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Psalm 144 · a question people ask

"LORD, what is man, that you care for him?" (144:3). Isn't this the verse the New Testament applies to Jesus?

In the text

Hebrews gives the question this way: "What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him?" (Hebrews 2:6). Its order, think of and then care for, is Psalm 8's: "what is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:4). Psalm 144 has them the other way round: "LORD, what is man, that you care for him? Or the son of man, that you think of him?" (Psalm 144:3). And Hebrews goes on with the words that follow in Psalm 8: "You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor" (Hebrews 2:7). Psalm 144 goes on, "Man is like a breath" (Psalm 144:4). Then Hebrews says, "But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus" (Hebrews 2:9). So the words Hebrews quotes are Psalm 8's, and the chapter on Psalm 8 follows that line to Jesus. Psalm 144 asks the same question in its own words, and these notes don't give it a line Hebrews doesn't draw.

The verses

“LORD, what is man, that you care for him? Or the son of man, that you think of him? Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.”
Psalm 144:3-4 · World English Bible
“what is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him? For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor.”
Psalm 8:4-5 · World English Bible
“But one has somewhere testified, saying, “What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we don’t yet see all things subjected to him. But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.”
Hebrews 2:6-9 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 144

Psalm 144: Blessed be the LORD, my rock

Psalm 144 shares many of Psalm 18's Hebrew words, the heavens bowed, the arrows and lightning, the great waters, and asks for what Psalm 18 tells as done. It asks Psalm 8's question in its own Hebrew, and its care for is yada, know (144:3). It prays "Rescue me" twice, and ends with Happy twice: "Happy are the people whose God is the LORD" (144:15).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions