My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. Tsadhe
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist isn't just sad about people breaking God's law; he's weeping because their actions dishonor God and disregard His authority, revealing a deep, empathetic sorrow for God's own wounded glory. This isn't just personal grief; it's a reflection of God's own heart, pained by sin and rebellion.
My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. Tsadhe
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist's lament continues in this section, building on his passionate devotion to God's law. He has just described his intense desire to keep God's statutes and his prayers for guidance. Now, his overflowing sorrow is for the widespread disregard of God's commands, a deep grief stemming from seeing others dishonor the divine law.
Why would someone weep rivers of tears over others' actions? This isn't just sadness; it's a deep, spiritual ache.
A Watchman's Grief
The psalmist describes his tears as "rivers of waters." This isn't a mild disappointment; it's an overwhelming sorrow. The reason? "Because they keep not your law." This reveals a heart deeply connected to God's heart.
Think of a watchman on a city wall. Their job is to sound the alarm when danger approaches. The psalmist, deeply devoted to God's law, sees the spiritual danger that disregard for God's commands brings – to individuals, to the community, and most importantly, to God's honor. His tears are a reflection of that spiritual watchfulness and the profound grief that comes from seeing God's holy standard ignored.
The deepest pain often comes not from personal harm, but from seeing something precious dishonored. What does this verse say about that?
More Than Just Rules
When the psalmist weeps because people "do not keep your law," it's not merely about breaking rules. It's about the desecration of God's character and authority. God's law is a reflection of His very nature – His goodness, His justice, His love.
To ignore His law is to ignore Him. It dishonors His name, tramples on His authority, and rejects His goodness. The psalmist's tears are a visceral reaction to this profound insult against the One he loves and reveres above all else. It's grief for God's wounded honor.
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torah · Hebrew Noun
An instruction, commandment, or principle given by God to His people for their guidance, life, and governance; it encompasses the entirety of God's revealed will.
This verse likely arose during or after the Babylonian exile, a time when the devastation of Jerusalem and the scattering of God's people were fresh wounds. The psalmist's tears reflect a deep sorrow not just for personal loss, but for the profound dishonor brought to God's name by the widespread disregard for His law.
c. 975 BC
Division of the Kingdom
After Solomon's death, the united kingdom of Israel splits into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, leading to centuries of political instability and religious compromise.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its inhabitants. This event serves as a stark warning about the consequences of disobedience to God's law.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonian Empire destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling a significant portion of the population of Judah. This catastrophic event is a direct result of persistent disobedience to God's covenant.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
Under the decree of Cyrus the Great of Persia, many Judeans are allowed to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding the Temple, marking a new era of covenant faithfulness and national identity.
This verse speaks of a prophet weeping profusely over the wickedness and rebellion of his people, mirroring the psalmist's deep sorrow in Psalm 119:136.
Ezekiel 9:4God instructs a scribe to mark those who sigh and groan over the abominations being done in the city, highlighting a shared grief over sin's prevalence.
Luke 19:41Jesus himself wept over Jerusalem, lamenting their rejection of God's ways, which shows a divine sorrow over the persistent disobedience of people.
Romans 9:2Paul expresses profound grief and sorrow in his heart for his fellow Israelites, demonstrating that deep anguish over others' spiritual state is a Christ-like response.
gillPsalms 119:136: "Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law."
Rivers of waters run down mine eyes,.... That is, "out of" them; as the Syriac version: or, "mine eyes let down rivers of waters" (t); see Lamentations 3:48 ; that is, an abundance of tears, which flowed like a river; an hyperbolical expression, setting forth the excessiveness of grief. The reason follows, because they keep not thy law; the persons are not mentioned, but must be understood of wicked men; whose…
cambridgePsalms 119:136: "Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law."
136 . Mine eyes run down with streams of water] For the phrase cp. Lamentations 3:48 ; Lamentations 1:16 . The righteous indignation which he feels at one moment for the lawlessness of men ( Psalm 119:53 ) is tempered at another by profound sorrow and pity.
The psalmist isn't just sad about people breaking God's law; he's weeping because their actions dishonor God and disregard His authority, revealing a deep, empathetic sorrow for God's own wounded glory. This isn't just personal grief; it's a reflection of God's own heart, pained by sin and rebellion.
The psalmist's lament continues in this section, building on his passionate devotion to God's law. He has just described his intense desire to keep God's statutes and his prayers for guidance. Now, his overflowing sorrow is for the widespread disregard of God's commands, a deep grief stemming from seeing others dishonor the divine law.
The psalmist's lament continues in this section, building on his passionate devotion to God's law. He has just described his intense desire to keep God's statutes and his prayers for guidance. Now, his overflowing sorrow is for the widespread disregard of God's commands, a deep grief stemming from seeing others dishonor the divine law.
"My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.
Tsadhe" — The psalmist isn't just sad about people breaking God's law; he's weeping because their actions dishonor God and disregard His authority, revealing a deep, empathetic sorrow for God's own wounded glo…
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Last reviewed October 2026