Psalm 119 81

Psalm 119:81 kjv

My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

Psalm 119:81 nkjv

My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word.

Psalm 119:81 niv

My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word.

Psalm 119:81 esv

My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.

Psalm 119:81 nlt

I am worn out waiting for your rescue,
but I have put my hope in your word.

Psalm 119 verses

Psalm 119 81 Meaning

Psalm 119:81 expresses a profound spiritual paradox: intense, consuming longing for God's divine deliverance that brings one to the point of utter exhaustion ("My soul faints"), yet simultaneously holding fast to an unshakeable confidence and patient expectation ("I hope") rooted solely in God's unfailing word. It reveals a believer enduring severe trial or delay of help, feeling worn out by the wait, but whose faith remains anchored in the absolute trustworthiness of God's promises and commands.

Psalm 119 81 Context

Psalm 119 is an extended meditation on God's word, presented in an acrostic structure where each of its 22 sections corresponds to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This verse, Psalm 119:81, is part of the "Peh" section (verses 81-88), where the psalmist is experiencing deep distress, suffering affliction, potentially from those who oppose God's law or persecute the righteous. The historical context for the psalm likely ranges from the period of the monarchy, potentially during times of national or personal crisis (such as exile or persecution under various rulers), to an individual facing everyday spiritual struggles and opposition. Amidst this suffering, the psalmist continually expresses loyalty to God's commands and fervently seeks His intervention and understanding. Verse 81 articulates a cry of desperation stemming from prolonged waiting for God's saving act, yet crucially reaffirms that his hope remains steadfastly anchored in God's promises and statutes. This tension between current anguish and persistent hope defines this segment of the psalm, emphasizing the role of God's word as a refuge in trials.

Psalm 119 81 Word analysis

• My soul: Hebrew: נַפְשִׁי (nafshi). This term signifies the psalmist's whole being, his very self, desires, breath, and inner essence. It is a deeply personal cry, indicating that this longing affects him at the core of his existence, not merely superficially. It reflects total engagement.
• faints: Hebrew: כָּלְתָה (kālətāh), from the root כָּלָה (kalah). This verb means "to be consumed, spent, finished, waste away, pine away." It implies extreme weariness, depletion, or a consuming desire that feels as if it drains one's very life force. It is a profound emotional and spiritual exhaustion from the delay or intensity of waiting. This is not a fainting of weakness of faith, but of fervent longing that has gone unfulfilled for so long that the soul feels "finished" by it.
• for Your salvation: Hebrew: לִישׁוּעָתֶךָ (lîshū‘ātekā), from yesha'/yeshua meaning "salvation, deliverance, help." This refers to God's active, divine intervention to rescue, restore, or provide well-being. It implies not just an abstract idea of being saved but a specific, felt act of God's power and mercy. The psalmist specifically desires God's particular saving act.
• But I hope: Hebrew: וְלִדְבָרְךָ הוֹחָלְתִּי (wəlidəbhārəkā hôḥaltî), from yaḥal meaning "to wait, expect, hope, tarry, be patient." The "but" (Hebrew waw) introduces a strong contrast or adversative turn. Despite the agonizing wait and depletion, the psalmist actively places his patient and confident expectation. This is not passive wishing but an active, expectant waiting rooted in certainty.
• in Your word: Hebrew: לִדְבָרְךָ (lidəbhārəkā). This refers to God's revealed truth, promises, and commands. In Psalm 119, "word" (davar) encompasses the totality of divine revelation: the law, statutes, precepts, judgments, testimonies, and promises. It is the solid, unchanging foundation upon which the psalmist's hope rests. It highlights that the psalmist's expectation is not arbitrary but grounded in divine truth.

Words-group analysis

• My soul faints for Your salvation: This phrase vividly portrays the spiritual agony and the profound human need for God's direct intervention. The soul is so invested in and desperately dependent on God's saving work that its non-arrival brings it to the point of collapse. It highlights the depth of human distress in the face of delay or suffering and expresses a deep-seated spiritual hunger.
• But I hope in Your word: This provides the powerful spiritual antithesis. Despite the overwhelming internal anguish and physical/emotional weariness, the psalmist's hope does not waver because it is not based on changeable circumstances or feelings, but on the unshakeable, eternal truth of God's revealed promises. This demonstrates faithful endurance, asserting that true hope finds its anchor solely in God's immutable character as expressed through His Word.

Psalm 119 81 Bonus section

The Hebrew term kalah ("faints" or "is consumed") is a powerful word, sometimes used in other contexts for the failure of eyes from looking intently or waiting (Lam 2:11, Ps 69:3), or for things being used up and perishing. Here, it signifies the psalmist's being utterly "used up" by the intensity of his yearning for God's active intervention. This is an example of strong emotional expression in the Psalms, not to denote a wavering faith, but rather the depth of sincere dependence upon the Almighty. The verse implicitly carries a polemic against reliance on human wisdom, fleeting circumstances, or false gods; it directly asserts that ultimate hope and the foundation for waiting reside solely "in Your word" – that is, in the revelation of the one true God. The emphasis on "Your word" (lidəbhārəkā) places all the hope on God's spoken truth, indicating that without it, the longing would indeed lead to despair, showing its foundational importance.

Psalm 119 81 Commentary

Psalm 119:81 articulates the profound human experience of longing for God's help amidst suffering or delay, yet simultaneously upholding an unwavering hope. The psalmist expresses an inner exhaustion and consuming desire ("faints") for God's divine deliverance, signifying a state of profound weariness from waiting or current distress. This is not a cry of faithlessness, but rather a cry of intense devotion so deeply tied to God's intervention that its absence feels like a debilitating burden. Crucially, the verse immediately balances this heartfelt anguish with an unshakeable confidence ("But I hope") that finds its complete stability and foundation in God's "word"—His unfailing promises, statutes, and character as revealed. This juxtaposition demonstrates the resilience of true biblical hope, which persists not despite suffering, but through it, drawing strength from the unchangeable faithfulness of God and His revealed will. It teaches that even when we feel utterly spent and long for God's salvation with every fiber of our being, our anchor in the storm remains His steadfast word, which grants patience and certainty for what is to come. This verse speaks to every believer experiencing prolonged trials: feel the longing, but ground your hope in His Word.