Psalms 144:3

“Lord, what [is] man, that thou takest knowledge of him? etc.] Man, that is at most and best but a creature, made of the dust of the earth, is but dust and ashes; yea, a sinful creature, that drinks up iniquity like water: and yet the Lord not only knows him, as he is the omniscient God, but takes notice of him in a way of providence, and in a way of grace. His chosen people are no other nor better than others, of the same original, and of the same character; and yet he owns and acknowledges them as his peculiar people, and makes himself known unto them: and so it is rendered by the Septuagint version, “that thou shouldest be known unto him?” or, “appear to him?” as the Arabic; reveal thyself…”

“Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? - The sentiment here is the same as in Psalms 8:4, though the language is not precisely the same. See the notes at that passage. The word rendered “that thou takest knowledge of him,” means here to take notice of; to regard. The idea is, It is amazing that a being so insignificant as man should be an object of interest to God, or that One so great should pay any attention to him and to his affairs. In Psalms 8:4, the language is “that thou art mindful of him,” that is, that thou dost remember him - that thou dost not altogether pass him over. In Psalms 8:1-9 the remark is made in view of the heavens as being so exalted in comparison with…”

“144:3-4 what are human beings? The same question in 8:4-6 elicits the answer that humans are mere mortals but are also glorious rulers. The psalmist depicts humans as having a transitory, empty existence (see 90:3, 7-10; 102:11; 109:23; 146:4).”

“what is man: Psa 8:4; Job 7:17, Job 15:14; Heb 2:6 or the son: Psa 146:3, Psa 146:4 Psalms 144:4”

“It is evident that Psa 144:3 is a variation of Psa 8:5 with the use of other verbs. ידע in the sense of loving intimacy; חשּׁב, properly to count, compute, here rationem habere. Instead of כּי followed by the future there are consecutive futures here, and בּן־אדם is aramaizingly (בּר אנשׁ) metamorphosed into בּן־אנושׁ. Psa 144:4 is just such another imitation, like a miniature of Psa 39:6., Psa 39:11, cf. Psa 62:10. The figure of the shadow is the same as in Psa 102:12, cf. Psa 109:23. The connection of the third stanza with the second is still more disrupt than that of the second with the first. Psalms 144:5”