Rivers of water

Psalm 119: 136. — Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

Godly men are affected with deep sorrow for the sins of the ungodly.

Let us consider the nature of this affection. 

1. It is not a stoical apathy, and affected carelessness; much less a delightful partaking with sinful practices. 

2. Not a proud setting off of their own goodness, with marking the sin of others as the Pharisee did in the gospel. 

3. Not the derision and mocking of the folly of men, with that "laughing philosopher": it comes nearer to the temper of the other who wept always for it. 

4. It is not a bitter, bilious anger, breaking forth into railings and reproaches, nor an upbraiding insultation [the act of insulting]. 

5. Nor is it a vindictive desire of punishment, venting itself in curses and imprecations, which is the rash temper of many, but especially of the vulgar sort. 

The disciples' motion to Christ was far different from that way, and yet he says to them, "We know not of what spirit ye are." They thought they had been of Elijah's spirit, but he told them they were mistaken, and did not know of what a spirit they were in that motion. Thus heady zeal often mistakes and flatters itself. We find not here a desire of fire to come down from heaven upon the breakers of the law, but such a grief as would rather bring water to quench it, if it were falling on them. "Rivers of waters run down mine eyes." — Robert Leighton.