Psalms 80:5

Translation
King James Version
Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Thou feedest H398 H8689 them with the bread H3899 of tears H1832; and givest them tears H1832 to drink H8248 H8686 in great measure H7991.
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Complete Jewish Bible
You have fed them tears as their bread and made them drink tears in abundance.
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Berean Standard Bible
You fed them with the bread of tears and made them drink the full measure of their tears.
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American Standard Version
Thou hast fed them with the bread of tears, And given them tears to drink in large measure.
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World English Bible Messianic
You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in large measure.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Thou hast fedde them with the bread of teares, and giuen them teares to drinke with great measure.
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Young's Literal Translation
Thou hast caused them to eat bread of tears, And causest them to drink With tears a third time.
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See also
Isaiah 30:20Psalms 42:3Psalms 102:9Ezekiel 4:16Ezekiel 4:17Job 6:7
In the KJVVerse 15,204 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Psalm 80:5 starkly portrays the profound and pervasive anguish experienced by the people of Israel, depicting their daily existence as utterly consumed by grief. Through vivid metaphorical language, the verse communicates that tears have become their very sustenance, highlighting a period of intense national distress and a desperate, ongoing longing for divine intervention and restoration from their suffering.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Psalm 80 is a communal lament, an urgent and heartfelt plea to God for restoration, likely composed during a period of severe national calamity such as invasion, defeat, or exile. The psalm opens with an impassioned appeal to God as the Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock, imploring Him to "shine forth" and manifest His saving presence (Psalm 80:1-2). A recurring refrain, "Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved," punctuates the psalm (Psalm 80:3, Psalm 80:7, Psalm 80:19), underscoring the people's desperate longing for divine intervention and the reversal of their fortunes. The psalm then transitions into the powerful metaphor of Israel as God's vine, which He brought out of Egypt but is now ravaged by enemies (Psalm 80:8-13). Within this narrative of decline and fervent appeal, verse 5 encapsulates the severity of their plight, where sorrow has become their very sustenance, a poignant depiction of their daily, inescapable reality.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: While the precise historical setting for Psalm 80 is debated, scholars often associate it with periods of significant national distress, particularly those affecting the northern tribes. The mention of "Joseph," "Ephraim," "Benjamin," and "Manasseh" in Psalm 80:2 suggests a specific concern for the northern kingdom of Israel, possibly indicating a pre-exilic date during the Assyrian invasions of the 8th century BCE, or a lament that encompasses the suffering of all Israel, including the later Babylonian exile of Judah. Culturally, lament psalms were a recognized and vital part of Israelite worship and communal life, providing a structured and theologically informed way for the community to express grief, confusion, anger, and despair to God, while simultaneously reaffirming faith in His ultimate power and covenant faithfulness. The imagery of "bread" and "drink" as daily necessities underscores the pervasive and inescapable nature of their suffering, a common experience in ancient Near Eastern societies facing famine, siege, or oppression.
  • Key Themes: Psalm 80:5 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the psalm and broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the Profound and Constant Sorrow of the people, vividly portraying a life consumed by grief, where tears are not just an occasional outpouring but a daily, inescapable reality. This imagery emphasizes the depth of their national suffering and despair, echoing the laments found in books like Lamentations. Secondly, the direct statement "Thou feedest them" introduces the theme of Divine Discipline or Chastisement. The suffering is not random but is perceived as being administered by God Himself, a common theological understanding in Israel where national calamity was often seen as a consequence of covenant unfaithfulness, intended to bring the people to repentance and restoration, as seen in passages like Deuteronomy 28 and Hebrews 12:6. Despite the intense suffering, the very act of lamenting in this psalm is an expression of Faith and Longing for Restoration, demonstrating a persistent hope in God's ability and willingness to remember His covenant and turn His favor upon them once more.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • bread (Hebrew, lechem', H3899): This word refers to food (for man or beast), especially bread or grain. In this context, "bread" signifies the most basic and essential daily sustenance. By associating tears with bread, the psalmist conveys that sorrow has become the fundamental, inescapable, and bitter "food" that sustains their existence, defining their daily reality.
  • tears (Hebrew, dimʻâh', H1832): This feminine noun refers to weeping or tears. The repetition of this word, first as "bread of tears" and then as "tears to drink," underscores the overwhelming abundance and constant presence of grief. It is not merely an emotional outpouring but a pervasive element that saturates their lives, becoming their very diet and drink.
  • great measure (Hebrew, shâlîysh', H7991): This term literally means "a third part" but in this context, it denotes a large, abundant, or full measure. It can refer to a significant liquid measure, perhaps a third of an ephah or bath, signifying an overflowing quantity. The phrase "tears to drink in great measure" intensifies the imagery, emphasizing the overwhelming, ceaseless, and perhaps even suffocating deluge of grief that the people are forced to consume.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Thou feedest them with the bread of tears;": This clause establishes God ("Thou") as the active agent in the suffering of "them" (the people of Israel). The phrase "bread of tears" is a vivid metaphor indicating that sorrow has become their daily, fundamental nourishment. It implies a constant, unavoidable, and bitter experience of grief that is as essential and pervasive to their lives as food itself. The divine agency suggests this suffering is not random but purposeful, perhaps disciplinary, administered by God's sovereign hand.
  • "and givest them tears to drink in great measure.": This second clause functions in synonymous parallelism with the first, reiterating and intensifying the message. "Givest them tears to drink" reinforces the idea of sorrow as sustenance, now as a beverage. The addition of "in great measure" amplifies the quantity and intensity of their grief, suggesting an overwhelming, abundant, and inescapable deluge of sorrow. It paints a picture of a life utterly submerged in weeping, where tears are not merely shed but consumed in vast, overflowing quantities.

