My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

PSALMS 42:3KJV
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Psalms 42:3 (KJV)

What does Psalms 42:3 mean?

Psalms 42:3 describes a person who is so overwhelmed by sorrow that tears have become their constant food, both day and night, while others taunt them by asking where their God is. The verse expresses deep emotional pain and a sense of abandonment, made worse by the questioning and doubt of those around the speaker.

The speaker in Psalms 42:3 is traditionally understood to be a psalmist or worship leader, possibly during exile or a time of distress, speaking to God about personal suffering. The situation is one of intense grief, where the psalmist’s tears replace regular meals, and the pain is made sharper by people around them questioning God’s presence or faithfulness. This verse captures both the depth of inner struggle and the added burden of external criticism or mockery.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 42:3

  • "Tears" (דִּמְעָה, dim‘ah): This word points to literal weeping, highlighting the raw emotional state of the speaker, whose tears are so constant they are described as food.
  • "Meat" (לֶחֶם, lechem): Often translated as "bread" or "food," this word shows that sorrow has replaced the psalmist’s normal sustenance, emphasizing the depth of distress.
  • "God" (אֱלֹהִים, Elohim): This is a common Hebrew word for God, and here it is used by the mockers to challenge the psalmist’s faith, suggesting that God is absent or unresponsive.

Why Psalms 42:3 matters

  • This verse clarifies that spiritual struggle can include both personal pain and the added weight of others’ doubts or mockery, not just private feelings.
  • The verse connects to the wider psalm, which is a prayer for God’s presence during times of deep despair, showing that questioning and longing for God are part of the biblical experience of faith.
  • Understanding the original words for "tears" and "meat" helps readers see how the psalmist’s suffering is not just emotional but affects daily life, making the experience more vivid and relatable.

Where else these words appear

“tears” Hebrew H1832 · used in 22 verses

  • 2 Kings 20:5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
  • Ecclesiastes 4:1 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
  • Jeremiah 14:17 Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.

“day” Hebrew H3119 · used in 50 verses

  • Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
  • Nehemiah 1:6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
  • Isaiah 4:6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.