2440. chish

Lexical Summary

chish: soon

Original Word: חִישׁ
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: chiysh
Pronunciation: kheesh
Phonetic Spelling: (kheesh)
KJV: soon
NASB: soon
Word Origin: [from H2439 (חִישׁ - To hasten)]

1. (properly) a hurry
2. hence (adverb) quickly

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

soon

From chiysh; properly, a hurry; hence (adverb) quickly -- soon.

see HEBREW chiysh

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from chush
Definition
quickly
NASB Translation
soon (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

חִישׁ adverb quickly, כי נז חישׁ Psalm 90:10 of passing away of human life.

Topical Lexicon

Term Overview

חִישׁ communicates the idea of rapid movement or swift passage. Its single biblical appearance is strategically placed in a psalm that ponders the brevity of earthly life and the eternality of God, giving the word rich theological weight disproportionate to its frequency.

Occurrence in Scripture

Psalm 90:10: “The years of our lives are seventy, or eighty if we are strong, yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.” (Berean Standard Bible)

The Hebrew word rendered “quickly” is חִישׁ.

Literary Context of Psalm 90

1. Authorship and Setting. Traditionally attributed to Moses, Psalm 90 opens the fourth book of Psalms. It contrasts God’s everlasting nature (“from everlasting to everlasting You are God,” verse 2) with humanity’s frailty. The journey of Israel in the wilderness, where an entire generation perished, forms a vivid backdrop for the meditation.
2. Structural Placement. Within Book IV, Psalm 90 acts as a liturgical reset after the lament of exile at the end of Book III, redirecting hope toward the Lord’s sovereign rule rather than earthly security.
3. Function of חִישׁ in the Poem. The adverb intensifies the contrast between divine permanence and human transience, underscoring that even a full span of years “hurries by.” The term moves the reader from mere observation to existential urgency.

Theology of Time and Transience

• Divine Eternity. God’s timelessness highlights the contingency of human life; our days evaporate in His sight.
• Human Mortality. Scripture consistently portrays life as a shadow (Job 8:9), vapor (James 4:14), and breath (Psalm 39:5). חִישׁ encapsulates this motif in a single stroke: life does not merely pass; it passes hastily.
• Wisdom and Stewardship. Psalm 90:12 responds, “Teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom.” The fleeting nature of life is presented not as nihilistic, but as motivational—propelling believers toward wise, God-honoring living.

Pastoral and Devotional Implications

1. Urgency of Repentance. Because days hurry away, procrastination concerning sin, reconciliation, or obedience is spiritually dangerous (Hebrews 3:13–15).
2. Evangelistic Fervor. The Church’s mission gains impetus from the knowledge that every soul’s earthly span is brief (2 Corinthians 6:1–2).
3. Comfort in Suffering. The rapid passage of earthly pain reassures sufferers that trials are “momentary light affliction” preparing “an eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
4. Time Management. Ephesians 5:15–16 exhorts believers to “make the most of every opportunity,” a New Testament echo of the lesson embedded in חִישׁ.

Eschatological Resonances

The motif of swiftness runs forward to the promise of Christ’s return: “Yes, I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22:20). The temporal brevity of human life is framed within the larger anticipation of the consummation of God’s kingdom, encouraging vigilance (Matthew 24:42).

Jewish Liturgy and Tradition

Psalm 90 is recited in Jewish morning prayers, reminding worshipers daily that time is fleeting. The presence of חִישׁ in that liturgy maintains a living connection between ancient Israelite experience and present-day devotion.

Homiletical Themes

• “Life on Fast-Forward”: cultivating eternal perspective amid hurried days.
• “Numbering Our Days”: practical discipleship series on stewardship of time, talents, and relationships.
• “From Vapor to Victory”: linking the brevity of life to the resurrection hope (1 Corinthians 15:52–57).

Summary

Though occurring only once, חִישׁ crystallizes a foundational biblical truth: earthly life accelerates toward an inevitable conclusion, summoning every generation to urgent faith, diligent service, and steadfast hope in the everlasting God.

Forms and Transliterations

חִ֝֗ישׁ חיש Chish ḥîš

Englishman's Concordance

Psalm 90:10
HEB: כִּי־ גָ֥ז חִ֝֗ישׁ וַנָּעֻֽפָה׃
NAS: and sorrow; For soon it is gone
KJV: and sorrow; for it is soon cut off,
INT: for is gone soon fly

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 2440
1 Occurrence

ḥîš — 1 Occ.