Psalm 119 82

Psalm 119:82 kjv

Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?

Psalm 119:82 nkjv

My eyes fail from searching Your word, Saying, "When will You comfort me?"

Psalm 119:82 niv

My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, "When will you comfort me?"

Psalm 119:82 esv

My eyes long for your promise; I ask, "When will you comfort me?"

Psalm 119:82 nlt

My eyes are straining to see your promises come true.
When will you comfort me?

Psalm 119 verses

Psalm 119 82 Meaning

Psalm 119:82 expresses a psalmist’s intense, persistent yearning and weariness as they wait for the fulfillment of God's promise of comfort. It depicts eyes physically strained and failing from constant looking, signifying a deep longing and desperation for divine intervention and solace amidst prolonged affliction. The repeated question "When will You comfort me?" highlights both unwavering trust in God's ability to comfort and the human struggle with delayed relief.

Psalm 119 82 Context

Psalm 119 is an extended acrostic poem, each eight-verse section beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Verse 82 falls within the "Kaph" (כ) section (verses 81-88), where the overarching theme revolves around the psalmist's personal suffering and distress, his desperate plea for divine help, and his steadfast reliance on God's statutes, precepts, and promises amidst affliction. Throughout Psalm 119, the author expresses a deep devotion to God’s Word (Torah, Law, statutes, precepts, testimonies, commands, judgments, decrees, promises) as his life, hope, and comfort, especially in the face of enemies and persecution. In this immediate context, the psalmist is lamenting his deep affliction (vv. 81, 83), pleading for God's steadfast love and judgment against his persecutors (vv. 84-86), and reaffirming his commitment to God’s law even when being relentlessly pursued (vv. 87-88). Verse 82, therefore, fits perfectly into this narrative of a suffering soul intensely longing for the comfort promised by a faithful God.

Psalm 119 82 Word analysis

• My eyes (עיני, ‘ênay): This phrase refers to the psalmist's literal organs of sight, but more profoundly, it symbolizes expectation, longing, and direction of focus. The "eyes" are often depicted in Scripture as indicators of internal emotional and spiritual states. The focus is singularly on God's word, showing where hope is fixed.

• fail / long (כלו, kalu): The Hebrew verb kalah means "to be complete," "to come to an end," "to be consumed," or "to pine away." In this context, it signifies a profound weariness and exhaustion. The eyes are not merely tired but are failing or pining away from constant looking and intense, unfulfilled longing. It suggests a physical manifestation of deep emotional and spiritual distress caused by a prolonged delay.

• for Your word (לאמרתך, l'imratekha): The term imrah refers to God's "utterance," "word," or "promise." It is not merely a general sense of comfort the psalmist seeks, but comfort that specifically derives from or is a fulfillment of a divine promise. Psalm 119 uses imrah interchangeably with other terms for God's law, highlighting its divine authority and reliability as a source of truth, life, and comfort. The preposition le- indicates the object of the failing eyes is directly God's spoken, reliable promise.

• saying (לאמר, le’mor): This word often introduces direct speech or, as here, the substance of one's thoughts or repeated utterance. It emphasizes the active, voiced nature of the psalmist’s constant question or petition, rather than just a passive internal longing. It shows the prayer is on their lips.

• When will You comfort me? (מתי תנחמני, matai tenachaméni): This is a direct, anguished question expressing impatience and desperation. Matai means "when," pointing to a longing for an end to delay. Tenachaméni (from nacham) means "You will comfort me," signifying relief, solace, or compassionate intervention from distress. This plea is rooted in the belief that only God can provide the true and ultimate comfort needed.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "My eyes fail for Your word": This powerfully combines physical and spiritual exhaustion with absolute spiritual reliance. The psalmist's very vision, symbolizing hope and discernment, is dimmed because the expected fulfillment of God's reliable promise has not yet materialized. It underscores the severity of their suffering and the intensity of their hopeful gaze toward God’s assurances.
  • "saying, 'When will You comfort me?'": This phrase captures the internal anguish and external articulation of faith mixed with human impatience. It's a persistent prayer, an inquiry born out of trust that God can and will comfort, yet struggling with when He will choose to do so. It illustrates the tension between God’s perfect timing and human desperation.

Psalm 119 82 Bonus section

The experience articulated in Psalm 119:82 resonates deeply with the Christian life of waiting for the consummation of God’s redemptive promises, particularly the return of Christ and the full establishment of His kingdom. Believers are called to live by faith, persevering through suffering while their eyes remain fixed on the "blessed hope" (Tit 2:13), often asking, "How long, O Lord?" (Rev 6:10). This verse also illustrates the power of prayer in moments of weariness; it's a testament to sustained communion with God even when circumstances offer no immediate relief, clinging solely to His unchanging word. It underscores that true comfort in suffering stems not from worldly remedies, but from divine comfort based on His promises.

Psalm 119 82 Commentary

Psalm 119:82 is a profoundly personal expression of unwavering faith wrestling with delayed hope. It captures the universal human experience of waiting for divine intervention when affliction is prolonged and God's promises seem slow to materialize. The "failing eyes" symbolize the deep physical and emotional toll that prolonged suffering and fervent waiting can exact. It’s not just a casual desire for comfort, but a weary, soul-deep craving. Yet, crucially, this yearning is directed only towards God’s "word" or "promise," affirming that the psalmist's trust remains steadfast in the faithfulness of God Himself, revealed through His divine declarations. The persistent question, "When will You comfort me?" is not a sign of doubt in God's power or willingness, but rather a heartfelt cry from a soul yearning for the specific comfort that God’s character and covenant pledges. This verse reminds believers that moments of intense spiritual exhaustion and questioning timing are not antithetical to profound faith; they are often part of its raw, enduring expression. It is a prayer that finds solace not in the immediate absence of suffering, but in the certain knowledge of God's character and His binding word, even when the fulfillment of that word seems agonizingly deferred.