Crying is a profound and universal human experience. It can be a response to sorrow, joy, frustration, or a myriad of emotions. The Bible, with its rich tapestry of human experience, addresses crying in various contexts.
These verses offer comfort, understanding, and hope, reminding us that God is present in our tears. In this post, we’ll explore several Bible verses about crying, understanding their meanings, and reflecting on their significance in our lives.
Crying in Times of Sorrow
1. Psalm 34:18
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Description: This verse reassures that God is near to those who are grieving.
Interpretation: It highlights God’s empathy and presence during our moments of deepest sorrow. It encourages us to seek comfort from God when we are feeling brokenhearted.
2. Psalm 56:8
“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”
Description: David expresses the belief that God is attentive to every tear shed.
Interpretation: This verse emphasizes that God values our pain and keeps a record of our suffering, offering solace in knowing that our tears are not unnoticed.
3. Revelation 21:4
“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'”
Description: This verse promises a future where God will remove all tears and suffering.
Interpretation: It offers hope for a time when crying and pain will be eradicated. It assures believers that God will ultimately bring an end to our suffering.
4. Lamentations 3:22-23
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Description: Amidst grief, the writer finds hope in God’s unfailing compassion.
Interpretation: This passage encourages us to find hope in God’s daily renewal of compassion, even in our darkest times. It reminds us that God’s love is constant, despite our suffering.
5. Psalm 126:5
“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.”
Description: This verse contrasts the act of crying with the future joy.
Interpretation: It suggests that our sorrow and tears are temporary and will be replaced by joy. It encourages perseverance through trials with the promise of eventual happiness.
6. John 11:35
“Jesus wept.”
Description: This is the shortest verse in the Bible, showing Jesus’ empathy at the death of Lazarus.
Interpretation: Jesus’ tears demonstrate His deep compassion and identification with human suffering. It assures us that it is okay to grieve and that Jesus understands our pain.
7. 2 Kings 20:5
“This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you.’”
Description: God promises healing in response to Hezekiah’s tears and prayer.
Interpretation: This verse reassures us that God hears our prayers and sees our tears. It highlights God’s willingness to respond to our emotional and physical needs.
8. Psalm 30:5
“For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
Description: This verse contrasts the temporary nature of weeping with the enduring joy that follows.
Interpretation: It provides comfort by emphasizing that while weeping may be a part of our experience, it is not permanent. Joy is promised to come, offering hope for better days ahead.
9. Isaiah 53:3
“He was despised and rejected by people, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”
Description: Isaiah describes the suffering servant, a prophetic reference to Jesus, who is acquainted with grief.
Interpretation: This verse underscores that Jesus is well-acquainted with suffering and pain, offering empathy and understanding to those who cry and suffer.
10. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble, with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Description: Paul praises God as the source of all comfort and emphasizes our role in comforting others.
Interpretation: This passage not only assures us of God’s comfort in our sorrows but also encourages us to extend that comfort to others, creating a cycle of compassion and support.
Crying as a Response to Sin
1. Psalm 51:17
“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.”
Description: David expresses that God values a repentant heart over ritualistic sacrifices.
Interpretation: This verse shows that God values genuine repentance and sorrow for sin. It encourages us to approach God with a broken and contrite heart, trusting in His forgiveness.
2. Jeremiah 9:1
“Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.”
Description: Jeremiah laments over the devastation of his people and wishes he could cry endlessly.
Interpretation: This verse illustrates the depth of Jeremiah’s sorrow for the sins and suffering of his people, emphasizing the role of crying as an expression of deep grief and concern.
3. Matthew 26:75
“Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: ‘Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
Description: Peter weeps after realizing he has denied Jesus three times, fulfilling Jesus’ prediction.
Interpretation: Peter’s tears signify deep remorse and the weight of his failure. This verse shows the role of crying in expressing genuine repentance and sorrow for sin.
4. Luke 22:62
“And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
Description: This verse recounts Peter’s weeping after his denial of Jesus.
Interpretation: It highlights the emotional response to sin and failure. Peter’s tears represent heartfelt regret and a turning point towards seeking forgiveness and restoration.
5. James 4:9
“Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.”
Description: James calls for a deep, genuine repentance marked by grief and mourning.
Interpretation: This verse emphasizes the seriousness of sin and the need for sincere repentance. Crying and mourning are seen as appropriate responses to recognizing the gravity of one’s sin.
6. Revelation 2:5
“Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”
Description: Jesus calls the church in Ephesus to repentance and remembrance of their initial love.
