The Bread of Tears: A Steady Diet of Sorrow
The Bread of Tears: A Steady Diet of Sorrow.
“Those who sow their tears as seeds will reap a harvest with joyful shouts of glee. They may weep as they go out carrying their seed to sow, but they will return with joyful laughter and shouting with gladness as they bring back armloads of blessing and a harvest overflowing!” (Psalm 126:5-6, TPT).
The Miracle of Tears. Each of us as human beings share a spectacular miracle… We each have been gifted by our Creator God with the ability to shed tears. And not merely one type of tear, but three kinds of tears, all of them benefitting us in different ways that, being so common, are easily taken for granted. First there are the Basal tears which are constantly produced to keep our eyes lubricated and moist, and which also provide much-needed nutrients to the cornea. Secondly are the Reflex tears that are triggered by irritants which wash away debris like dust and foreign objects, sooth our eyes from smoke, and prevent further irritation by giving our eyes time to heal up from the irritation. Amazingly too, Reflex tears contain antibodies to fight bacteria and avoid infection in our eyes. Finally, there are the Emotional tears which are released during times of strong emotions both positive and negative, such as anger, joy, sorrow, relief, fear, high stress, grief, and when something is felt deeply and needs expression. Emotional tears are a special gift of our creator God, because they contain protein-based hormones that act as natural painkillers; a higher protein content to strengthen the eyes and keep them healthy; neurotransmitters that effect the ability to remember, to learn, to focus and pay attention, and release harmful stress. Emotional tears are a divine gift because it helps us express ourselves in healthy ways that are difficult to express any other way. Regardless of the kind of tear, they all contain enzymes that promote healing and maintain the health of our eyes. All tears are basically a water-based liquid that contain .3 mg of salt which have electrolytes and salt particles like sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. God is certainly the Lord of the Details when it comes to something as common yet complex as human tears.
“O Lord of the Angel Armies, how long will you be angry with our prayers? You have been feeding us with tears for our daily bread, putting us on a steady diet of sorrow day and night! And You are making us drink bucketfuls of tears, one big bowlful after another! (Psalm 80:4-5).
Psalm 80. The context for this psalm of lament is uncertain. The background could be what the people in the Northern Kingdom of Israel are experiencing as they are being destroyed by the Assyrian armies. Or this could be about what the Southern Kingdom of Judea is going through after their beloved Jerusalem has been demolished by the Babylonians. Either way, the Chosen People are being punished by God for their rebellion and idolatry. The psalmists are pleading with the Lord Yahweh for divine intervention, to rise up and deliver them from their enemies like the good Shepherd-King is supposed to do. Save us from our distress, O Lord! We are crying out to you, rescue us from the shame and hardship of your harsh judgments! We are suffering in this defeat, O Lord! Please deliver us!
“You have fed us with the bread of tears, O Lord, and you have made us drink great measures of tears!” (Psalm 80:5).
The defeated people of Israel have sorrow and grief as their constant companions, day and night. Even their food is tainted with tears, their bread mingling with their tears of sorrow as they have no choice but to eat and mourn at the same time. They are weeping so excessively that they seem to have no alternative but to drink one huge goblet of tears after another, huge quantities of tears measured out as punishment by their angry God. Instead of their precious Bread of Presence in the Temple, they are instead force-fed the Bread of Absence, God’s absence, the Bread of Tears. With some Israelites, perhaps their extreme suffering has taken away their appetite altogether. With others, maybe they yearn for solid food but only have tears for their food and drink.
“Restore us, O Lord of the Angel Armies! Make your face shine upon us, that we may be delivered!” (the refrain in Ps. 80:3, 7, and 19).
The Hebrew word for “restore” here means “convert,” the continuous action of conversion. Keep converting us, O Lord! Keep renewing and delivering us, keep changing our hearts so that we may be saved! Repeating a vital line from Aaron’s famous prayer of blessing in Numbers 6:24-26, the psalmists are pleading repeatedly that the Lord would make His face to shine upon His people and be gracious to them. Look upon us with favor, Lord, look upon us as your friends. May your face light up with pleasure as you look upon us, as the face of a friend lights up upon seeing a close companion. Show forth your face of grace, Lord, that we may once again behold your glory and favor.