Psalms 119:82 — Word Study
WLCכָּל֣וּ עֵ֭ינַי לְאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ לֵ֝אמֹ֗ר מָתַ֥י תְּֽנַחֲמֵֽנִי׃
BSAMy eyesʻayin [weary from searching, full of weariness] failkâlâh■ looking for Your promiseʼimrâh [divine, word, spoken commitment] I askʼâmar Whenmâthay [how long, at what time] will You comfort menâcham▸ [show pity, sympathize with]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כָּל֣וּ | they are exhausted | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| עֵ֭ינַי | eyes my | Noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
| לְאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ | for word your | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| לֵ֝אמֹ֗ר | saying | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
| מָתַ֥י | when? | Particle |
| תְּֽנַחֲמֵֽנִי׃ | will you comfort me | Verb piel imperfect second person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | My eyes fail, looking for Your promise; I ask, “When will You comfort me?” |
| KJV | Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me? |
| ASV | Mine eyes fail for thy word, While I say, When wilt thou comfort me? |
| YLT | Consumed have been mine eyes for Thy word, Saying, 'When doth it comfort me?' |
| WEB | My eyes fail for your word. I say, “When will you comfort me?” |
| BBE | My eyes are full of weariness with searching for your word, saying, When will you give me comfort? |
Where they part company is כָּלָה — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause expresses the psalmist's exhaustion, with a subordinate clause detailing the inquiry about comfort.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbכָּלָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 119:82
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Lament for Comfortgenerated
Psalm 119:82 captures the psalmist's deep longing for God's promise amidst weariness. The verses surrounding it reflect a state of distress, as seen in Psalm 119:81 and Psalm 119:83, where the psalmist waits for salvation and feels like a dried-up wineskin. This emotional plea is a common theme in the Psalms, where the faithful seek reassurance and comfort from God.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 119:123 | My eyes fail, looking for Your salvation, and for Your righteous promise. |
| 2 | Psalm 69:3 | I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. |
| 3 | Deuteronomy 28:32 | Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, while your eyes grow weary looking for them day after day, with no power in your hand. |
| 4 | Proverbs 13:12 | Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life. |
| 5 | Isaiah 38:11 | I said, “I will never again see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind with those who dwell in this world. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — כָּלָה, ka.Lugenerated
The verb כָּלָה (*kalah*) means to finish or end something, indicating a sense of exhaustion. It is used here in the perfect tense, suggesting a completed action — the eyes have become weary from the search for God's promise.
This weariness reflects not just physical tiredness but a deeper spiritual fatigue in waiting for divine intervention. The root meaning encompasses a range of ideas from completion to destruction, highlighting the intensity of the psalmist's longing.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses fail for כָּלָה.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb כָּלָה governs the subject עֵינַי (my eyes) and is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the object of the search — God's promise. The structure emphasizes the psalmist's weariness in seeking comfort.
The sentence flows from the expression of exhaustion to the inquiry about comfort, highlighting a direct plea to God for reassurance.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates כָּלָה as ἐχέλιπον, meaning 'I have left behind' or 'I have failed'. This choice conveys a sense of abandonment or loss, which aligns with the psalmist's feeling of weariness.
This translation reflects a slightly different nuance, suggesting not only exhaustion but also a sense of being forsaken in the search for God's promise.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 119:82 expresses the psalmist's deep weariness in searching for God's promise, asking when God will provide comfort. This reflects a common theme in the Psalms, where the faithful seek reassurance from God amid distress.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist is expressing exhaustion from searching for God's promise, indicating a deep longing for divine reassurance.
This reflects the psalmist's desperation for relief and assurance from God amidst distress and waiting.
The surrounding verses show a consistent theme of longing for salvation and comfort, highlighting the emotional state of the psalmist.
The psalmist's plea illustrates the human experience of waiting for divine intervention and the importance of seeking comfort in times of distress.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel weary from waiting for God's promises?
- How can I seek comfort from God during times of distress?
- What does it mean for me to actively look for God's promises in my life?
- How can I support others who are feeling weary in their faith?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo references this verse to illustrate the longing for God's comfort, highlighting the emotional depth of the psalmist's plea.
