Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 4. What is man ] wna hm mah enosh, what is wretched, miserable man; man in his fallen state, full of infirmity, ignorance, and sin? That thou art mindful of him? - That thou settest thy heart upon him, keepest him continually in thy merciful view.
And the son of man ] µda bw uben Adam, and the son of Adam, the first great rebel; the fallen child of a fallen parent. See the note on Job vii. 17.
Some think eminent men are here intended. What is man in common; what the most eminent men; that thou shouldst be mindful of them, or deign to visit them? That thou visitest him? - By sending thy Holy Spirit to convince him of sin, righteousness, and judgment. It is by these visits that man is preserved in a salvable state. Were God to withhold them, there would be nothing in the soul of man but sin, darkness, hardness, corruption, and death.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 3-9 - We are to consider the heavens, that man thus may be directed to se his affections on things above. What is man, so mean a creature, tha he should be thus honoured! so sinful a creature, that he should be thus favoured! Man has sovereign dominion over the inferior creatures under God, and is appointed their lord. This refers to Christ. In He 2:6-8, the apostle, to prove the sovereign dominion of Christ, shows he is that Man, that Son of man, here spoken of, whom God has made to have dominion over the works of his hands. The greatest favour ever showe to the human race, and the greatest honour ever put upon human nature were exemplified in the Lord Jesus. With good reason does the psalmis conclude as he began, Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth which has been honoured with the presence of the Redeemer, and is stil enlightened by his gospel, and governed by his wisdom and power! What words can reach his praises, who has a right to our obedience as ou Redeemer _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew מה4100 אנושׁ582 כי3588 תזכרנו2142 ובן1121 אדם120 כי3588 תפקדנו׃6485
