Psalms 42 · Verse 3

Psalms 42:3

My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
Psalms 42:3, King James Version

Psalms 42:3 in other translations

BSBMy tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”
WEBMy tears have been my food day and night, while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”
ASVMy tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
YLTMy tear hath been to me bread day and night, In their saying unto me all the day, ‘Where is thy God?'
DARBYMy tears have been my bread day and night, while they say unto me all the day, Where is thy God?
BBEMy tears have been my food day and night, while they keep saying to me, Where is your God?
WebsterMy tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, Where is thy God?

What does Psalms 42:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. Where is thy God?--implying that He had forsaken him (compare 2Sa 16:7; Psa 3:2; 22:8).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 My 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?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 42:1-5

The conflict in the soul of a believer. Verses 1-5 The psalmist looked to the Lord as his chief good, and set his heart upon him accordingly; casting anchor thus at first, he rides out the storm. A gracious soul can take little satisfaction in God's courts, if it do not meet with God himself there. Living souls never can take up their rest any where short of a living God. To appear before the Lord is the desire of…

Read the full comment on Psalms 42:1-5 →

Psalms 42:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הָֽיְתָה\־ha.ye.tah-it has beenH1961
לִּ֬יliof me
דִמְעָתִ֣יdim.'a.Titear[s] myH1832
לֶ֭חֶםLe.chemfoodH3899
יוֹמָ֣םyo.Mamby dayH3119
וָלָ֑יְלָהva.La.ye.lahand nightH3915
בֶּאֱמֹ֥רbe.'e.Morwhen sayH559
אֵלַ֥י'e.Laito meH413
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הַ֝יּ֗וֹםhai.Yomthe dayH3117
אַיֵּ֥ה'ai.Yehwhere?H346
אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ\׃'e.lo.Hei.kha[is] God yourH430

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 42:3

  • Psalms 79:10

    Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.

  • Psalms 115:2

    Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?

  • Joel 2:17

    Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

  • Psalms 42:10

    As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

  • Psalms 80:5

    Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.

  • Psalms 102:9

    For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,

  • Psalms 79:12

    And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

  • Micah 7:10

    Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

  • Psalms 22:8

    He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

  • Psalms 3:2

    Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

  • 2 Samuel 16:12

    It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
tears.
80:5; 102:9; 2Sa 16:12; *marg:
while.
10; 3:2; 22:8; 79:10,12; 115:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 42:2

    My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

  • Psalms 42:3

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

  • Psalms 42:4

    When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

Read all of Psalms 42

Psalms 42:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Fueron mis lágrimas mi pan de día y de noche, mientras me dicen todos los días: ¿Dónde está tu Dios?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mon âme a soif de Dieu, du ✶Dieu vivant. Quand viendrai-je et paraîtrai-je devant Dieu?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Meine Tränen sind mir zur Speise geworden Tag und Nacht, da man den ganzen Tag zu mir sagt: Wo ist dein Gott?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Emitte lucem tuam et veritatem tuam: ipsa me deduxerunt, et adduxerunt in montem sanctum tuum, et in tabernacula tua.