תהלים, פרק קי״ט, פסוק קל״ו

Deep sorrow and intense weeping naturally arise when God's laws are neglected. This grief is captured through the vivid image of streams and canals of water, which naturally divide and flow outward in multiple directions [מצודת ציון]. This picture illustrates a profound sadness, where tears pour down abundantly and endlessly like a river [מצודת דוד].

When considering who exactly has failed to keep the law and triggered such a massive outpouring of grief, there are two main perspectives. The primary approach among commentators suggests this is a deeply personal cry of regret and repentance. The weeping is over the individual's own sins, and specifically, it is the eyes that have failed to observe the Torah [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מאירי]. The eyes act as the agents that lead a person into sin, wandering after whatever catches their attention and looks appealing [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, אלשיך]. This intense personal sorrow is linked specifically to King David's failing with Bathsheba, with the heavy tears serving as a sign of complete repentance and atonement [מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, crying so intensely over the mistakes made by the eyes serves a protective purpose, ensuring that they will not wander off the right path again [אלשיך].

Alternatively, this profound sadness may not be about personal actions at all. Instead, the tears are shed for others—specifically, the wicked and those who oppress people while ignoring God's commandments [ביאור שטיינזלץ, אבן עזרא]. In this view, the crying comes from a place of deep concern and empathy for the spiritual ruin of these wrongdoers. The tears fall out of sorrow for their lost souls, knowing that their choices will lead to a tragic end and that they will ultimately be destroyed by their own sins [אבן עזרא, מאירי].