Psalms 39:11
in Psalms 39You discipline and correct a man for his iniquity, consuming like a moth what he holds dear; surely each man is but a vapor. Selah
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: Surely every man is vanity. [Selah
KJV
When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.
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This verse in Psalms 39
Commentary
4 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
From his own case, he argues to that of all, that the destruction of man's enjoyments is ascribable to sin. Consonant with the tenor of the Psalm, he prays for God's compassionate regard to him as a stranger here; and that, as such was the condition of his fathers, so, like them, he may be cheered instead of being bound under wrath and chastened in displeasure.
This site's exposition
Remove Your scourge from me
on Psalms 39:10-11
The petition asks for the scourge to be lifted, and it names God's hand as the force behind it. Discipline for iniquity eats what a man holds dear, the way a moth eats cloth. Each man is a vapor.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Beauty - His comeliness and all his excellencies or felicities. Moth - As a moth consumeth a garment, to which God compares himself and his judgments, secretly and insensibly consuming a people, Isaiah li, 8.
(2.) He pleads the good impressions made upon him by his affliction. He hoped that the end was accomplished for which it was sent, and that therefore it would be removed in mercy; and unless an affliction has done its work, though it may be removed, it is not removed in mercy. [1.] It had set him a weeping, and he hoped God would take notice of that.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
because You have done it For You brought upon us trouble more than all nations.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
With rebukes that are written in the Torah for our iniquities that we have sinned before You and for which You chastised us.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בְּֽתוֹכָ֘ח֤וֹת | betokhachot | with rebukes | H8433 → | 28 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| עָוֹ֨ן׀ | ʾavon | iniquity | H5771 → | 233 times |
| יִסַּ֬רְתָּ | yisarta | you have disciplined | H3256 → | 43 times |
| אִ֗ישׁ | ʾish | a person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| וַתֶּ֣מֶס | vatemes | and you have melted | H4529 → | 4 times |
| כָּעָ֣שׁ | kaash | like <the> moth | H6211 → | |
| חֲמוּד֑וֹ | chamudo | desired [thing] his | H2530 → | 25 times |
| אַ֤ךְ | ʾakh | [is] only | H389 → | 161 times |
| הֶ֖בֶל | hevel | vanity | H1892 → | 73 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אָדָ֣ם | ʾadam | humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
| סֶֽלָה׃ | selah | Selah | H5542 → | 74 times |
בְּֽתוֹכָ֘ח֤וֹתwith rebukes
betokhachotH8433 →28 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
עָוֹ֨ן׀iniquity
ʾavonH5771 →233 times
יִסַּ֬רְתָּyou have disciplined
yisartaH3256 →43 times
אִ֗ישׁa person
ʾishH376 →1663 times
וַתֶּ֣מֶסand you have melted
vatemesH4529 →4 times
כָּעָ֣שׁlike <the> moth
kaashH6211 →
חֲמוּד֑וֹdesired [thing] his
chamudoH2530 →25 times
אַ֤ךְ[is] only
ʾakhH389 →161 times
הֶ֖בֶלvanity
hevelH1892 →73 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אָדָ֣םhumankind
ʾadamH120 →551 times
סֶֽלָה׃Selah
selahH5542 →74 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 12:6For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”
it leads to
- Revelation 3:19
Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
- Proverbs 3:12
for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.
- Psalms 119:75
I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
- Proverbs 13:24
He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.
- Psalms 94:12
Blessed is the man You discipline, O LORD, and teach from Your law,
- Revelation 3:19
Through
Revelation 3:19Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
it leads to
- Proverbs 3:11–12
My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;
- 1 Corinthians 11:32
But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
- Hebrews 12:5–11
And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.
- Proverbs 3:11–12
About Psalms
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.