Interpretation: This verse underscores the importance of repentance and the need to return to one’s first love for God. The call to repentance often involves deep sorrow and reflection.
7. Zechariah 12:10
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”
Description: This prophetic verse describes the mourning for the one who was pierced, referring to the Messiah.
Interpretation: It highlights the depth of sorrow and repentance that will accompany the recognition of Jesus as the Messiah. The mourning described here is profound, reflecting the weight of recognizing one’s sin.
8. Lamentations 1:16
“This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears. No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed.”
Description: The writer of Lamentations expresses deep grief over the devastation of Jerusalem.
Interpretation: This verse illustrates the intense sorrow of seeing one’s people suffer. It underscores the role of crying as an expression of deep, communal grief and despair.
9. Ezra 10:1
“While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.”
Description: Ezra’s intense mourning and confession lead others to join him in weeping.
Interpretation: This passage shows the communal aspect of mourning and confession. Ezra’s tears inspire others to join in, reflecting a collective response to sin and repentance.
10. Psalm 119:136
“Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.”
Description: The psalmist expresses deep sorrow over the disobedience to God’s law.
Interpretation: This verse shows how the psalmist’s love for God’s law and desire for its adherence leads to tears. It underscores the emotional impact of seeing God’s commands disregarded.
Crying as a Sign of Joy and Deliverance
1. Psalm 126:6
“Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.”
Description: This verse contrasts the sorrow of sowing with the joy of reaping.
Interpretation: It reflects the transformation of sorrow into joy. Even when our efforts are accompanied by tears, the eventual outcome will be joy and blessing.
2. 1 Samuel 1:18
“She said, ‘May your servant find favor in your eyes.’ Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.”
Description: After praying for a child, Hannah’s demeanor changes from sorrow to joy.
Interpretation: This verse shows how God’s answers to our prayers can lift our spirits and turn our sadness into joy. It highlights the transformative power of divine intervention.
3. Zephaniah 3:17
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Description: This verse describes God’s delight and joy in His people.
Interpretation: It portrays a future where God’s presence brings joy and comfort, replacing sorrow with divine delight. It encourages us to anticipate God’s rejoicing over us.
4. John 16:20
“Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”
Description: Jesus predicts a transformation of sorrow into joy.
Interpretation: Jesus promises that our grief will eventually be replaced with joy. It offers hope that our current sorrows are temporary and will be transformed by God’s promises.
5. Romans 12:15
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
Description: Paul encourages empathy and shared emotional experiences.
Interpretation: This verse emphasizes the importance of participating in both the joy and sorrow of others. It highlights the role of community in experiencing and alleviating emotional burdens.
6. Job 42:5-6
“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
Description: Job’s encounter with God leads to his repentance and new perspective.
Interpretation: Job’s experience demonstrates how encountering God can lead to profound change and restoration. His tears of sorrow are replaced with a renewed understanding and relationship with God.
7. Psalm 30:11
“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.”
Description: The psalmist celebrates God’s transformation of sorrow into joy.
Interpretation: This verse highlights the power of God to turn our mourning into joy. It offers encouragement that God can change our circumstances and our emotional state.
8. Isaiah 61:3
“And provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
Description: God promises to replace grief with beauty and joy.
Interpretation: This verse offers hope for those who are grieving, promising divine transformation of their sorrow into joy and beauty.
9. Luke 1:14
“He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth.”
Description: This verse predicts the joy that will come from John the Baptist’s birth.
Interpretation: It shows that certain events or blessings can bring great joy and delight. It reflects the anticipation of joyful outcomes that replace past sorrows.
10. 2 Corinthians 7:10
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
Description: Paul contrasts godly sorrow with worldly sorrow.
Interpretation: This verse distinguishes between sorrow that leads to spiritual growth and salvation and sorrow that leads to despair. It highlights the positive outcome of genuine, godly sorrow.
Crying in Prayer and Supplication
1. Nehemiah 1:4
“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”
Description: Nehemiah’s tears are a response to the news of Jerusalem’s desolation.
Interpretation: This verse demonstrates the role of crying in deep, earnest prayer and supplication. Nehemiah’s tears reflect his commitment and earnestness in seeking God’s intervention.
2. Luke 22:44
“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Description: Jesus’ intense anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Interpretation: Jesus’ tears and sweat of blood signify the depth of His suffering and earnest prayer. It shows the extreme emotional and spiritual struggle involved in His mission.
3. Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Description: Paul encourages presenting our needs to God through prayer.
Interpretation: While not directly mentioning crying, this verse encourages bringing all our concerns to God, including our tears and emotional struggles, in prayer.
