Psalms 103:15
What does Psalms 103:15 mean?
A plain-English look at Psalms 103:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Psalms 103:15 means
This verse starkly illustrates the brevity and fragility of human life, comparing man's days to the short-lived existence of grass and a field flower. Like vegetation that sprouts quickly and flourishes, human life appears for a time with vibrancy and beauty. This imagery emphasizes the temporary and fleeting nature of our earthly existence, setting the stage for a profound contrast with God's eternal enduring nature in the following verses.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000As for man, his days are as grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
KJV
King James Version · 1611As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901As for man, his days are as grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949As for man, his days are as grass: his beautiful growth is like the flower of the field.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Mortal man! as grass <FI>are<Fi> his days, As a flower of the field so he flourisheth;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And that wine may cheer the heart of man. That he may make the face cheerful with oil: and that bread may strengthen man's heart.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth:
Context
After explaining God's pity due to His knowledge of human frailty in verse 14, this verse vividly describes that frailty through the metaphor of grass and flowers. It introduces the theme of human transience, which is immediately reinforced and deepened in verse 16, preparing the reader for the glorious contrast with God's everlasting lovingkindness in verse 17.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Nahum 1:4
He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel; and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
- Isaiah 28:1
Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are overcome with wine!
- James 1:10
and the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
- Isaiah 28:4
and the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
- Job 14:1
Man, that is born of a woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble.
- Isaiah 51:12
I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou art afraid of man that shall die, and of the son of man that shall be made as grass;
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