Lexical Summary oyah: Woe, Alas Original Word: אוֹיָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance woe Feminine of 'owy -- woe. see HEBREW 'owy NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom oy Definition woe! NASB Translation woe (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs אוֺיָה = אוֺי Psalm 120:5 א֣וֺיָה לִּ֖י. III. אוה (to cry אוֺי, howl compare Arabic Topical Lexicon Occurrence and Literary Setting אוֹיָה appears once in the Old Testament, Psalm 120:5. The psalmist’s exclamation, “Woe to me, for I dwell in Meshech, I live among the tents of Kedar!” (Psalm 120:5), introduces a brief but intense lament framed within the first of the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120–134). Psalm 120 within the Songs of Ascents The Songs of Ascents were sung by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem for the great feasts. Psalm 120 sets the tone of pilgrimage by beginning not with arrival, but with distress. The worshiper starts far from Zion, surrounded by deceitful tongues (Psalm 120:2) and hostile neighbors (Psalm 120:6–7). The cry of אוֹיָה therefore functions as an opening acknowledgment of alienation and urgent need for deliverance, anticipating the progress toward joy and communion that unfolds throughout the collection (e.g., Psalm 122:1; Psalm 133:1). Meshech and Kedar: Geographical and Symbolic Context Meshech represents distant northern tribes (Genesis 10:2; Ezekiel 38:3), while Kedar evokes nomadic Arabian tribes renowned for archery (Isaiah 21:17). Both names convey remoteness from Israel’s covenant center and suggest cultures marked by warfare and instability. By placing himself among these peoples, the psalmist expresses more than physical displacement; he confesses a moral and spiritual estrangement from peace (Psalm 120:6–7). אוֹיָה thus voices a yearning for the security and righteousness associated with dwelling in the LORD’s land and presence (Deuteronomy 12:5; Psalm 84:10). Echoes of the Prophetic ‘Woe’ Though a unique form, אוֹיָה resonates with the prophetic tradition of “woe” declarations (Isaiah 5:20; Habakkuk 2:6). The prophets announce judgment; the psalmist internalizes that announcement. He recognizes the brokenness around him and within him, aligning his lament with Isaiah’s confession, “Woe is me, for I am ruined!” (Isaiah 6:5). In both cases, honest grief becomes the doorway to grace, for the LORD answers the contrite (Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 57:15). The Cry of the Pilgrim and Covenant Hope Psalm 120:1 testifies, “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me.” The lament of אוֹיָה is therefore not despair but faith in covenant mercy. Declaring woe before the sovereign Redeemer creates space for divine intervention, prefiguring the New Testament pattern where mourning is met by comfort (Matthew 5:4; 2 Corinthians 1:3–4). The single appearance of the word underscores its theological weight: one heartfelt cry is sufficient to draw the pilgrim into dialogue with God who hears. Ministry and Pastoral Application 1. Authentic Lament: Believers may freely articulate anguish without fear of reproach. Pastoral counseling should encourage congregants to bring unfiltered grief to God, following the psalmist’s model. Devotional Reflection אוֹיָה captures the sigh of every redeemed heart that longs for full communion with God amid a world of conflict. The word is brief, yet it gathers the weight of exile, the ache for holiness, and the certainty that the LORD answers. When believers echo this cry today—whether in whispered prayer, congregational lament, or missionary hardship—they join the ancient pilgrim company moving from Meshech and Kedar toward the New Jerusalem, where “He will wipe away every tear” (Revelation 21:4). Forms and Transliterations אֽוֹיָה־ אויה־ ’ō·w·yāh- ’ōwyāh- oyahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 120:5 HEB: אֽוֹיָה־ לִ֭י כִּי־ NAS: Woe is me, for I sojourn in Meshech, KJV: Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, INT: Woe for sojourn 1 Occurrence |
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, to cry 
to be assumed probably as source of two following words).