I am weary with my crying; My throat is dry; My eyes fail while I wait for my God.
Parallel translations
- WEB I am weary with my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail, looking for my God.
- KJV I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.
- BSB I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.
- NASB I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched; My eyes fail while I wait for my God.
- NLT I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is parched. My eyes are swollen with weeping, waiting for my God to help me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David is exhausted from crying out, his throat parched and eyes failing as he waits for God. It shows the weariness of prolonged, unanswered prayer.
Overview
David describes the physical toll of persistent prayer: a worn-out voice, a dry throat, and failing eyes that strain to see God act. Even faithful waiting can be wearying. Christ too knew such anguish, and this verse encourages believers that growing tired while waiting on God is not faithlessness but part of the life of trusting prayer.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Ps 6:6I am weary with my groaning. Every night I flood my bed. I drench my couch with my tears.
- Isa 38:14I chattered like a swallow or a crane. I moaned like a dove. My eyes weaken looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed. Be my security.”
- Ps 119:123My eyes fail looking for your salvation, for your righteous word.
- Ps 119:82My eyes fail for your word. I say, “When will you comfort me?”
- Deut 28:32Your sons and your daughters will be given to another people. Your eyes will look, and fail with longing for them all day long. There will be no power in your hand.
- Ps 25:21Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.
- John 19:28After this, Jesus, seeing that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty.”
- Lam 2:11My eyes fail with tears, my heart is troubled; My liver is poured on the earth, because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, Because the young children and the infants swoon in the streets of the city.
- Heb 5:7He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,
- Ps 22:15My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.
- Ps 22:2My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer; in the night season, and am not silent.
- Ps 39:7Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.
- Job 11:20But the eyes of the wicked shall fail. They shall have no way to flee. Their hope shall be the giving up of the spirit.”
- Ps 13:1–3For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
- Ps 69:21They also gave me gall for my food. In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.
- Job 16:16My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 69:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.