For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.
Parallel translations
- WEB For he knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust.
- KJV For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
- BSB For He knows our frame; He is mindful that we are dust.
- NKJV For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
- NASB For He Himself knows our form; He is mindful that we are nothing but dust.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God knows how we are made and remembers that we are dust. His compassion is informed by His tender awareness of our frailty.
Overview
The Creator who formed Adam from the dust understands the weakness of His creatures. Rather than despising our frailty, He pities it. This same God entered our dust in the incarnation, that the One who knows our weakness might also sympathize with and redeem us.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Eccl 12:7and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
- Ps 78:38–39But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and didn’t stir up all his wrath.
- Job 10:9Remember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay. Will you bring me into dust again?
- Ps 89:47Remember how short my time is! For what vanity have you created all the children of men!
- Gen 3:19By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
- Job 7:21Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be.”
- Job 7:5–7My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.
- Job 13:25Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?
- Isa 29:16You turn things upside down! Should the potter be thought to be like clay; that the thing made should say about him who made it, “He didn’t make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding?”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 103:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.