What does Psalms 89:47 mean?

"Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?" - Psalms 89:47

"Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?" - Psalms 89:47

The verse Psalms 89:47 in the King James Version of the Bible reads: "Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?"

This verse comes from the book of Psalms, which is a collection of religious poems and songs expressing a wide range of emotions, including praise, lament, and thanksgiving. Many of the psalms are attributed to King David, and they address various aspects of the human experience in relation to God. Psalm 89 in particular is a meditation on the covenant that God made with David and his descendants, and it reflects on the faithfulness and power of God.

The verse 47 of Psalm 89 is a reflection on the brevity of human life and the seeming purposelessness of human existence in light of this finite amount of time. The psalmist, likely King David, is expressing a sense of despair and questioning God about the meaning of life. The psalmist feels that life is short and asks why God would create all men in vain, or for no purpose.

This verse touches on a universal theme that has been contemplated by people throughout history: the brevity and ephemeral nature of life. The psalmist is grappling with the idea that human existence is fleeting, and is seeking to understand the purpose or meaning behind this seemingly short and futile existence. This theme is relevant to people of all cultures and time periods, as it reflects the universal human experience of mortality and the search for significance in the face of impermanence.

In the context of the entire psalm, verse 47 serves as a lament within a larger meditation on God's covenant with David. The psalmist is acknowledging the greatness and faithfulness of God, while also expressing feelings of despair and confusion about the nature of human existence. This verse is a deeply personal and emotional plea to God, reflecting the psalmist's inner turmoil and existential angst.

The symbolism in this verse lies in the imagery of the brevity of human life and the sense of futility that can accompany this realization. The idea of life being "short" symbolizes its transience and impermanence, while the notion of being "made in vain" signifies the existential struggle to find meaning and purpose in the face of mortality. The verse also symbolizes the deep longing and questioning that can arise in the human soul as it grapples with the mysteries of existence and seeks to understand the divine.

Ultimately, this verse in Psalm 89 reflects the raw and authentic emotions of the human heart as it confronts the paradox of fleeting life and the search for meaning. It serves as a poignant reminder of the universal human experience of mortality and the longing for significance. In the larger context of the psalm, it also points to the profound relationship between humanity and the divine, and the deep yearning for understanding and connection with God.

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Psalms 89:47 Artwork

Psalms 89:47 - "Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?"

Psalms 89:47 - "Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?"

"Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?" - Psalms 89:47

"Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?" - Psalms 89:47

Psalms 89:41 - "All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours."

Psalms 89:41 - "All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours."

"Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen." - Psalms 89:52

"Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen." - Psalms 89:52

Psalms 89:15 - "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance."

Psalms 89:15 - "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance."

"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven." - Psalms 119:89

"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven." - Psalms 119:89

Psalms 89:52 - "Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen."

Psalms 89:52 - "Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen."

Psalms 89:31 - "If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;"

Psalms 89:31 - "If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;"

Psalms 89:32 - "Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes."

Psalms 89:32 - "Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes."

Psalms 119:89 - "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."

Psalms 119:89 - "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."

Psalms 89:18 - "For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king."

Psalms 89:18 - "For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king."

Psalms 89:30 - "If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;"

Psalms 89:30 - "If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;"

Psalms 89:37 - "It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah."

Psalms 89:37 - "It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah."

"Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth." - Psalms 89:27

"Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth." - Psalms 89:27

Psalms 89:27 - "Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth."

Psalms 89:27 - "Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth."

Psalms 89:35 - "Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David."

Psalms 89:35 - "Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David."

Psalms 89:36 - "His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me."

Psalms 89:36 - "His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me."

Psalms 89:16 - "In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted."

Psalms 89:16 - "In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted."

Psalms 89:17 - "For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted."

Psalms 89:17 - "For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted."

Psalms 89:22 - "The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him."

Psalms 89:22 - "The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him."

Psalms 89:25 - "I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers."

Psalms 89:25 - "I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers."

Psalms 89:34 - "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips."

Psalms 89:34 - "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips."

Psalms 89:21 - "With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him."

Psalms 89:21 - "With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him."

Psalms 89:29 - "His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven."

Psalms 89:29 - "His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven."

Psalms 89:13 - "Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand."

Psalms 89:13 - "Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand."

Psalms 89:7 - "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him."

Psalms 89:7 - "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him."

Psalms 89:9 - "Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them."

Psalms 89:9 - "Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them."

Psalms 89:38 - "But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed."

Psalms 89:38 - "But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed."

Psalms 89:44 - "Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground."

Psalms 89:44 - "Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground."

"His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven." - Psalms 89:29

"His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven." - Psalms 89:29