Deuteronomy 28:67
In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
Original Language Analysis
בֹּ֑קֶר
In the morning
H1242
בֹּ֑קֶר
In the morning
Strong's:
H1242
Word #:
1 of 18
properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning
מִֽי
H4310
מִֽי
Strong's:
H4310
Word #:
3 of 18
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
יִתֵּ֣ן
Would God it were
H5414
יִתֵּ֣ן
Would God it were
Strong's:
H5414
Word #:
4 of 18
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
מִֽי
H4310
מִֽי
Strong's:
H4310
Word #:
8 of 18
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
יִתֵּ֣ן
Would God it were
H5414
יִתֵּ֣ן
Would God it were
Strong's:
H5414
Word #:
9 of 18
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
בֹּ֑קֶר
In the morning
H1242
בֹּ֑קֶר
In the morning
Strong's:
H1242
Word #:
10 of 18
properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning
מִפַּ֤חַד
for the fear
H6343
מִפַּ֤חַד
for the fear
Strong's:
H6343
Word #:
11 of 18
a (sudden) alarm (properly, the object feared, by implication, the feeling)
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
13 of 18
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
תִּפְחָ֔ד
wherewith thou shalt fear
H6342
תִּפְחָ֔ד
wherewith thou shalt fear
Strong's:
H6342
Word #:
14 of 18
to be startled (by a sudden alarm); hence, to fear in general
וּמִמַּרְאֵ֥ה
and for the sight
H4758
וּמִמַּרְאֵ֥ה
and for the sight
Strong's:
H4758
Word #:
15 of 18
a view (the act of seeing); also an appearance (the thing seen), whether (real) a shape (especially if handsome, comeliness; often plural the looks),
עֵינֶ֖יךָ
of thine eyes
H5869
עֵינֶ֖יךָ
of thine eyes
Strong's:
H5869
Word #:
16 of 18
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
Historical Context
Job expressed similar despair (Job 7:4). Lamentations echoes this (Lamentations 3:1-20). Josephus records that during the Roman siege, death was preferable to life. Holocaust testimonies repeatedly describe this psychological state—preferring death to continued suffering but unable to die.
Questions for Reflection
- How does this passage describe the hell of living under God's wrath?
- What does the inability to find rest at any time teach about the nature of judgment?
- How does Christ's experience of God-forsakenness on the cross mean we never need fear this condition?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning!—this captures the psychology of despair: wishing away the present moment, unable to find relief. The Hebrew mî-yitten ʿereḇ... mî-yitten bōqer (מִי־יִתֵּן עֶרֶב... מִי־יִתֵּן בֹּקֶר, 'who will give evening... who will give morning') is literally 'O that it were evening/morning!' The idiom expresses desperate longing for escape. For the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see—both internal terror and external horrors make life unbearable.
This is clinical depression and trauma—inability to find peace at any time. Morning brings fresh fears; evening brings no rest. The 'fear of thine heart' is anxiety; the 'sight of thine eyes' is witnessing atrocities. Holocaust survivors describe exactly this experience—waking hoping to wake from the nightmare, sleeping hoping not to wake to reality. Time becomes an enemy rather than a blessing.