144:3 O Lord, of what importance is the human race, 1 that you should notice them?
Of what importance is mankind, 2 that you should be concerned about them? 3
144:4 People 4 are like a vapor,
their days like a shadow that disappears. 5
1 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.
2 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.
3 tn Heb “take account of him.” The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 describe God’s characteristic activity.
4 tn Heb “man,” or “mankind.”
5 tn Heb “his days [are] like a shadow that passes away,” that is, like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness. See Ps 102:11.