"My eyes," he says, "have failed for Your word, saying, O when will You comfort me?" [Psalms 119:82].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:82 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleMine eyes fail for thy word,.... Either with looking for the Messiah, the essential Word, that was to be, and afterwards was made flesh, and dwelt among men; or for the fulfilment of the word of
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me? Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleMine eyes fail, with looking hither and thither, and to thee for help.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:82 Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?Ver. 82. Mine eyes fail] God sometimes deferreth to help till men have stopped looking: Luke 18:8, "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith?" hardly. This he doth to commend his favours to us, and to set a price on them. Saying, When wilt thou comfort me?] This is a prosopopoeia, as if David’ s eyes said thus, while they earnestly expected comfort.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(82) Mine eyes fail.—The failing of the eyes is here evidently to be understood of the effort of straining to catch or keep sight of a distant object, not, as so frequently in the Psalms (see Psalms 6:7, &c), from sickness or even grief. Comp. “I would have broke my eye-strings, cracked them, but To look upon him.”—: Cymbeline.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 82. Mine eyes fail] With looking up for the fulfilment of thy promise, as my heart fails in longing after thy presence.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleMine eyes fail for thy word - The same word in Hebrew as in the previous verse and in Psalms 73:26. The idea here is that of looking out for a thing - of “straining the eyes” - so that their power becomes exhausted.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bibleë, Caph. 81-88. My soul fainteth—Affliction and trial are again upon him. “The clouds return after the rain.” The exact point of the grief is expressed in Psalms 119:83.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 119 →The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
My eyes fail, looking for Your promise; I ask, “When will You comfort me?”
My eyes fail for your word. I say, “When will you comfort me?”
My eyes fail, looking for Your promise; I ask, “When will You comfort me?”
My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled. I say, “When will you comfort me?”
Tyndale line
Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?
Mine eyes fail for thy word, While I say, When wilt thou comfort me?
Mine eyes fail for thy word, while I say, When wilt thou comfort me?
My eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?
Mine eyes faile for thy promise, saying, when wilt thou comfort me?
Strictly literal
Mine eyes fail for thy *word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?
Consumed have been mine eyes for Thy word, Saying, 'When doth it comfort me?'
My eyes have been consumed for Your word, || Saying, “When does it comfort me?”
My eyes look eagerly for thy promise, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?
My eyes long to see your promise; when will you comfort me?
Simplified
I strain my eyes looking for you to keep your promises, asking “When will you comfort me?”
My eyes are full of weariness with searching for your word, saying, When will you give me comfort?
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint align closely, with all words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some variations, particularly with one word partly restored and others supplied by an editor, but the core message remains consistent across these texts.
כָּל֣וּ עֵ֭ינַי לְאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ לֵ֝אמֹ֗ר מָתַ֥י תְּֽנַחֲמֵֽנִי׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
כלו עינ׳י לאמרת׳ך [לאמור] [מתי] [תנחמ׳ני]
2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.
כלתה עינ׳י לאמרת׳כה לאמור מתי תנחמ׳ני
6 words on the leather.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 119:82
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word כָּלָה (*kalah*) is a primitive root meaning to end or finish. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to complete, accomplish, perish, and destroy. The entries indicate various uses in both intransitive and transitive forms, covering actions like finishing a task or causing something to cease. Notably, it can also imply negative connotations, such as plotting or destruction.
כָּלָה 204 vb. be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent
Qal
be complete, at an end, of a period of time
be completed, finished, of a work
be accomplished, fulfilled
be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted
be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water
waste away, be exhausted, fail
come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed
Pi.
complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.
complete a period of time
finish doing a thing
make an end, end
accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
accomplish in thought, determine
put an end to, cause to cease
cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
destroy, sts. exterminate
base
H3615 כָּלָה be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent .. . be complete, at an end, of a period of time
. be completed, finished, of a work
. be accomplished, fulfilled
. be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted
. . be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water
. waste away, be exhausted, fail
. come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed
. . . complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.
. complete a period of time
. finish doing a thing
. make an end, end
. accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
. accomplish in thought, determine
. . put an end to, cause to cease
. cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
. destroy, sts. exterminate
3615 kalah kaw-law'
a primitive root; to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be
finished, perish) or transitived (to complete, prepare,
consume):--accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine,
destroy (utterly), be (when ... were) done, (be an) end (of),
expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, X fully, X
have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make
clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste.
כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: finish.
: finish
1) to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be complete, be at an end
1a2) to be completed, be finished
1a3) to be accomplished, be fulfilled
1a4) to be determined, be plotted (bad sense)
1a5) to be spent, be used up
1a6) to waste away, be exhausted, fail
1a7) to come to an end, vanish, perish, be destroyed
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to complete, bring to an end, finish
1b2) to complete (a period of time)
1b3) to finish (doing a thing)
1b4) to make an end, end
1b5) to accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
1b6) to accomplish, determine (in thought)
1b7) to put an end to, cause to cease
1b8) to cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
1b9) to destroy, exterminate
1c) (Pual) to be finished, be ended, be completed
כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: destroy.
