Psalms 89:45-47

89:45 You have cut short his youth, ¹ 

and have covered him with shame. (Selah)

89:46 How long, O Lord, will this last?

Will you remain hidden forever? ² 

Will your anger continue to burn like fire?

89:47 Take note of my brief lifespan! ³ 

Why do you make all people so mortal? ⁴ 

[89:45]  ¹ tn Heb “the days of his youth” (see as well Job 33:25).

[89:46]  ² tn Heb “How long, O Lord, will hide yourself forever?”

[89:47]  ³ tn Heb “remember me, what is [my] lifespan.” The Hebrew term חֶלֶד (kheled) is also used of one’s lifespan in Ps 39:5. Because the Hebrew text is so awkward here, some prefer to emend it to read מֶה חָדֵל אָנִי (meh khadel ’aniy, “[remember] how transient [that is, “short-lived”] I am”; see Ps 39:4).

[89:47]  ⁴ tn Heb “For what emptiness do you create all the sons of mankind?” In this context the term שָׁוְא (shavah) refers to mankind’s mortal nature and the brevity of life (see vv. 45, 48).