Psalms 42:3

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

My tears {H1832} have been my meat {H3899} day {H3119} and night {H3915}, while they continually {H3117} say {H559}{H8800)} unto me, Where is thy God {H430}?

Complete Jewish Bible

My tears are my food, day and night, while all day people ask me, "Where is your God?"

Berean Standard Bible

My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”

American Standard Version

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

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 42:3 profoundly articulates the psalmist's overwhelming anguish, where tears have become a constant, sorrowful sustenance, mirroring a deep spiritual and emotional void. This ceaseless grief is compounded by the relentless taunt of adversaries who question God's presence and power, challenging the very foundation of the psalmist's faith amidst his profound suffering and longing for divine intervention.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 42, often considered a unified composition with Psalm 43, belongs to Book Two of the Psalter and is attributed to the Sons of Korah, a Levitical family of temple musicians. The preceding verses, [Psalms 42:1-2](/psalms/42-1 "Psalms 42:1-2 - The Soul's Thirst for God"), vividly express an intense spiritual thirst for God, likening the psalmist's soul to a deer panting for water. Verse 3 continues this lament, deepening the portrayal of despair by revealing not only the internal agony but also the external torment of mocking voices. The psalm's structure moves from lament to a declaration of hope, as seen in the repeated refrain in [Psalms 42:5](/psalms/42-5 "Psalms 42:5 - Hope in God Amidst Despair") and [Psalms 42:11](/psalms/42-11 "Psalms 42:11 - Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul?"), indicating a wrestling with faith that ultimately leans into divine trust despite present circumstances.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** While the precise historical setting is not explicitly stated, the psalmist's distress strongly suggests a period of forced separation from Jerusalem and the Temple, perhaps during exile, captivity, or a time of distress far from the sanctuary. This separation would have been particularly painful for a Korahite, whose life was intrinsically linked to temple worship. The taunt, "Where is thy God?", was a common form of mockery directed at the people of God by their adversaries, implying that their God was either non-existent, powerless, or had abandoned them. Such challenges were designed to undermine faith and morale, especially when the faithful were experiencing hardship, as seen in other laments like [Psalms 115:2](/psalms/115-2 "Psalms 115:2 - Why Should the Nations Say, 'Where Is Their God?'"). For an Israelite, God's presence was often associated with the Temple, and absence from it could exacerbate feelings of divine distance.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within the psalm and broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Profound Sorrow and Despair**, illustrating a level of grief so intense that it replaces normal sustenance. Secondly, it underscores the theme of **Spiritual Taunting and Doubt**, as external voices amplify the internal struggle, challenging the very reality of God's active presence. This theme is echoed in other prophetic and wisdom literature, where the righteous often face scorn for their faith during trials (e.g., [Job 21:15](/job/21-15 "Job 21:15 - What Is the Almighty, That We Should Serve Him?")). Thirdly, despite the overwhelming pain, the verse implicitly reveals a deep **Longing for God's Presence**, as the taunt cuts so deeply precisely because the psalmist yearns for the manifest reality of the God being questioned. Finally, the very act of lamenting to God, rather than abandoning faith, speaks to the theme of **Perseverance in Suffering**, a hallmark of the Psalms that demonstrates enduring trust even amidst profound spiritual and emotional darkness.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Meat (Hebrew, _lechem'_):** The Hebrew word לֶחֶם (_lechem_) typically translates to "bread" or "food" in a general sense, representing sustenance. Its use here for "meat" (KJV) emphasizes that the psalmist's tears have become his sole, continuous sustenance, replacing all joy and comfort. This is not merely a byproduct of sorrow but the very substance of his daily existence, indicating an all-consuming, unending grief that has usurped the place of normal nourishment.
* **Where (Hebrew, _'ey'_):** The Hebrew word אֵי (_'ey_) is an interrogative particle meaning "where?" or "how?" In this context, combined with "is thy God?", it forms a direct, rhetorical question designed to mock and wound. It implies a challenge to God's existence, His care, or His ability to intervene, rather than a genuine inquiry. This interrogative functions as a cruel taunt, amplifying the psalmist's internal anguish by externalizing his deepest fears about God's perceived absence.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"My tears have been my meat day and night":** This clause employs vivid imagery to convey the psalmist's profound and unceasing sorrow. "Tears" are not just shed occasionally but have become a constant, replacing "meat" (food) as his very sustenance. The phrase "day and night" emphasizes the relentless, uninterrupted nature of this grief, indicating an overwhelming state of despair that consumes his waking and sleeping hours, leaving no room for comfort or joy.
* **"while they continually say unto me":** This phrase introduces the external source of the psalmist's torment. The "they" refers to his adversaries or those who do not share his faith, who relentlessly mock his suffering. The word "continually" (literally "all the day") highlights the persistent, unceasing nature of their taunts, adding psychological and spiritual pressure to his already heavy burden. This external mocking prevents any respite from his internal anguish.
* **"Where [is] thy God?":** This is the core of the taunt, a direct challenge to the psalmist's faith and to God's presence and power. It implies that if God were truly present or powerful, the psalmist would not be suffering, or God would have intervened. This rhetorical question is designed to inflict maximum spiritual pain, striking at the heart of the psalmist's hope and exacerbating his feelings of abandonment. It is a common challenge faced by the faithful when enduring hardship, questioning the very reality of their divine protector.

