Complete Bible Study Guide

What Does the Bible Say About Tears?

14 Scripture references with full text and commentary

Understanding Tears in the Bible

What does the Bible say about tears? Browse 12 carefully selected verses that illuminate this biblical theme.

14
Total Verses
11
Old Testament
3
New Testament

Top 10 Verses About Tears

  1. 1
    Job 16:20
    My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. scorn me: Heb. are my scorners
    KJV
  2. 2
    Psalms 6:6
    I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. all: or, every night
    KJV
  3. 3
    Psalms 39:12
    Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
    KJV
  4. 4
    Psalms 42:3
    My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
    KJV
  5. 5
    Psalms 56:8
    Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
    KJV
  6. 6
    Psalms 80:5
    Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.
    KJV
  7. 7
    Psalms 126:5
    They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. joy: or, singing
    KJV
  8. 8
    Isaiah 25:8
    He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
    KJV
  9. 9
    Isaiah 38:3
    And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. sore: Heb. with great weeping
    KJV
  10. 10
    Isaiah 38:4
    Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,
    KJV

Subtopics of Tears

General scriptures concerning
Observed by God
Wiped away
None in heaven
FIGURATIVE
Figurative
General references

Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Tears? (11 Verses)

My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. scorn me: Heb. are my scorners
I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. all: or, every night
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. joy: or, singing
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. sore: Heb. with great weeping
Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,
Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.

New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Tears? (3 Verses)

Jesus wept.
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

How to Study What the Bible Says About Tears

  1. 1

    Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.

  2. 2

    Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about tears. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.

  3. 3

    Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.

  4. 4

    Memorise at least one key verse about tears and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.

Practical Application

Studying what the Bible says about tears is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:

  • Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on tears needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.

  • Share what you have learned about tears with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.

  • Pray through the key verses about tears, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.

How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Tears?

You have studied 14 verses about tears. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bible say about tears?
What does the Bible say about tears? Browse 12 carefully selected verses that illuminate this biblical theme. The Bible contains 14 key verses about tears spanning both Old and New Testaments.
How many Bible verses about tears are there?
There are 14 key Bible verses about tears compiled in this study guide, drawn from books across both the Old and New Testaments.
What is the best verse about tears?
One of the most well-known and frequently cited verses about tears is Job 16:20 — "My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. scorn me: Heb. are my scorners"
Where in the Bible does it talk about tears?
Tears is discussed throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. You can find 14 references to this topic across multiple books including the Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

Continue Studying Tears

Topics Included

This page consolidates Bible verses from 2 related topics:

tears