: destroy
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
The Hebrew word עַ֫יִן (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as mental qualities and desires. It also denotes a 'spring' or 'fountain' of water. The entries highlight various phrases and contexts, including appearances and expressions of emotion, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
עַ֫יִן 859 n.f. eye
lit. as physical organ
eyes as showing mental qualities
desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
Transferred mngs.:
visible surface of earth
appearance
gleam, sparkle
Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
base
עַ֫יִן n.f. spring (of water). Particular springs are:
ע׳ חֲרֹר Ju 7:1
ע׳ הַקּוֹרֵא (partridge-spring) Ju 15:19
ע׳ רֹגֵל near Jerus.
ע׳ הַתַּנִּין (dragon-spring)
base
H5869a עַ֫יִן eye . lit. as physical organ
. . eyes as showing mental qualities
. desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
. Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
. Transferred mngs.: . visible surface of earth
. appearance
. gleam, sparkle
. Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
H5869b עַ֫יִן spring (of water)
5869 `ayin ah'-yin
probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or
figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the
landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, +
think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, +
displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour,
fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble,
knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please,
presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, +
think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye.
: eye
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain (Gate).
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain of.
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: seeing.
: seeing
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: appearance.
: appearance
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: before(the eyes).
: before(the_eyes)
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: sin.
: sin
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
N-cd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHNcfdc/Sp1bs
אִמְרָה (imrah) refers to an utterance, speech, or word, and can denote a word of God, including commands and promises. It also has a connotation of a threat, particularly in the context of divine judgment. The term is feminine and is derived from a related root, אֶמְרָה (emrah), which shares similar meanings.
ref
H565a אִמְרָה utternace, speech, word H565b אֶמְרָה id. [565a]
565 'imrah im-raw'
or memrah {em-raw'}; feminine of 561, and meaning the
same:--commandment, speech, word.
see HEBREW for 0561
אִמְרָה (im.rah) — word.
1) utterance, speech, word
1a) word of God (command and promise)
אֶמְרָה (im.rah) — threat.
threat (of judgement from God)
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc
מָתַי (mathay) is an adverb meaning 'when?' It is derived from an unused root that suggests extension, particularly in relation to time. The word is used interrogatively to ask about timeframes, such as 'how long?' or 'until when?'. It appears in contexts that require a temporal inquiry.
מָתַי 43 interrog.adv. when?
base
H4970 מָתַי when?
4970 mathay maw-thah'ee
from an unused root meaning to extend; properly, extent (of
time); but used only adverbially (especially with other
particle prefixes), when (either relative or
interrogative):--long, when.
מָתַי (ma.tay) — how.
1) when?
1a) with prep
1a1) against when?, until when?, how long?, after how long?
Part — ParticleHTi
נָחַם (nacham) is a Hebrew root that conveys a range of meanings related to feelings of sorrow, compassion, and comfort. It can signify being sorry, repenting, or consoling oneself, as well as avenging oneself in a more negative context. The verb appears in various forms, including Niph., Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, each reflecting different nuances of comfort and regret.
[נחם] vb. Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc.
Niph.
be sorry, moved to pity, have compassion, for others
be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent, of one’s own doings
comfort oneself, be comforted
comfort oneself, ease oneself, by taking vengeance
Piel—comfort, console
Pual; be comforted, consoled
Hithpa.—
be sorry, have compassion
rue, repent of
comfort oneself, be comforted
ease oneself, by taking vengeance
base
H5162 נחם Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc. .comfort, console
. be comforted, consoled
.— . be sorry, have compassion
. rue, repent of
. comfort oneself, be comforted
. ease oneself, by taking vengeance
5162 nacham naw-kham'
a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly;
by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to
pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge
(oneself):--comfort (self), ease (one's self),
repent(-er,-ing, self).
נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: comfort.
: comfort
1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion
1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent
1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted
1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself
1b) (Piel) to comfort, console
1c) (Pual) to be comforted, be consoled
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to be sorry, have compassion
1d2) to rue, repent of
1d3) to comfort oneself, be comforted
1d4) to ease oneself
Also means: na.cham (נָחַם ": relent" H5162H)
נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: relent.
: relent
1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion
1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent
1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted
1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself
1b) (Piel) to comfort, console
V-Piel-Imperf-2ms | Suff — Verb piel imperfect second person masculine singular · suffixHVpi2ms/Sp1bs