Clarke's Bible Commentary - Psalms 38:5
Verse 5. My days as a handbreadth ] My life is but a span; spiqamh tou biou. And mine age is as nothing ] yak keein, as if at were not before thee. All time is swallowed up in thy eternity.
Verily every man at his best state ] bxn µda lk col adam nitstab, "every man that exists, is vanity." All his projects, plans, schemes, &c., soon come to nothing. His body also moulders with the dust, and shortly passes both from the sight and remembrance of men.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - If an evil thought should arise in the mind, suppress it. Watchfulnes in the habit, is the bridle upon the head; watchfulness in acts, is the hand upon the bridle. When not able to separate from wicked men, we should remember they will watch our words, and turn them, if they can to our disadvantage. Sometimes it may be necessary to keep silence even from good words; but in general we are wrong when backward to engage in edifying discourse. Impatience is a sin that has its caus within ourselves, and that is, musing; and its ill effects upo ourselves, and that is no less than burning. In our greatest health an prosperity, every man is altogether vanity, he cannot live long; he ma die soon. This is an undoubted truth, but we are very unwilling to believe it. Therefore let us pray that God would enlighten our minds by his Holy Spirit, and fill our hearts with his grace, that we may be ready for death every day and hour.
Original Hebrew
הנה 2009 טפחות 2947 נתתה 5414 ימי 3117 וחלדי 2465 כאין 369 נגדך 5048 אך 389 כל 3605 הבל 1892 כל 3605 אדם 120 נצב 5324 סלה׃ 5542
