Mazmur 31:9

31:9 Have mercy on me, for I am in distress!

My eyes grow dim ¹  from suffering. ² 

I have lost my strength. ³ 

Mazmur 69:3

69:3 I am exhausted from shouting for help;

my throat is sore; ⁴ 

my eyes grow tired of looking for my God. ⁵ 

Mazmur 119:82

119:82 My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled. ⁶ 

I say, ⁷  “When will you comfort me?”

[31:9]  ¹ tn Or perhaps, “are swollen.”

[31:9]  ² tn Cf. Ps 6:7, which has a similar line.

[31:9]  ³ tn Heb “my breath and my stomach [grow weak].” Apparently the verb in the previous line (“grow dim, be weakened”) is to be understood here. The Hebrew term נפשׁ can mean “life,” or, more specifically, “throat, breath.” The psalmist seems to be lamenting that his breathing is impaired because of the physical and emotional suffering he is forced to endure.

[69:3]  ⁴ tn Or perhaps “raw”; Heb “burned; enflamed.”

[69:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “my eyes fail from waiting for my God.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision.

[119:82]  ⁶ tn Heb “my eyes fail for your word.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See Ps 69:3.

[119:82]  ⁷ tn Heb “saying.”