Those who follow after wickedness draw near; they are far from Your law.
Parallel translations
- WEB They draw near who follow after wickedness. They are far from your law.
- KJV They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
- NKJV They draw near who follow after wickedness; They are far from Your law.
- NASB Those who follow after wickedness approach; They are far from Your Law.
- NLT Lawless people are coming to attack me; they live far from your instructions.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
His malicious pursuers draw near, yet they are far from God's law. Nearness in space does not mean nearness to God.
Overview
The psalmist contrasts the closing distance of his enemies with their distance from God's law, exposing the root of their hostility. Those who reject God's Word readily oppose those who love it. The verse sets up the comforting counterpoint of the next, that God Himself is near.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Ps 27:2When the wicked came upon me to devour my flesh, my enemies and foes stumbled and fell.
- Prov 28:9Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable.
- Ps 22:11–13Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
- 1 Sam 23:16And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God,
- Job 21:14Yet they say to God: ‘Leave us alone! For we have no desire to know Your ways.
- Ps 22:16For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
- 2 Sam 17:16Now send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but be sure to cross over. Otherwise the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’”
- Ps 50:17For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you.
- Prov 1:22“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
- Eph 2:13–14But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
- Matt 26:46–47Rise, let us go! See, My betrayer is approaching!”
- Prov 1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 119:150 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.