Mazmur 66:12

66:12 You allowed men to ride over our heads;

we passed through fire and water,

but you brought us out into a wide open place. ¹ 

Mazmur 73:5

73:5 They are immune to the trouble common to men;

they do not suffer as other men do. ² 

Mazmur 90:3

90:3 You make mankind return ³  to the dust, ⁴ 

and say, “Return, O people!”

Mazmur 103:15

103:15 A person’s life is like grass. ⁵ 

Like a flower in the field it flourishes,

Mazmur 144:3

144:3 O Lord, of what importance is the human race, ⁶  that you should notice them?

Of what importance is mankind, ⁷  that you should be concerned about them? ⁸ 

[66:12]  ¹ tc The MT reads רְוָיָה (“saturation”) but this should be emended to רְוָחָה (rÿvakhah, “wide open place”; i.e., “relief”), a reading supported by several ancient versions (LXX, Syriac, Jerome, Targum).

[73:5]  ² tn Heb “in the trouble of man they are not, and with mankind they are not afflicted.”

[90:3]  ³ tn In this context the shortened prefix form does not function as a preterite, but indicates what is typical of the world.

[90:3]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew term דַּכָּא (daka’) carries the basic sense of “crushed.” Elsewhere it refers to those who are “crushed” in spirit or contrite of heart (see Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15). If one understands this nuance here, then v. 3 is observing that God leads mankind to repentance (the term שׁוּב, shuv, “return,” which appears twice in this verse, is sometimes used of repentance.) However, the following context laments mankind’s mortality and the brevity of life, so it is doubtful if v. 3 should be understood so positively. It is more likely that דַּכָּא here refers to “crushed matter,” that is, the dust that fills the grave (see HALOT 221 s.v. s.v. I דַּכָּא; BDB 194 s.v. דַּכָּא). In this case one may hear an echo of Gen 3:19.

[103:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “[as for] mankind, like grass [are] his days.” The Hebrew noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh) is used here generically of human beings. What is said is true of all mankind.

[144:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “What is mankind?” The singular noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh) is used here in a collective sense and refers to the human race. See Ps 8:5.

[144:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “and the son of man.” The phrase “son of man” is used here in a collective sense and refers to human beings. For other uses of the phrase in a collective or representative manner, see Num 23:19; Ps 146:3; Isa 51:12.

[144:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “take account of him.” The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 describe God’s characteristic activity.