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Psalm 119:137
You are righteous, LORD. Your judgments are upright.
135Make your face shine on your servant. Teach me your statutes.
136Streams of tears run down my eyes, because they don’t observe your law. TZADHE
137You are righteous, LORD. Your judgments are upright.
138You have commanded your statutes in righteousness. They are fully trustworthy.
139My zeal wears me out, because my enemies ignore your words.
Notice
The words “You are righteous, LORD” come amid tears over ignored commands, showing that confidence in God’s justice can remain while disobedience causes grief.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
How does the link between God’s character and his judgments shape your trust in his commands?
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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
Romans 7:12Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, righteous, and good.Both passages affirm the righteousness of God’s commands, with Romans also describing the commandment as holy and good.
Psalm 129:4The LORD is righteous. He has cut apart the cords of the wicked.Both declare that the LORD is righteous; Psalm 129 connects that declaration with his action against the wicked.
Psalm 116:5The LORD is gracious and righteous. Yes, our God is merciful.Both name the LORD as righteous, while Psalm 116 also names his grace and mercy.
Psalm 119:62At midnight I will rise to give thanks to you, because of your righteous ordinances.God’s righteous ordinances are the reason for midnight thanksgiving in verse 62 and an affirmation of praise in verse 137.
Jeremiah 12:1You are righteous, LORD, when I contend with you; yet I would like to plead a case with you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are they all at ease …Both address the LORD as righteous; Jeremiah makes that confession while questioning why treacherous people prosper.
Ezra 9:15LORD, the God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for no one …Both confess God’s righteousness in direct address; Ezra speaks from the position of a guilty people before him.
Job 34:23For he doesn’t need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.The shared thread is God’s judgment, though Job’s verse concerns a person appearing before God rather than an explicit affirmation of righteousness.
Psalm 145:17The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and gracious in all his works.Both affirm the LORD’s righteousness, connecting his character with his judgments in Psalm 119 and all his ways in Psalm 145.
Daniel 9:7“Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but to us confusion of face, as it is today; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, …Both address God as righteous; Daniel contrasts God’s righteousness with Israel’s shame because of their trespass.
1 Chronicles 16:12Remember his marvelous works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,Both refer to God’s judgments: Psalm 119 declares them upright, while Chronicles urges the people to remember them.
Nehemiah 9:13“You also came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,Both affirm the rightness of God’s ordinances, with Nehemiah recalling the laws and commandments he gave at Sinai.
Nehemiah 9:33However you are just in all that has come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly.Both address God as just or righteous; Nehemiah acknowledges that justice amid the consequences of the people’s wickedness.
Where this verse fits
Injustice and anger. doubt. praise and worship.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
The surrounding tears do not disappear when the psalmist speaks these words. Your distress need not be resolved before you confess that God and his judgments are right.
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).