Psalm 80:5 describes the suffering and pain experienced by God's people, likely during a time of hardship and judgment. Let's break down the imagery:
"You have fed them with the bread of tears..." This is a powerful metaphor. Bread is a staple food, essential for survival. To say God has fed them "bread of tears" implies that their nourishment, their very sustenance, comes from sorrow, grief, and affliction. They are constantly consumed by weeping and misery.
"...and given them tears to drink in large measure." This continues the theme of tears and sorrow. Instead of water or other refreshing drinks, they are given an abundance, a "large measure," of tears to drink. It emphasizes the overwhelming and constant nature of their sadness and suffering. It suggests they are drowning in their own sorrow.
In essence, the verse paints a picture of extreme suffering and oppression. God, in this context, is seen as allowing or even causing this hardship, which might be due to the people's disobedience or as a form of discipline. It illustrates the depth of their pain and the source of their sustenance being grief itself.
The verse highlights a time of God's seeming absence or wrath, where the people feel abandoned and are experiencing intense emotional distress. It is a lament, expressing the people's despair and questioning God's actions.
Psalm 80:5 describes the suffering and pain experienced by God's people, likely during a time of hardship and judgment. Let's break down the imagery:
"You have fed them with the bread of tears..." This is a powerful metaphor. Bread is a staple food, essential for survival. To say God has fed them "bread of tears" implies that their nourishment, their very sustenance, comes from sorrow, grief, and affliction. They are constantly consumed by weeping and misery.
"...and given them tears to drink in large measure." This continues the theme of tears and sorrow. Instead of water or other refreshing drinks, they are given an abundance, a "large measure," of tears to drink. It emphasizes the overwhelming and constant nature of their sadness and suffering. It suggests they are drowning in their own sorrow.
In essence, the verse paints a picture of extreme suffering and oppression. God, in this context, is seen as allowing or even causing this hardship, which might be due to the people's disobedience or as a form of discipline. It illustrates the depth of their pain and the source of their sustenance being grief itself.
The verse highlights a time of God's seeming absence or wrath, where the people feel abandoned and are experiencing intense emotional distress. It is a lament, expressing the people's despair and questioning God's actions.