Psalms 78:39

78:38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

KJV

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He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn’t come again.

For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passes away, and comes not again.

78:40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! provoke: or, rebel against

What does Psalms 78:39 mean?

Psalms 78:39 is a verse in the book of Psalms, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include זָכַר (zâkar), בָּשָׂר (bâsâr), רוּחַ (rûwach).

Hebrew interlinear

For

rememberedזָכַרzâkar/zaw-kar'/H2142properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; to be male

that

they

were

but

flesh;בָּשָׂרbâsâr/baw-sawr'/H1320flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman

windרוּחַrûwach/roo'-akh/H7307wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)

that

passeth

away,הָלַךְhâlak/haw-lak'/H1980to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

and

cometh

not

again.שׁוּבshûwb/shoob/H7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again

Topics

Afflictions

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Psalms 78:39.

Genesis 3:8

And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. cool: Heb. wind

Genesis 32:6

And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

Genesis 6:17

And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

Genesis 6:3

And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

Genesis 7:15

And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.

Genesis 8:1

And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;

Genesis 8:3

And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. continually: Heb. in going and returning

Genesis 9:15

And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

Frequently asked questions

What does Psalms 78:39 say?

Psalms 78:39 (King James Version) reads: "For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again."

Is Psalms 78:39 in the Old or New Testament?

Psalms 78:39 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Psalms.

Reflect

As you read Psalms 78:39, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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