Psalm 119:151

Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Psalm 119:151-152. Thou art near, O Lord — Namely, to me. Thou art as ready and present to succour me, as they are to molest me. And all thy commandments are truth — Considered with the promises and threatenings which belong to them, and are always either expressed or implied. Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old — By my own long experience, ever since I arrived at any knowledge in those matters; that thou hast founded them for ever — Thou hast established them upon everlasting foundations. They are as unalterable as the attributes of their great Author, and can never fail those who rely upon them, in time or in eternity.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

119:145-152 Supplications with the whole heart are presented only by those who desire God's salvation, and who love his commandments. Whither should the child go but to his father? Save me from my sins, my corruptions, my temptations, all the hinderances in my way, that I may keep thy testimonies. Christians who enjoy health, should not suffer the early hours of the morning to glide away unimproved. Hope in God's word encourages us to continue in prayer. It is better to take time from sleep, than not to find time for prayer. We have access to God at all hours; and if our first thoughts in the morning are of God, they will help to keep us in his fear all the day long. Make me lively and cheerful. God knows what we need and what is good for us, and will quicken us. If we are employed in God's service, we need not fear those who try to set themselves as far as they can out of the reach of the convictions and commands of his law. When trouble is near, God is near. He is never far to seek. All his commandments are truth. And God's promises will be performed. All that ever trusted in God have found him faithful.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thou art near, O Lord - God was present with him; he was ready to hear his cry; he was at hand to save him. Compare Psalm 145:18. The psalmist had the assurance, springing from deep feeling, and the conscious presence of God, which the people of God often have, that God is very near to them; that he is ready to hear them; that their prayers are answered; that they are in the presence of a heavenly Friend. Such are among the precious experiences of the life of a religious man.

And all thy commandments are truth - All that thou hast ordained; all that thou hast promised. The psalmist felt this. He was experiencing the truth of what God had assured him of. Not a doubt came into his mind - for God was near him. This conviction that God is "near" us - this manifestation of God to the soul as a present God - is one of the most certain assurances to our own minds of the truth of religion, and of our acceptance with him.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

150-152. Though the wicked are near to injure, because far from God's law, He is near to help, and faithful to His word, which abides for ever.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 151. Thou art near to me. Thou art as ready and present to succour me as they are to molest me.

Thy commandments; considered with the promises and threatenings, which are frequently annexed to them. Or, the promises, as this word seems to be used, Psalm 111:7, and elsewhere in this Psalm. And God is said to command not only his precepts, or the observation thereof, but also his covenant, Psalm 105:8 111:9, which is a collection or body of the promises; and his loving-kindness, Psalm 42:8, which is the fountain of the promises; and his blessing, Psalm 133:3, which is the fruit of his promises; and deliverances, Psalm 44:4, which are the things promised. And therefore it is not strange if he promises be sometimes called commandments.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Thou art near, O Lord,.... This was the comfort of the psalmist, that though his enemies drew nigh with a mischievous design upon him, yet his God was also near, and nearer than they; he was near as to relation to him, being his God and Father; near as to union, the bond of which is his everlasting love, which can never be dissolved; near as to communion, which he admits all his people to at one time or another; so that they are said to be "a people near unto the Lord"; Psalm 148:14; and near as to his gracious presence, and the divine assistance he affords; he is a present help in time of need; he is nigh to all that call on him in truth, and in all things in which they do call upon him for, Psalm 145:18;

and all thy commandments are truth; not only the precepts of the word of God, but his covenant, and the promises of it; the word which he has commanded to a thousand generations, Psalm 105:8; and even the whole word of God, doctrines and duties; see John 17:17.

Geneva Study Bible

Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 151. - Thou art near, O Lord. If "they draw nigh," still more near art thou, ready to succor and defend and save (comp. Psalm 145:18). And all thy commandments are truth (comp. ver. 142, "Thy Law is the truth;" and see the comment on that passage). Psalm 119:151

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The eightfold Koph. Fidelity to God's word, and deliverance according to His promise, is the purport of his unceasing prayer. Even in the morning twilight (נשׁף) he was awake praying. It is not הנּשׁף, I anticipated the twilight; nor is קדּמתּי, according to Psalm 89:14, equivalent to קדמתיך, but ואשׁוּע...קדּמתּי is the resolution of the otherwise customary construction קדמתי לשׁוּע, Jonah 4:2, inasmuch as קדּם may signify "to go before" (Psalm 68:26), and also "to make haste (with anything):" even early before the morning's dawn I cried. Instead of לדבריך the Ker (Targum, Syriac, Jerome) more appropriately reads לדברך after Psalm 119:74, Psalm 119:81, Psalm 119:114. But his eyes also anticipated the night-watches, inasmuch as they did not allow themselves to be caught not sleeping by any of them at their beginning (cf. לראשׁ, Lamentations 2:19). אמרה is here, as in Psalm 119:140, Psalm 119:158, and frequently, the whole word of God, whether in its requirements or its promises. In Psalm 119:149 בּמשׁפּטך is a defective plural as in Psalm 119:43 (vid., on Psalm 119:37), according to Psalm 119:156, although according to Psalm 119:132 the singular (lxx, Targum, Jerome) would also be admissible: what is meant is God's order of salvation, or His appointments that relate thereto. The correlative relation of Psalm 119:150 and Psalm 119:151 is rendered natural by the position of the words. With קרבוּ (cf. קרב) is associated the idea of rushing upon him with hostile purpose, and with קרוב, as in Psalm 69:19; Isaiah 58:2, of hastening to his succour. זמּה is infamy that is branded by the law: they go forth purposing this, but God's law is altogether self-verifying truth. And the poet has long gained the knowledge from it that it does not aim at merely temporary recompense. The sophisms of the apostates cannot therefore lead him astray. יסדתּם for יסדתּן, like המּה in Psalm 119:111.