Deuteronomy 28:67 describes the exhausting anxiety of a people who have lost their security: they are so afraid, and so overwhelmed by what they see around them, that they wish the day were over, and then wish the night were over, never finding rest in either. Moses spoke these words as part of a long list of warnings that God gave Israel through him, recorded in the book of Deuteronomy, before the people entered the Promised Land.
In the morning you will say, “I wish it were evening!” and at evening you will say, “I wish it were morning!” for the fear of your heart which you will fear, and for the sights which your eyes will see.
Deuteronomy 28:67 (WEB)
What Deuteronomy 28:67 Means
The verse begins with a picture of restless exhaustion. “In the morning you will say, ‘I wish it were evening!'” describes someone who dreads the coming day so much that they long for it to be finished before it has begun. The reversal in the next clause, wishing for morning at night, shows that no time of day brings relief. Fear has taken over both the light and the dark.
The verse then names the source of this dread: “the fear of your heart which you will fear.” This is not a fear of one particular enemy but a deep, inward terror that settles into the heart. The final phrase, “the sights which your eyes will see,” adds that the fear is fed by what the people witness with their own eyes, likely the suffering, loss and humiliation that come with exile.
It is important to read this verse as a description of consequences within a covenant relationship, not as a promise of how God will treat faithful people. Deuteronomy 28 lays out blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, and this verse belongs to the curses. It does not teach that every fearful person is under judgment, nor does it tell us what God will do in any individual life today.
The Context of Deuteronomy 28:67
The book of Deuteronomy is presented as the words Moses spoke to Israel on the plains of Moab, as the nation prepared to cross the Jordan River. Its audience is the second generation of those freed from Egypt, people who needed to hear again the terms of the covenant with the LORD and what faithfulness and unfaithfulness would look like. Moses is the traditional author, and the book reads as a farewell address rich in reminders and warnings.
The verse sits in the middle of a passage that describes scattering among the nations (verse 64), a life without rest or security (verses 65 and 66), and a return to slavery in Egypt (verse 68). Read in that setting, the restless dread of verse 67 is one piece of a larger picture of loss. It is meant to show how complete the reversal of the promised land life would be, which is why the warnings are so vivid.
Key Phrases in Deuteronomy 28:67
Psalm 46:1-2
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we won’t be afraid, though the earth changes, though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas…
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This psalm speaks of God as a refuge and strength in times of trouble, even when the earth seems to give way. Where Deuteronomy 28:67 describes fear without relief, Psalm 46 points to the steady presence of God as the place where a frightened heart can find shelter.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
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Paul encourages believers to bring their anxieties to God in prayer and thanksgiving. This passage offers a practical response to the restless dread Moses describes, showing how fear can be handed over to God rather than carried alone through every hour of the day and night.
A Short Prayer From Deuteronomy 28:67
Lord, you know how fear can wear down the heart until even the morning and the evening feel like burdens. I bring you the dread I carry and the things I see that trouble me. Calm my heart and draw my attention back to your faithfulness, which does not change with the hours of the day. Help me to rest in your care, to speak honestly to you about my fears, and to trust that you are near in every season. Amen.
