It is time for the LORD to act, for your law has been broken.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse reveals a powerful dynamic: the psalmist sees the brokenness of God's law not as a reason for despair, but as a sign that it's time for God to intervene and act. It’s a declaration that the very disregard for divine order creates an urgent need for God’s justice and a demonstration of His power.
It is time for the LORD to act, for your law has been broken.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist feels overwhelmed by the pervasive wickedness and disregard for God's law, seeing it as a sign that divine intervention is desperately needed. He's praying for God to act decisively against the oppressors who have cast aside His commands, recognizing that their actions have reached a breaking point and demand a powerful response. This plea arises after he asserts his own commitment to justice and righteousness, highlighting the stark contrast with the lawless behavior he witnesses.
Have you ever felt like the world is spiraling out of control, and it's time for a higher power to step in? This verse echoes that cry.
A Time to Intervene
The psalmist isn't just casually observing a problem; they're declaring, 'It is time for the LORD to act!' This isn't a suggestion, but an urgent plea rooted in conviction. The Hebrew word for 'act' here implies a decisive, powerful intervention. It suggests that when human efforts and obedience fail, when God's standards are disregarded, it's precisely the moment God is moved to display His power and authority.
The Culmination of Lawlessness
Why now? Because 'your law has been broken.' This isn't a minor infraction; it's a profound rejection of God's revealed will. The original language suggests the law has been 'made void,' 'annulled,' or 'treated as worthless.' This is a direct challenge to God's character and rule. The psalmist recognizes that such widespread defiance has consequences and demands a divine response, not as a reactive measure, but as a fulfillment of God's covenant and justice.
What does it truly mean for God's law to be 'made void'? It's more than just breaking rules; it's a radical disregard.
More Than Just Disobedience
The phrase 'made void' carries significant weight. It doesn't simply mean people are sinning, which is a constant reality. Instead, it suggests a deliberate and pervasive rejection of God's law as authoritative and binding. It's as if the law is being treated as irrelevant, obsolete, or powerless.
Ask a follow-up
Undermining Divine Authority
When God's law is 'made void,' it's a direct assault on God Himself. The law reflects His character, His will, and His standards for His creation. To disregard it is to disregard Him. This can manifest in various ways: ignoring its commands, despising its principles, or actively promoting lifestyles that contradict its teachings. It’s a profound statement of rebellion, signaling a desire to live apart from God's governance.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the God of Israel, YHWH, who keeps covenant with His people. It signifies His eternal existence, holiness, and supreme authority as the Creator and Redeemer.
torah · Hebrew Noun
The Hebrew 'Torah,' referring to divine instruction, teaching, or authoritative law. In Scripture, it encompasses God’s revealed will for human conduct and relationship with Him.
This verse captures the deep anguish of the psalmist during the exile, viewing the destruction of Jerusalem and the desecration of God's law as the ultimate evidence that God's people had failed Him. It's a cry for divine intervention when human obedience has collapsed.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation of Judean Nobles
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon begins deporting Judeans, including royalty and skilled individuals, to Babylon. This marks the start of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another wave of exiles, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, are taken to Babylon. The Babylonian Captivity deepens, leaving Jerusalem weakened.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar completely destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population to Babylon. This is a devastating national catastrophe, seen as a consequence of disobedience.
c. 540 BC
Reign of Cyrus the Great Begins
Cyrus conquers Babylon and establishes the Persian Empire. His reign ushers in a new era for the exiles.
539 BC
Cyrus Issues Edict of Return
Cyrus allows the Jewish exiles to return to Judah and rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem. This marks the end of the Babylonian Captivity.
This passage mirrors the psalmist's plea, where Jeremiah cries out to God to 'bring down their destruction upon them' because of their schemes, highlighting a consistent theme of appealing to divine justice when human laws are broken.
Romans 3:31Paul discusses how Christ's coming does not abolish the Law but fulfills it, directly contrasting with the idea in Psalm 119:126 that people are 'making void' God's law, showing the tension between divine intent and human disregard.
Matthew 23:23Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for neglecting the 'weightier matters of the law' while focusing on trivialities, echoing the sentiment of Psalm 119:126 where the essence of God's law is disregarded or 'made void'.
Galatians 3:17This verse explains that the Law given 430 years after the promise to Abraham did not nullify the promise, providing a framework for understanding that God's Law has a divine purpose and timing, which the psalmist feels is being ignored in his day.
cambridgePsalms 119:126: "It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law."
126 . It is time for Jehovah to act; They have broken thy law. High time it is for Jehovah to interpose with an act of judgement (cp. Jeremiah 18:23 , “deal thou with them”), and vindicate His broken law. The second line is decisive in favour of this interpretation: otherwise the first line might be rendered, It is time to act for Jehovah , and Psalm 119:124-125 connected with it, in the sense that in such a…
pulpitPsalms 119:126: "It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law."
Verse 126. - It is time for thee, Lord, to work; or, "to act;" i.e. to lay aside quiescence, and come forward as the active Ruler of the universe. For they have made void thy Law. The wicked have cast thy Law behind their back, and, so far as lay in their power, "made it void" - repealed it, cancelled it.
This verse reveals a powerful dynamic: the psalmist sees the brokenness of God's law not as a reason for despair, but as a sign that it's time for God to intervene and act. It’s a declaration that the very disregard for divine order creates an urgent need for God’s justice and a demonstration of His power.
The psalmist feels overwhelmed by the pervasive wickedness and disregard for God's law, seeing it as a sign that divine intervention is desperately needed. He's praying for God to act decisively against the oppressors who have cast aside His commands, recognizing that their actions have reached a breaking point and demand a powerful response. This plea arises after he asserts his own commitment to justice and righteousness, highlighting the stark contrast with the lawless behavior he witnesses.
The psalmist feels overwhelmed by the pervasive wickedness and disregard for God's law, seeing it as a sign that divine intervention is desperately needed. He's praying for God to act decisively against the oppressors who have cast aside His commands, recognizing that their actions have reached a breaking point and demand a powerful response. This plea arises after he asserts his own commitment to justice and righteousness, highlighting the stark contrast with the lawless behavior he witnesses.
"It is time for the LORD to act, for your law has been broken." — This verse reveals a powerful dynamic: the psalmist sees the brokenness of God's law not as a reason for despair, but as a sign that it's time for God to intervene and act. It’s a declaration that th…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026