Psalms 42:3

Psalms 42:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
• New International Version (NIV)My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, "Where is your God?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?”

Context of Psalms 42:3

1As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, God. 2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 4I remember these things and pour out my soul within me. For I used to go over with the multitude and walk them to the house of God, With a voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude celebrating a festival. 5Why are you in despair, my soul? And why are you restless within me? Wait for God, for I will again praise Him For the help of His presence, my God.

Psalms 42:3 word by word

הָֽיְתָה־לִּ֬י דִמְעָתִ֣י לֶ֭חֶם יוֹמָ֣ם וָלָ֑יְלָה בֶּאֱמֹ֥ר אֵלַ֥י כָּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם אַיֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear

• tearsדִּמְעָהdim‛âh · tearsH1832
• have beenהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• my foodלֶ֫חֶםlechem · foodH3899
• dayיוֹמָםyômâm · by dayH3119
• and nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to me allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• long, “Whereאַיֵּה'ayêh · where?H346
• is your Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Psalms 42:3

• Psalms 80:5You have fed them with the bread of tears, And You have made them drink tears in large measure.
• Psalms 102:9For I have eaten ashes like bread, And mixed my drink with weeping
• 2 Samuel 16:12Perhaps the Lord will look on my misery and return good to me instead of his cursing this day.”
• Psalms 42:10As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries taunt me, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
• Psalms 3:2Many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah
• Psalms 22:8“Turn him over to the Lord; let Him save him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”
• Psalms 79:10Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed Be known among the nations in our sight.
• Psalms 115:2Why should the nations say, “Where, then, is their God?”

Commentaries on Psalms 42:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3My tears have been my meat day and night - My longing has been so intense after spiritual blessings, that I have forgotten to take my necessary food; and my sorrow has been so great, that I have had no appetite for any. I feel more for the honor of my God and his truth than for myself, when the idolaters, who have thy people in captivity, insultingly cry, Where is thy God?Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3My tears have been my meat - The word rendered tears in this place is in the singular number, and means literally weeping. Compare Psalm 39:12. The word meat here means literally bread, and is used in the general signification of food, as the word meat is always used in the English version of the Bible. The English word meat, which originally signified food, has been changed gradually in its signification, until it now denotes in common usage animal food…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Crying so much that tears become food shows deep sadness (Psalms 80:5; 102:9; see 6:6; 56:8; 119:136; 126:5). The wicked try to impose their timing on God and deny his power to intervene.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Where is thy God?--implying that He had forsaken him (compare 2Sa 16:7; Psa 3:2; 22:8).Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 42:3

• Desire
• Infidelity
• Persecution
• Scoffing
• Seekers
• Tears
• Thirst

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Day and Night
• Cast
• Disquiet
• Fat
• Pant
• Poetry
• Psalms
• Thirst

Commentaries on Psalms 42

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings