Psalms 119:81-82

Context

כ (Kaf)

119:81 I desperately long for¹ your deliverance.

I find hope in your word.

119:82 My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled.²

I say,³ “When will you comfort me?”

Psalms 69:3

Context

69:3 I am exhausted from shouting for help;

my throat is sore;⁴

my eyes grow tired of looking for my God.⁵

Psalms 130:6

Context

130:6 I yearn for the Lord,⁶

more than watchmen do for the morning,

yes, more than watchmen do for the morning.⁷

Psalms 143:7

Context

143:7 Answer me quickly, Lord!

My strength is fading.⁸

Do not reject me,⁹

or I will join¹⁰ those descending into the grave.¹¹

Lamentations 4:17

Context

The People of Jerusalem Lament:

ע (Ayin)

4:17 Our eyes continually failed us

as we looked in vain for help.¹²

From our watchtowers we watched

for a nation that could not rescue us.

[119:81] ¹tn Heb “my soul pines for.” See Ps 84:2.

[119:82] ²tn Heb “my eyes fail for your word.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See Ps 69:3.

[119:82] ³tn Heb “saying.”

[69:3] ⁴tn Or perhaps “raw”; Heb “burned; enflamed.”

[69:3] ⁵tn Heb “my eyes fail from waiting for my God.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision.

[130:6] ⁶tn Heb “my soul for the master.”

[130:6] ⁷tn Heb “more than watchmen for the morning, watchmen for the morning.” The words “yes, more” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[143:7] ⁸tn Heb “my spirit is failing.”

[143:7] ⁹tn Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” (1) can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) can carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).

[143:7] ¹⁰tn Heb “I will be equal with.”

[143:7] ¹¹tn Heb “the pit.” The Hebrew noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit; cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See Ps 28:1.

[4:17] ¹²tn Heb “Our eyes failed in vain for help.”