Bible Strands
Psalms 119:136
My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist speaks to God, requesting that His face shine upon him and teach him statutes, then immediately describes his own weeping as a response to widespread disobedience.
The words — The Hebrew פַּלְגֵי־ מַיִם (pal.gei ma.yim) translates literally to "streams of water," quantifying the volume of the psalmist's tears.
The thread — This motif of overwhelming grief over covenant failure appears in Jeremiah 9:1, where the prophet wishes his eyes were a spring of tears, and Ezekiel 9:4, which marks those who sigh over Jerusalem's abominations.
Why it lands — The text states that tears flow specifically because God's law is ignored, requiring the reader to examine whether their own sorrow over disobedience matches the weight of divine instruction.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 9:1 Oh, that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night over the slain daughter of my people.
- Ezekiel 9:4 “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem,” said the LORD, “and put a mark on the foreheads of the men sighing and groaning over all the abominations committed there.”
- 1 Samuel 15:11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all that night.
- Psalms 119:53 Rage has taken hold of me because of the wicked who reject Your law.
- Psalms 119:158 I look on the faithless with loathing because they do not keep Your word.
- Jeremiah 9:18 Let them come quickly and take up a lament over us, that our eyes may overflow with tears, and our eyelids may gush with water.
- Jeremiah 14:17 You are to speak this word to them: ‘My eyes overflow with tears; day and night they do not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people has been shattered by a crushing blow, a severely grievous wound.
- Luke 19:41 As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it
- Romans 9:2 I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
- Jeremiah 13:17 But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.