What Does Psalms 80:5 Mean?

Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure. This vivid metaphor inverts covenant blessing into covenant curse. Where God promised to feed Israel with finest wheat and honey (Deuteronomy 32:13-14; Psalm 81:16), He now feeds them tears. The parallel structure—"bread of tears" (lechem dim'ah, לֶחֶם דִּמְעָה) and "tears to drink" (dim'ot shalish, דִּמְעוֹת שָׁלִישׁ)—emphasizes tears constitute their entire diet, both solid food and liquid drink.

"Bread of tears" employs lechem (לֶחֶם), the staff of life, now replaced by sorrow. Tears become daily sustenance rather than occasional expression of grief. The phrase recalls Psalm 42:3: "My tears have been my meat day and night." This isn't momentary weeping but sustained, life-encompassing sorrow. The community subsists on grief rather than joy, suffering rather than blessing.

"In great measure" (shalish, שָׁלִישׁ) literally means "a third part" or may refer to a large measure. Either interpretation emphasizes abundance: God gives tears generously, in full measure—tragic inversion of promised overflowing blessing (Malachi 3:10). The theology is sobering: God Himself feeds His people bitterness as covenant discipline. Yet even judgment comes from God's hand, implying relationship hasn't terminated—only turned severe for corrective purposes.