3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, "Where is your God?"
3 I'm on a diet of tears - tears for breakfast, tears for supper. All day long people knock at my door, Pestering, "Where is this God of yours?"
3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, "Where is your God?"
3 Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, "Where is this God of yours?"
5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure.
5 You put us on a diet of tears, bucket after bucket of salty tears to drink.
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, And given them tears to drink in great measure.
5 You have fed us with sorrow and made us drink tears by the bucketful.
(Read Psalm 80:1-7)
He that dwelleth upon the mercy-seat, is the good Shepherd of his people. But we can neither expect the comfort of his love, nor the protection of his arm, unless we partake of his converting grace. If he is really angry at the prayers of his people, it is because, although they pray, their ends are not right, or there is some secret sin indulged in them, or he will try their patience and perseverance in prayer. When God is displeased with his people, we must expect to see them in tears, and their enemies in triumph. There is no salvation but from God's favour; there is no conversion to God but by his own grace.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
9 For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears
9 For I eat ashes like bread and mingle tears with my drink,
9 They bring in meals - casseroles of ashes! I draw drink from a barrel of my tears.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, And mingled my drink with weeping,
9 I eat ashes for food. My tears run down into my drink
(Read Psalm 102:1-11)
The whole word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but here, is often elsewhere, the Holy Ghost has put words into our mouths. Here is a prayer put into the hands of the afflicted; let them present it to God. Even good men may be almost overwhelmed with afflictions. It is our duty and interest to pray; and it is comfort to an afflicted spirit to unburden itself, by a humble representation of its griefs. We must say, Blessed be the name of the Lord, who both gives and takes away. The psalmist looked upon himself as a dying man; My days are like a shadow.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 42:3
Commentary on Psalm 42:1-5
(Read Psalm 42:1-5)
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 the upright, as it is the dread of the hypocrite. Nothing is more grievous to a gracious soul, than what is intended to shake its confidence in the Lord. It was not the remembrance of the pleasures of his court that afflicted David; but the remembrance of the free access he formerly had to God's house, and his pleasure in attending there. Those that commune much with their own hearts, will often have to chide them. See the cure of sorrow. When the soul rests on itself, it sinks; if it catches hold on the power and promise of God, the head is kept above the billows. And what is our support under present woes but this, that we shall have comfort in Him. We have great cause to mourn for sin; but being cast down springs from unbelief and a rebellious will; we should therefore strive and pray against it.