Psalm 39:6

Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Cross-references

Psalm 49:10 Parallel

Psalm 49:10 states that all leave their wealth to others, directly paralleling the uncertainty of who gets the heaped-up wealth.

Psalm 62:10 Related theme

Psalm 62:10 warns against setting your heart on riches — reinforcing the futility of wealth accumulation described here.

Psalm 73:20 Related theme

Psalm 73:20 compares the wicked to a dream that vanishes — echoing the 'shadow' imagery of life's transience here.

Psalm 89:47 Related theme

Psalm 89:47 laments the shortness of life and vanity of mankind — directly paralleling the reflection on life's futility here.

In Psalm 102:11, life as a passing shadow echoes the same image of human transience and futility.

Psalm 127:2 Related theme

Psalm 127:2 calls anxious toil 'in vain', directly mirroring the turmoil and uncertainty of heaping wealth.

Psalm 144:4 Parallel

Psalm 144:4 says man is like a breath and a passing shadow — a direct parallel to the shadow imagery.

Job 27:16 Parallel

Job 27:16 describes heaping up silver like dust, using similar imagery of accumulating wealth in vain.

James 4:14 Parallel

James 4:14 describes life as a vanishing mist, directly paralleling the 'phantom' imagery of Psalm 39:6 and the brevity of life.

1 Corinthians 7:31 echoes the vanity of worldly pursuits — the world is passing away, just as Psalm 39:6 says heaping wealth is vain.

Luke 12:21 Allusion

Luke 12:21 applies the parable: storing up for self but not being rich toward God is futile, reinforcing the vanity of heaping wealth.

Luke 12:20 Allusion

Luke 12:20 directly echoes the rich fool whose wealth goes to another, exactly illustrating the uncertainty of who gets the heaped-up wealth.

Ecclesiastes 6:12 uses the same 'shadow' imagery and questions what comes after, mirroring the uncertainty of the heir.

Ecclesiastes 4:8 describes a solitary man who never asks 'for whom do I toil?'—directly echoing the unknown gatherer of riches.

Ecclesiastes 2:21 gives a concrete example: a wise man must leave his heritage to one who never labored—identical to the unknown heir.

Ecclesiastes 2:18 directly mirrors the anxiety of leaving labor to another, hating toil because it must be left behind.

Ecclesiastes 1:14 declares all is meaningless, chasing wind — directly echoing the 'phantom' and vain wealth of Psalm 39:6.

In Ecclesiastes 2:17, the Preacher echoes the same despair over futile labor, calling life 'vanity and grasping for the wind'.

Job 27:17 Parallel

Job 27:17 reveals that the righteous will inherit what the wicked piled up, answering the question of whose it will be.

Proverbs 23:5 reinforces the fleeting nature of riches — they 'sprout wings' and fly away, matching the vanity of heaping wealth in Psalm 39:6.

Proverbs 27:24 echoes that riches do not endure forever, aligning with Psalm 39:6's theme of wealth being left behind.

1 John 2:17 Parallel

1 John 2:17 declares the world and its desires passing away — a direct parallel to the fleeting wealth and turmoil in Psalm 39:6.

1 Peter 1:18 speaks of being ransomed from futile ways and perishable silver/gold — directly echoing the futility of heaping wealth in Psalm 39:6.

Matthew 6:19 warns against storing earthly treasures that perish — directly paralleling the futility of heaping wealth in Psalm 39:6.

Habakkuk 2:13 echoes the same futility: peoples labor for fire and nations weary themselves for nothing — a direct parallel to the 'for nothing' turmoil in Psalm 39:6.

Ecclesiastes 6:2 describes a man who cannot enjoy his wealth — a stranger gathers it, exactly like 'does not know who will gather'.

Ecclesiastes 1:2 Related theme

Ecclesiastes 1:2 declares 'all is vanity', the same theme of futility that underlies Psalm 39:6.

Proverbs 13:22 specifies that the wealth of sinners ends up with the righteous — answering the uncertainty in Psalm 39:6 about who will inherit.

Ecclesiastes 2:26 specifies that sinners gather wealth only to hand it over to those who please God — a concrete answer to the uncertainty in Psalm 39:6.

Isaiah 55:2 Parallel

In Isaiah 55:2, the same futility of laboring for what doesn't satisfy is echoed, urging listeners to seek true nourishment from God.

Ecclesiastes 5:14 describes wealth lost through misfortune, leaving nothing for heirs — another form of the vanity of hoarding wealth in Psalm 39:6.

James 5:3 Parallel

James 5:3 condemns hoarding wealth that corrodes, echoing the futility of heaping up wealth in Psalm 39:6.

Job 14:21 Parallel

Job 14:21 speaks of a man unaware of his children's fate after death — echoing the theme of not knowing what comes after one's labor.