Psa 8:4 | NETfull | STEP | Of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them? Of what importance is mankind, that you should pay attention to them,

Psalms 8:4

4 Of what importance is the human race, ^{▼▼ Heb “What is man[kind]?” The singular noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh, “man”) is used here in a collective sense and refers to the human race.} that you should notice ^{▼▼ Heb “remember him.”} them?
Of what importance is mankind, ^{▼▼ Heb “and the son of man.” The phrase “son of man” is used here in a collective sense and refers to human beings. For other uses of the phrase in a collective or representative manner, see Num 23:19; Ps 146:3; Isa 51:12.} that you should pay attention to them, ^{▼▼ The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 describe God’s characteristic activity.}