Psalms 31:9Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am in distress. My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~1000 BC. David overwhelmed, possibly during Absalom's rebellion or Saul's pursuit...
The emotion here: physically and emotionally depleted
The original word
machah (מָחָה) — to waste away, dissolve; used of something being consumed completely
Why it matters
Ancient people believed grief could literally consume the body, starting with the eyes
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 31:9
David lists three parts - eye, soul, body - showing grief affects the whole person
Common misconceptionPeople think this is weakness or lack of faith, but David is modeling honest prayer - telling God exactly how broken he feels.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 31:9
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 31:9 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 31:9 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 80% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include suffering, mercy, distress. Notable phrases: Have mercy on me; I am in distress; waste away with grief. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Psalms 31:9 mean to you, today?
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