Psalm 119:150

150 They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from your law.

Psalm 119:150 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 119:150

They draw nigh that follow after mischief
Or "evil" {c}; that which is sinful in itself, and injurious to others. Some cannot sleep unless they do mischief; they are bent upon it, and proceed from evil to evil: they are eager in their pursuit of it, as the huntsman after his sport, to which the allusion is; though it is to their ruin, even to their death, ( Proverbs 11:19 ) ; These the psalmist says "draw nigh"; not unto God, unless feignedly and with their mouths only; but to him they drew nigh, to David, in an hostile way they pursued after him, in order to take away his life, and they had very nearly overtaken him, and were just ready to seize him; his life drew nigh to those destroyers, and those destroyers drew nigh to that, so that he was in great danger; and the more as these were abandoned creatures, that neither feared God nor regarded man, as follows:

they are far from thy law;
from the knowledge of it, of its equity and purity; and especially of its spirituality, and of its power and influence upon their minds; and so far from subjection and obedience to it; so far from it, that they treat it with the utmost contempt, cast it away from them and despise it, ( Romans 8:7 ) ( Isaiah 5:24 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (hmz) "iniquitati", V. L. "scelus", Tigurine version; so Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Michaelis.

Psalm 119:150 In-Context

148 My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.

149 Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O Lord, according to your justice give me life.

150 They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from your law.

151 But you are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are true.

152 Long have I known from your testimonies that you have founded them forever. Resh