#### Literary Devices
Psalms 42:3 is rich with literary artistry that amplifies its emotional impact. The most prominent device is **Hyperbole**, evident in the declaration, "My tears have been my meat day and night." This exaggerated statement vividly conveys the psalmist's overwhelming and ceaseless grief, where tears are not merely shed but have become his very sustenance, illustrating an extreme state of suffering. Related to this is **Metaphor**, where tears are directly equated with "meat" or "food," transforming a bodily fluid into a source of nourishment, albeit a sorrowful one. The phrase "day and night" further emphasizes the **Perpetual Action** and relentless nature of his sorrow. The latter part of the verse features a powerful **Rhetorical Question**: "Where [is] thy God?" This is not a genuine inquiry but a mocking challenge, designed to wound and undermine the psalmist's faith by implying God's absence or impotence. The "they" who continually utter this question represent an opposing force, highlighting the **Antagonism** and spiritual warfare the psalmist endures.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 42:3 offers profound theological insight into the nature of human suffering and divine presence. It affirms that deep emotional and spiritual anguish, even to the point of feeling consumed by sorrow, is a legitimate experience for the believer. The psalmist's lament validates the raw expression of pain and doubt before God, demonstrating that faith does not preclude profound struggle or the feeling of God's distance. Furthermore, the taunt "Where is thy God?" highlights a recurring theological challenge: how does one reconcile God's sovereignty and goodness with the suffering of the righteous? This verse implicitly teaches that such questions, though painful, do not negate God's reality or faithfulness, but rather call for a deeper, more resilient faith that trusts in God's hidden presence even when it is not immediately apparent or when others mock. It underscores the truth that God is not absent in our tears, but often closest to the brokenhearted.

* [Psalm 115:2](/psalms/115-2 "Psalm 115:2 - Why Should the Nations Say, 'Where Is Their God?'")
* [Psalm 79:10](/psalms/79-10 "Psalm 79:10 - Why Should the Nations Say, 'Where Is Their God?'")
* [Lamentations 2:18](/lamentations/2-18 "Lamentations 2:18 - Let Tears Run Down Like a River Day and Night")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 42:3 provides a powerful and comforting validation for those experiencing profound grief, spiritual doubt, or external mockery for their faith. It assures us that such raw, consuming sorrow is not a sign of spiritual failure but a deeply human experience, even for those intimately connected to God. The psalmist's tears, becoming his "meat," remind us that our suffering can feel all-encompassing, consuming our energy and joy. In such moments, it is permissible, even necessary, to voice our deepest pain and questions to God. Furthermore, the relentless taunt, "Where is thy God?", resonates with believers who face skepticism or ridicule during trials. This verse encourages us not to be silenced by such challenges but to remember that our God is present even when He seems hidden, and His faithfulness is not contingent on our immediate circumstances or the opinions of others. It calls us to persevere in lament, bringing our whole, broken selves before the One who truly sees and hears.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do I typically express my deepest sorrows and spiritual questions to God?**
* **When I feel God is distant or absent, how do I resist the temptation to internalize the "Where is thy God?" taunt from others or from my own doubts?**
* **In what ways can I allow my tears to be a form of honest prayer and lament, rather than a sign of weakness?**
* **How does the psalmist's perseverance in crying out to God, despite his pain, encourage my own faith journey?**

### FAQ

**Who are the "they" who continually say, "Where is thy God?"**

Answer: The "they" most likely refers to the psalmist's adversaries, scoffers, or those who do not share his faith. These individuals are not seeking genuine understanding but are instead mocking his suffering and challenging the validity of his God and his faith during a time of distress. Their taunts are designed to inflict spiritual and emotional pain, implying that God has abandoned the psalmist or is powerless to help him, thereby intensifying the psalmist's already profound anguish. This is a common theme in the Psalms, where the righteous often face ridicule from the ungodly (e.g., [Psalms 3:2](/psalms/3-2 "Psalms 3:2 - Many There Be Which Say of My Soul, There Is No Help for Him in God")).

**Is it acceptable for a believer to feel that God is absent or distant, as the psalmist seems to imply?**

Answer: Yes, the Psalms, including Psalm 42, provide ample biblical precedent for believers to express feelings of God's absence or distance. The psalmist's cry of "Where is thy God?" reflects a genuine experience of spiritual desolation, not necessarily a theological statement about God's actual location. Many faithful individuals throughout Scripture, and indeed throughout history, have wrestled with the feeling that God is hidden or silent during times of intense suffering. The Bible validates these raw emotions and encourages believers to bring their honest laments and questions before God, trusting that He hears and understands, even when His presence is not immediately felt (e.g., [Job 23:3](/job/23-3 "Job 23:3 - Oh That I Knew Where I Might Find Him!")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 42:3 finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies the suffering psalmist and transforms the meaning of tears and taunts. Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, was intimately acquainted with grief, and His life was marked by profound anguish, culminating in His passion. In Gethsemane, His soul was "exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" ([Matthew 26:38](/matthew/26-38 "Matthew 26:38 - Jesus' Anguish in Gethsemane")), and He shed tears of agony, crying out to His Father. On the cross, He experienced the ultimate taunt, echoing the very question of Psalm 42:3: "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God" ([Matthew 27:43](/matthew/27-43 "Matthew 27:43 - Mocking of Jesus on the Cross")). Even more piercing was His cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")), a lament that reveals His identification with the feeling of divine abandonment. Yet, unlike the psalmist who still yearned, Jesus fully bore the weight of sin and separation, becoming the ultimate Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")). Through His suffering, tears, and enduring the mockery, Jesus sanctifies our own laments and assures us that our High Priest can sympathize with our weaknesses, for He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest")). He entered into the depth of human despair, so that in Him, our tears are seen, our questions are heard, and our ultimate hope is secured, knowing that even in the deepest sorrow, our God is with us.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

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,

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.