4. 1 Samuel 1:10
“In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord.”
Description: Hannah’s tears and prayer for a child.
Interpretation: Hannah’s example shows how crying can accompany sincere prayer and supplication. Her tears reflect her deep desire and faith in God’s response.
5. Psalm 5:1-2
“Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.”
Description: The psalmist’s plea for God’s attention to his lament.
Interpretation: This verse shows how crying and lamenting are part of earnest prayer. It demonstrates a heartfelt appeal to God, expressing the depth of one’s emotional distress.
6. Jonah 2:2
“He said: ‘In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.’”
Description: Jonah’s prayer and cry for help from inside the fish.
Interpretation: Jonah’s distress and crying out to God emphasize the importance of seeking God’s help in our direst moments. It reassures us of God’s listening ear and response to our cries.
7. Hebrews 5:7
“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”
Description: Jesus’ fervent prayers and tears during His earthly life.
Interpretation: This verse illustrates Jesus’ intense prayers and tears, showing that even He cried out to God with fervency. It underscores the power of earnest prayer and submission.
8. Psalm 142:1-2
“I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble.”
Description: The psalmist’s candid cry for mercy and expression of trouble.
Interpretation: This verse shows the importance of being open and honest in our prayers to God, including expressing our deep sorrow and distress.
9. Acts 20:19
“I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.”
Description: Paul’s description of his service to the Lord with humility and tears.
Interpretation: Paul’s tears during his service reflect the challenges and emotional investment in his mission. It highlights the role of crying in facing trials and serving God.
10. 2 Corinthians 12:21
“I fear that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin, and debauchery they have practiced.”
Description: Paul expresses fear of being humbled and grieved over unrepentant sin.
Interpretation: This verse shows how Paul’s tears and grief are tied to his concern for the spiritual state of others. It reflects the emotional burden of pastoral care and the desire for repentance.
Crying as a Sign of Healing and Restoration
1. Isaiah 25:8
“he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.”
Description: A promise of God removing death and wiping away tears.
Interpretation: This verse provides hope for ultimate healing and restoration. It reassures us that God will eventually remove all causes of tears and suffering.
2. Psalm 147:3
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Description: God’s promise to heal those who are brokenhearted.
Interpretation: This verse emphasizes God’s healing touch for those who are emotionally wounded. It assures us of His compassion and ability to restore our broken hearts.
3. Matthew 5:4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
Description: Jesus’ beatitude promises comfort to those who mourn.
Interpretation: This verse highlights the divine comfort promised to those who grieve. It reassures us that mourning is met with God’s comforting presence.
4. 2 Samuel 22:7
“In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.”
Description: David’s cry for help and God’s response.
Interpretation: This verse underscores that God hears our cries for help and responds from His holy presence. It provides comfort knowing that our distress is acknowledged by God.
5. Job 33:26
“Then that person can pray to God and find favor with him, they will see God’s face and shout for joy; he will restore them to full well-being.”
Description: The promise of restoration and joy following a person’s prayer.
Interpretation: This verse assures that God responds favorably to prayers and restores well-being. It highlights the transition from distress to restored health and joy.
6. Isaiah 61:7
“Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.”
Description: God’s promise of double blessings and everlasting joy.
Interpretation: This verse provides assurance of God’s restorative blessings, replacing shame with joy and offering a double portion of His goodness.
7. Psalm 84:6
“As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.”
Description: The Valley of Baca, or weeping, is transformed into a place of blessing.
Interpretation: This verse reflects the transformation of sorrow into blessings. It symbolizes how God can turn our tears into spiritual renewal and growth.
8. Ezekiel 36:26
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Description: God promises spiritual renewal and transformation.
Interpretation: This verse signifies God’s ability to transform our emotional and spiritual state, offering a new heart and spirit in place of past sorrows and hardness.
9. John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Description: Jesus offers peace to His followers.
Interpretation: This verse reassures us of the peace that Jesus provides, which transcends worldly troubles and fears. It offers comfort and tranquility in place of sorrow.
10. Romans 8:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Description: Assurance that God works everything for the good of those who love Him.
Interpretation: This verse promises that God uses all situations, including our sorrows, for our ultimate good. It provides hope that our tears are part of a larger divine plan for our benefit.
James Wilson brings a deep reverence for scripture and a talent for storytelling to BibleVersaz.com. His insightful reflections and thoughtful interpretations inspire readers to connect with biblical truths on a personal level, offering fresh perspectives on timeless wisdom.