 39:5 . Behold, thou hast made my days as a hand-breadth — The breadth of four fingers, a certain dimension, a small one, and the measure whereof we have always about us, always before our eyes. We need no rod, no measuring-line, wherewith to take the dimension of our days, nor any skill in arithmetic wherewith to compute t…
Even in his prime, when he feels most secure, humanity is "mere breath" before God. The Psalmist highlights that true stability isn't found in our own strength or accomplishments, but in recognizing our absolute dependence on the Eternal.
The Psalmist has been contemplating his own sin and its consequences, leading him to confess his frailty and ask God to reveal the end of his days. This verse serves as a profound realization that even without divine chastisement, human life is incredibly brief and insignificant when compared to God's eternal perspective. David acknowledges that his days are fleeting, and all humanity, even at its peak, is ultimately like a puff of air.
The Psalmist has been contemplating his own sin and its consequences, leading him to confess his frailty and ask God to reveal the end of his days. This verse serves as a profound realization that even without divine chastisement, human life is incredibly brief and insignificant when compared to God's eternal perspective. David acknowledges that his days are fleeting, and all humanity, even at its peak, is ultimately like a puff of air.
"Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;…" — Even in his prime, when he feels most secure, humanity is "mere breath" before God. The Psalmist highlights that true stability isn't found in our own strength or accomplishments, but in recognizing…
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Last reviewed October 2026
