Psalms 90:6 Meaning and Explanation
“In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Grass blooms and matures by morning, yet is mowed down and withered by evening.
The Context of Psalms 90:6
The previous verse's grass metaphor is extended through a complete daily cycle.
What Does Psalms 90:6 Mean?
A single day—from morning to evening—completes the grass's entire cycle of growth and death. This accelerated timeline forces a confrontation: if a plant lives and dies in a day, what are our decades? The image is deliberately stark, collapsing time to show mortality as the natural rhythm of all life.
The verb 'flourisheth' suggests vigor and fullness, yet 'withereth' is its inevitable companion. There is no escape arc, no triumph over the evening. What grows in the morning is dust by sunset. The repetition of these images emphasizes their inescapability.
Psalms 90:6 in the Original Language
'withereth' (יִיבַשׁ, yibash) — literally becomes dry, suggesting loss of vitality and substance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 90:6
What does Psalms 90:6 mean?
Grass blooms and matures by morning, yet is mowed down and withered by evening.
What is the context of Psalms 90:6?
The previous verse's grass metaphor is extended through a complete daily cycle.