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Psalm 119:126
It is time to act, LORD, for they break your law.
124Deal with your servant according to your loving kindness. Teach me your statutes.
125I am your servant. Give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies.
126It is time to act, LORD, for they break your law.
127Therefore I love your commandments more than gold, yes, more than pure gold.
128Therefore I consider all of your precepts to be right. I hate every false way. PE
Notice
“It is time” carries the urgency of watching God’s law being broken and asking YHWH himself to act against what he sees.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What wrong, if any, comes to mind when you read “they break your law”?
Write on thisWhat would you want to ask YHWH to do about that wrong?
Write on thisHow might the surrounding request for understanding shape your own prayer for God to act?
Write on thisConnect
Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Jeremiah 8:8“‘How do you say, “We are wise, and the LORD’s law is with us”? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has made that a lie.Both passages protest the mistreatment of the LORD’s law; Jeremiah names scribes whose false pen contradicts their claim to wisdom.
Habakkuk 1:4Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted.Both describe disregard for law; Habakkuk spells out the resulting perversion of justice as the wicked surround the righteous.
Mark 7:9He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.Both name rejection of God’s commands; Jesus identifies keeping human tradition as the reason for that rejection.
Malachi 2:8But you have turned away from the path. You have caused many to stumble in the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Armies.Both confront violations of God’s law; Malachi adds that those addressed have caused many others to stumble in it.
Psalm 9:19Arise, LORD! Don’t let man prevail. Let the nations be judged in your sight.Both appeal to the LORD to act against human wrongdoing; Psalm 9 asks him to judge the nations.
Numbers 15:31Because he has despised the LORD’s word, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall be utterly cut off. His iniquity shall be on him.’”Both name the breaking of the LORD’s command; Numbers declares a penalty for the person who despises his word.
Matthew 15:6he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition.Both protest disregard for God’s commands; Matthew names a tradition that makes void the command to honor father or mother.
Romans 3:31Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be! No, we establish the law.God’s law matters in both passages: the psalm protests its violation, and Romans rejects the claim that faith nullifies it.
Romans 4:14For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.Both mention law, though Romans addresses inheritance and faith becoming void, while the psalm protests people breaking God’s law.
Psalm 17:13Arise, LORD, confront him. Cast him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,Both ask the LORD to intervene against wrongdoing; Psalm 17 asks him to confront the wicked and deliver the speaker.
Psalm 102:13You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to have pity on her. Yes, the set time has come.Both declare that it is time for God to act; Psalm 102 names mercy toward Zion as the needed action.
Isaiah 42:14“I have been silent a long time. I have been quiet and restrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will both gasp and pant.The psalm asks God to act now; Isaiah portrays God announcing the end of his long silence and restraint.
Where this verse fits
Injustice and anger. waiting.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
The prayer leaves the timing unanswered. Your concern about wrong can be brought before God with that same urgency; his law remains the standard even when people break it.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).