LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
Psalm 144:3 is David’s humble wonder at God’s regard for man. He has just blessed Jehovah as his strength, goodness, fortress, high tower, deliverer, shield, and the One who subdues his people under him (vv.1-2). David is a king and warrior, but the greatness of God’s help does not increase his opinion of himself. It lowers it. He looks from the God who trains his hands, protects his life, and establishes his rule to the frailty of man and asks why such a God would take knowledge of him at all. Verse 4 immediately supplies the contrast: man is like to vanity, and his days pass like a shadow.
“LORD.” David begins with Jehovah. “LORD” declares the name of God, the self-existent and faithful One, Jehovah. The question cannot be understood by considering man alone; man appears small because David first sees the greatness of God. The LORD is the One who teaches his hands to war and his fingers to fight, who is his fortress and deliverer, and who rules over nations and kings (vv.1-2,10). David therefore does not compare man with other men. He compares man with God. This is the beginning of humility. When men compare themselves among themselves, one may easily appear strong, wise, important, or successful. When a man considers himself before Jehovah, boasting disappears.
“What is man.” David speaks these words to the LORD, and in the King James Bible the sentence closes with an exclamation mark, not a question mark. It is the language of worship, not inquiry: David is not asking for a definition of man but marvelling that the LORD should take knowledge of him at all. The psalm gives its own answer at once: “Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away” (v.4). “The son of man” in this verse repeats “man” in parallel and means frail mankind, as verse 4 shows. David had wondered the same thing when God promised him a house: “Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?” (2 Samuel 7:18).
This is especially striking from David. He had received a throne, victories, skill in battle, deliverance from enemies, and honour among the people, yet he does not ask what great quality in himself caused God to favour him. Every ability named in the opening verses came from the LORD, who taught his hands to war and subdued his people under him (vv.1-2). Paul puts the same question to every proud heart: “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Whatever distinguishes one man from another gives no ground for pride when it was received from God.
“That thou takest knowledge of him!” God knows all things, so David means more than bare awareness that man exists. The context speaks of God’s particular regard, care, help, and dealings with him. Jehovah knows David in his battles, dangers, duties, and need. The God who governs heaven takes knowledge of one weak servant on earth. Such knowledge should produce both comfort and fear. It comforts the saint because he is never overlooked, even when surrounded by strange children and hurtful swords (vv.7-11). But divine knowledge also searches conduct. “For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish” (Psalm 1:6). To be known by God should make His servant both secure and careful.
“Or the son of man.” The second phrase repeats the thought by emphasizing human descent and frailty. Here “son of man” describes a human being, not a second class of creature and not, by itself in this verse, a direct title for Christ. A son of man is born of man, shares man’s weakness, and soon passes away. David sits on a throne, but he remains a son of man. The crown cannot stop age, disease, weakness, or death. Nations celebrate rulers, armies magnify commanders, businesses praise successful men, and individuals delight in reputation; but every son of man remains dependent upon God for breath and life. David’s next words about man’s passing days forbid pride in temporary greatness (v.4).
“That thou makest account of him!” God does make account of man. David marvels not only that Jehovah knows him, but that He regards him enough to act for him. The opening of the psalm proves it. God trains, protects, shelters, delivers, and establishes His servant. Man’s frailty does not limit God’s ability to care for him. David’s worth is not the measure of Jehovah’s goodness. There is therefore no contradiction between humility and confidence. David can confess his smallness and still ask boldly for divine help. Pride says a man can stand by himself; humility knows why he must pray. “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6).
The wonder of God’s regard for man reaches still higher in Jesus Christ. The eternal Word “was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). He did not cease to be God, but truly took human nature and entered the world of weak and dying men. Psalm 8 uses language like David’s question here, and Hebrews applies that psalm to Christ’s humiliation and glory (Hebrews 2:6-9). The God who takes knowledge of man did more than observe human weakness from afar; in Jesus Christ the Word was made flesh for the redemption of His people.
Think little of yourself and greatly of God. Receive every ability, protection, office, and success as His gift, and let His care produce gratitude rather than pride. When God makes account of frail man, the proper answer is wonder, humility, and praise.
LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
Psalm 144:3 is David’s humble wonder at God’s regard for man. He has just blessed Jehovah as his strength, goodness, fortress, high tower, deliverer, shield, and the One who subdues his people under him (vv.1-2). David is a king and warrior, but the greatness of God’s help does not increase his opinion of himself. It lowers it. He looks from the God who trains his hands, protects his life, and establishes his rule to the frailty of man and asks why such a God would take knowledge of him at all. Verse 4 immediately supplies the contrast: man is like to vanity, and his days pass like a shadow.
“LORD.” David begins with Jehovah. “LORD” declares the name of God, the self-existent and faithful One, Jehovah. The question cannot be understood by considering man alone; man appears small because David first sees the greatness of God. The LORD is the One who teaches his hands to war and his fingers to fight, who is his fortress and deliverer, and who rules over nations and kings (vv.1-2,10). David therefore does not compare man with other men. He compares man with God. This is the beginning of humility. When men compare themselves among themselves, one may easily appear strong, wise, important, or successful. When a man considers himself before Jehovah, boasting disappears.
“What is man.” David speaks these words to the LORD, and in the King James Bible the sentence closes with an exclamation mark, not a question mark. It is the language of worship, not inquiry: David is not asking for a definition of man but marvelling that the LORD should take knowledge of him at all. The psalm gives its own answer at once: “Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away” (v.4). “The son of man” in this verse repeats “man” in parallel and means frail mankind, as verse 4 shows. David had wondered the same thing when God promised him a house: “Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?” (2 Samuel 7:18).
This is especially striking from David. He had received a throne, victories, skill in battle, deliverance from enemies, and honour among the people, yet he does not ask what great quality in himself caused God to favour him. Every ability named in the opening verses came from the LORD, who taught his hands to war and subdued his people under him (vv.1-2). Paul puts the same question to every proud heart: “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Whatever distinguishes one man from another gives no ground for pride when it was received from God.
“That thou takest knowledge of him!” God knows all things, so David means more than bare awareness that man exists. The context speaks of God’s particular regard, care, help, and dealings with him. Jehovah knows David in his battles, dangers, duties, and need. The God who governs heaven takes knowledge of one weak servant on earth. Such knowledge should produce both comfort and fear. It comforts the saint because he is never overlooked, even when surrounded by strange children and hurtful swords (vv.7-11). But divine knowledge also searches conduct. “For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish” (Psalm 1:6). To be known by God should make His servant both secure and careful.
“Or the son of man.” The second phrase repeats the thought by emphasizing human descent and frailty. Here “son of man” describes a human being, not a second class of creature and not, by itself in this verse, a direct title for Christ. A son of man is born of man, shares man’s weakness, and soon passes away. David sits on a throne, but he remains a son of man. The crown cannot stop age, disease, weakness, or death. Nations celebrate rulers, armies magnify commanders, businesses praise successful men, and individuals delight in reputation; but every son of man remains dependent upon God for breath and life. David’s next words about man’s passing days forbid pride in temporary greatness (v.4).
“That thou makest account of him!” God does make account of man. David marvels not only that Jehovah knows him, but that He regards him enough to act for him. The opening of the psalm proves it. God trains, protects, shelters, delivers, and establishes His servant. Man’s frailty does not limit God’s ability to care for him. David’s worth is not the measure of Jehovah’s goodness. There is therefore no contradiction between humility and confidence. David can confess his smallness and still ask boldly for divine help. Pride says a man can stand by himself; humility knows why he must pray. “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6).
The wonder of God’s regard for man reaches still higher in Jesus Christ. The eternal Word “was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). He did not cease to be God, but truly took human nature and entered the world of weak and dying men. Psalm 8 uses language like David’s question here, and Hebrews applies that psalm to Christ’s humiliation and glory (Hebrews 2:6-9). The God who takes knowledge of man did more than observe human weakness from afar; in Jesus Christ the Word was made flesh for the redemption of His people.
Think little of yourself and greatly of God. Receive every ability, protection, office, and success as His gift, and let His care produce gratitude rather than pride. When God makes account of frail man, the proper answer is wonder, humility, and praise.