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The Shortness of Human Life

Lord, help me understand my end.
What is the limit of my days?
Let me know how fleeting I am.
See, you have cut short my days.[a]
My brief time before you is like nothing.
Indeed, every person, even at his best,
    is just a puff of air.[b] Interlude
A man flickers like a mirage.
He really has no more effect than a breeze.[c]
He piles things up, never knowing who will get them.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39:5 Literally made them a few handbreadths. A handbreadth is about three inches.
  2. Psalm 39:5 Or a vapor that vanishes
  3. Psalm 39:6 Or he is all worked up for nothing

“Show me, Lord, my life’s end
    and the number of my days;(A)
    let me know how fleeting(B) my life is.(C)
You have made my days(D) a mere handbreadth;
    the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,(E)
    even those who seem secure.[a]

“Surely everyone goes around(F) like a mere phantom;(G)
    in vain they rush about,(H) heaping up wealth(I)
    without knowing whose it will finally be.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 11.

Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.

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.

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.

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