Literary Devices

Psalm 80:5 is exceptionally rich in Metaphor, most notably "bread of tears" and "tears to drink." These powerful images transform abstract grief into tangible, daily sustenance, emphasizing the constant, consuming, and inescapable nature of the people's sorrow. The verse also employs Synonymous Parallelism, where the second clause ("and givest them tears to drink in great measure") echoes and intensifies the meaning of the first ("Thou feedest them with the bread of tears;"). This repetition with variation enhances the emotional impact and underscores the pervasive nature of their suffering. Furthermore, the phrase "in great measure" can be seen as a form of Hyperbole, an exaggeration used not to deceive but to convey the overwhelming and unbearable extent of their distress. Finally, the verse attributes the giving of these tears directly to God ("Thou feedest them," "givest them"), which is a profound instance of Anthropomorphism (attributing human actions to God). This direct divine agency raises significant questions of Theodicy, prompting reflection on God's sovereignty in suffering and His purposes behind allowing or even orchestrating such profound anguish for His people.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Psalm 80:5 powerfully articulates a core biblical theme: the profound reality of human suffering, often understood within the context of divine sovereignty and discipline. The imagery of tears as daily sustenance underscores the depth of national distress, a common experience for Israel when they strayed from God's covenant. This suffering, though painful, is often presented as a means by which God seeks to draw His people back to Himself, refining their character, and restoring their relationship. The lament itself, while expressing raw anguish, is an act of profound faith, acknowledging God's ultimate control and appealing to His mercy for restoration, even in the midst of His apparent displeasure. It speaks to the active role God plays in the lives of His people, whether in blessing or in discipline.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Psalm 80:5 offers a profound validation for those experiencing prolonged periods of grief, hardship, or overwhelming distress. It acknowledges that sometimes, sorrow can feel like a constant, inescapable companion, a bitter meal consumed daily. This verse assures us that the depths of human anguish are recognized and voiced within the sacred text, providing a scriptural framework for articulating our most profound laments. For believers, it invites a deeper consideration of suffering not merely as random misfortune, but potentially as part of God's sovereign plan, even His loving discipline, designed to draw us closer to Him, refine our character, or lead us to repentance. Like the Psalmist Asaph, we are encouraged to bring our deepest laments and pleas for restoration directly to God, trusting in His ultimate compassion and power to deliver, even when tears are our food and drink. It reminds us that our hope is anchored in the God who hears the cries of His people and promises a future where He will ultimately wipe away every tear.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the imagery of "bread of tears" and "tears to drink" resonate with periods of deep sorrow or prolonged difficulty in your own life?
  • In what ways might God be "feeding" or "giving" us experiences that, though painful, are ultimately intended for our spiritual growth or refinement?
  • How can we, like the Psalmist, express profound lament and grief while simultaneously maintaining faith and hope in God's ultimate restoration?
  • What practical steps can you take to bring your "tears" and suffering before God in prayer, trusting in His sovereign care and eventual comfort?

