| Psalms 38:6
| Behold thou hast made my days measurable: and my substance is as nothing before thee. And indeed all things are vanity: every man living.
| Measurable. Hebrew, "of a hand's breadth." (Haydock) --- Symmachus, "a spithame, or twelve fingers' breadth," perhaps in allusion to the Greek proverb, a "spithame of life;" which denotes one very short. (Drusius) --- The Greek copies vary: some read, (Calmet) with the Vatican palaias, "ancient;" and others of the palestra with the Alexandrian palaistas, or "contentious." I am obliged always to wrestle with my adversaries. (Grotius) --- My days are short, and spent in conflicts. (Haydock) --- St. Chrysostom, St. Ambrose, etc., mention both. The former word is adopted by the Arabic, Ethiopic, etc.; but the Hebrew has tephachoth, "of a palm," or four fingers' breadth; (Calmet) and St. Jerome breves, "short." (Haydock) --- Substance. St. Jerome, "life." Hebrew, "age." --- Living. Hebrew, "standing," how well soever he may seem to be established. Protestants, "at his best estate, is altogether vanity. Selah." (Haydock) --- The wisest of men confirms this at large, Ecclesiastes 1:1. (Calmet) (James 4:14.) --- "What is this long while which has an end?" (Cicero, pro. Marcel.) (Menochius)
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