FAQ

Does Psalm 80:5 imply that God actively causes suffering, or merely allows it?

Answer: The phrasing "Thou feedest them" and "givest them tears to drink" strongly suggests divine agency, meaning God is depicted as actively administering or orchestrating this period of intense suffering. In the biblical worldview, especially within the Old Testament, national calamities and individual hardships were often understood not as random occurrences but as part of God's sovereign plan, sometimes as discipline for disobedience, other times for testing or refining His people. This perspective doesn't necessarily mean God delights in suffering, but that He uses even painful experiences to achieve His righteous purposes, such as leading His people to repentance or strengthening their faith. This concept is echoed in passages like Deuteronomy 28 and Hebrews 12:5-11, which speak of God's discipline as a sign of His fatherly love.

What is the significance of using "bread" and "drink" to describe tears?

Answer: The use of "bread" and "drink" is highly significant because these are fundamental necessities for daily life and survival. By portraying tears as their "bread" and "drink," the psalmist employs a powerful metaphor to convey that sorrow is not an occasional visitor but has become the pervasive, inescapable, and constant reality of their existence. It signifies that grief has permeated every aspect of their lives, becoming their very sustenance. This imagery emphasizes the overwhelming and continuous nature of their distress, suggesting that they are consumed by sorrow from morning till night, as essential to their being as food and water. This is similar to the lament in Psalm 42:3, where the psalmist says, "My tears have been my meat day and night."

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Psalm 80:5 vividly portrays the deep national anguish of Israel, its imagery of profound sorrow finds its ultimate and most poignant fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the true Israel, the faithful Son, who perfectly identified with the suffering of humanity and bore the full weight of sin and its consequences. Jesus, the Bread of Life, willingly consumed the bitter "bread of tears" and drank the "cup of suffering" in its greatest measure, not for His own sin, but for ours. His agony in Gethsemane, where He prayed with "loud cries and tears" (Hebrews 5:7), and His cry of dereliction on the cross (Matthew 27:46) demonstrate His profound experience of sorrow, separation, and divine discipline on our behalf. Through His voluntary consumption of this "bread of tears," Jesus has tasted the full bitterness of our fallen human condition, ultimately conquering sin and death. Because He drank the cup of God's wrath and experienced the depths of human sorrow, believers can now partake of the true living water and the bread of life, finding spiritual nourishment and eternal hope. His ultimate victory means that for those who trust in Him, the "bread of tears" will one day be replaced by the feast of joy, and every tear will be wiped away by God Himself (Revelation 21:4).

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Commentary on Psalms 80 verses 1–7

The psalmist here, in the name of the church, applies to God by prayer, with reference to the present afflicted state of Israel.

I. He entreats God's favour for them (Psa 80:1, Psa 80:2); that is all in all to the sanctuary when it is desolate, and is to be sought in the first place. Observe, 1. How he eyes God in his address as the Shepherd of Israel, whom he had called the sheep of his pasture (Psa 79:13), under whose guidance and care Israel was, as the sheep are under the care and conduct of the shepherd. Christ is the great and good Shepherd, to whom we may in faith commit the custody of his sheep that were given to him. He leads Joseph like a flock, to the best pastures, and out of the way of danger; if Joseph follow him not as obsequiously as the sheep do the shepherd, it is his own fault. He dwells between the cherubim, where he is ready to receive petitions and to give directions. The mercy-seat was between the cherubim; and it is very comfortable in prayer to look up to God as sitting on a throne of grace, and that it is so to us is owning to the great propitiation, for the mercy-seat was the propitiatory. 2. What he expects and desires from God, that he would give ear to the cry of their miseries and of their prayers, that he would shine forth both in his own glory and in favour and kindness to his people, that he would show himself and smile on them, that he would sir up his strength, that he would excite it and exert it. It had seemed to slumber: "Lord, awaken it." His cause met with great opposition and the enemies threatened to overpower it: "Lord, put forth thy strength so much the more, and come for salvation to us; be to thy people a powerful help and a present help; Lord, do this before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh," that is, "In the sight of all the tribes of Israel; let them see it to their satisfaction." Perhaps these three tribes are named because they were the tribes which formed that squadron of the camp of Israel that in their march through the wilderness followed next after the tabernacle; so that before them the ark of God's strength rose to scatter their enemies.

II. He complains of God's displeasure against them. God was angry, and he dreads that more than any thing, Psa 80:4. 1. It was great anger. He apprehended that God was angry against the prayer of his people, not only that he was angry notwithstanding their prayers, by which they hoped to turn away his wrath from them, but that he was angry with their prayers, though they were his own people that prayed. That God should be angry at the sins of his people and at the prayers of his enemies is not strange; but that he should be angry at the prayers of his people is strange indeed. He not only delayed to answer them (that he often does in love), but he was displeased at them. If he be really angry at the prayers of his people, we may be sure it is because they ask amiss, Jam 4:3. They pray, but they do not wrestle in prayer; their ends are not right, or there is some secret sin harboured and indulged in them; they do not lift up pure hands, or they lift them up with wrath and doubting. But perhaps it is only in their own apprehension; he seems angry with their prayers when really he is not; for thus he will try their patience and perseverance in prayer, as Christ tried the woman of Canaan when he said, It is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs. 2. It was anger that had continued a great while: "How long wilt thou be angry? We have still continued praying and yet are still under thy frowns." Now the tokens of God's displeasure which they had been long under were both their sorrow and shame. (1.) Their sorrow (Psa 80:5): Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; they eat their meat from day to day in tears; this is the vinegar in which they dipped their morsel, Psa 42:3. They had tears given them to drink, not now and then a taste of that bitter cup, but in great measure. Note, There are many that spend their time in sorrow who yet shall spend their eternity in joy. (2.) It was their shame, Psa 80:6. God, by frowning upon them, made them a strife unto their neighbours; each strove which should expose them most, and such a cheap and easy prey were they made to them that all the strife was who should have the stripping and plundering of them. Their enemies laughed among themselves to see the frights they were in, the straits they were reduced to, and the disappointments they met with. When God is displeased with his people we must expect to see them in tears and their enemies in triumph.

III. He prays earnestly for converting grace in order to their acceptance with God, and their salvation: Turn us again, O God! Psa 80:3. Turn us again, O God of hosts! (Psa 80:7) and then cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved. It is the burden of the song, for we have it again, Psa 80:19. They are conscious to themselves that they have gone astray from God and their duty, and have turned aside into sinful ways, and that it was this that provoked God to hide his face from them and to give them up into the hand of their enemies; and therefore they desire to begin their work at the right end: "Lord, turn us to thee in a way of repentance and reformation, and then, no doubt, thou wilt return to us in a way of mercy and deliverance." Observe, 1. No salvation but from God's favour: "Cause thy face to shine, let us have thy love and the light of thy countenance, and then we shall be saved." 2. No obtaining favour with God unless we be converted to him. We must turn again to God from the world and the flesh, and then he will cause his face to shine upon us. 3. No conversion to God but by his own grace; we must frame our doings to turn to him (Hos 5:4) and then pray earnestly for his grace, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, pleading that gracious promise (Pro 1:23), Burn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you. The prayer here is for a national conversion; in this method we must pray for national mercies, that what is amiss may be amended, and then our grievances would be soon redressed. National holiness would secure national happiness.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–7. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 80
"You will feed us with the bread of tears, and wilt give us to drink with tears in measure" [Psalm 80:5]. What is, "in measure"? Hear the Apostle: "Faithful is God, who does not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear." [1 Corinthians 10:13] The measure is, according to your powers: the measure is, that you be instructed, not that thou be crushed.
Caesarius of ArlesAD 542
SERMON 108:4
We have said this, brothers, so that you may know that in the Old Testament God’s justice orders a year’s punishment to make up for the sin of one day. In other words, the people were tormented in the desert for forty years because of the defection of forty days. What will happen to us if, after receiving the grace of Christ who redeemed us with his own blood, we still take pleasure in committing not only slight sins but perhaps even criminal offenses? Therefore, as I have frequently advised, if a person knows he has committed some serious sin, he should have recourse to the remedies of repentance while there is still time and it is within his power to do so. Indeed, conversion in the present life and penance that is fruitfully performed bring a swift cure to wounds of this kind, for repentance not only heals a past wound but also guards the soul against further injury through sin. Now I will add something more. For example, if I am a sinner will I suffer the same punishment if I have offended just once, as I will if I sin twice or a third time and even more frequently? Not at all. The amount of punishment is to be measured according to the manner, number and measure of sin, for God will give us “the bread of tears and tears to drink,” but “with ample measure.” Every person will then reap the things he sought in this life by sinning more or less.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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