Psalms 119:150 — Word Study
WLCקָ֭רְבוּ רֹדְפֵ֣י זִמָּ֑ה מִתּוֹרָתְךָ֥ רָחָֽקוּ׃
BSAThose who followrâdaph after wickednesszimmâh [pursue with hostile intent, chase, evil plans, malice] draw nearqârab■ [come close, approach] they are farrâchaq■ [at a distance, removed] from Your lawtôwrâh [divine, heavenly, instruction, guidance]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| קָ֭רְבוּ | they draw near | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| רֹדְפֵ֣י | [those who] pursue | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine plural common |
| זִמָּ֑ה | wickedness | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| מִתּוֹרָתְךָ֥ | from law your | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| רָחָֽקוּ׃ | they are distant | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Those who follow after wickedness draw near; they are far from Your law. |
| KJV | They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law. |
| ASV | They draw nigh that follow after wickedness; They are far from thy law. |
| YLT | Near have been my wicked pursuers, From Thy law they have been far off. |
| WEB | They draw near who follow after wickedness. They are far from your law. |
| BBE | Those who have evil designs against me come near; they are far from your law. |
Where they part company is זִמָּה — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured with a main clause followed by descriptive and prepositional phrases, illustrating the relationship between the wicked and God's law.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbקָרַב
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 119:150
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Meditation on the Lawgenerated
Psalm 119:150 contrasts the actions of those who pursue wickedness with the divine law. The psalmist calls out to God for justice and life, indicating a deep reliance on divine guidance. This verse highlights the tension between those who are close to evil and those who adhere to God's commandments, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 22:11–13 | Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. |
| 2 | Psalm 27:2 | When the wicked came upon me to devour my flesh, my enemies and foes stumbled and fell. |
| 3 | 1 Samuel 23:16 | And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God, |
| 4 | 2 Samuel 17:16 | Now 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.’” |
| 5 | Matthew 26:46–47 | Rise, let us go! See, My betrayer is approaching!” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — קָרַב, Ka.re.vugenerated
The verb קָרַב (qarab) means to approach or come near, often with intention. It is used here to describe the act of drawing near, suggesting a purposeful movement towards something, in this case, wickedness.
In this verse, the perfect tense indicates a completed action — those who pursue wickedness have drawn near, emphasizing the immediacy of their presence. This word is often associated with offerings to God, highlighting the contrast with the pursuit of evil.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses draw near for קָרְבוּ and are far for רָחָקוּ.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb קָ֭רְבוּ (they draw near) governs the sentence, with two phrases following: a participial phrase describing those who pursue wickedness, and a prepositional phrase indicating their distance from the law.
The structure emphasizes the actions of the wicked and their consequences, with the subject clearly defined and the verbs indicating their current state.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses προσήγγισαν for קָרְבוּ, which means 'they approached'. This choice maintains the idea of drawing near but does not carry the same connotation of intention as the Hebrew verb.
For זִמָּה, the LXX translates it as ἀνομίᾳ, meaning 'lawlessness', which expands the concept of wickedness to include a broader rejection of divine law.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 119:150 describes how those who chase after wickedness come close, while they are far from God's law. This highlights the danger of pursuing evil and the distance it creates from divine guidance.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To pursue wickedness means to actively seek out or follow evil actions or intentions, often with harmful consequences.
The verse indicates that those who pursue wickedness are distanced from God's law, emphasizing the moral divide between following evil and adhering to divine instruction.
Drawing near in this context suggests a purposeful approach to wickedness, contrasting with the nearness of God’s law, which offers guidance and protection.
One can avoid wickedness by adhering to God's law and seeking His guidance, remaining vigilant against harmful intentions and actions.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some examples of wickedness in our world today, and how can we avoid them?
- In what ways can I draw closer to God's law in my daily life?
- How do I respond to those who pursue wickedness around me?
- What steps can I take to ensure I am not distanced from God's guidance?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early interpretations of this verse highlight the psalmist's concern for those who maliciously pursue him, as noted by Augustine of Hippo.
"They draw near, that of malice persecute me:" or, as some copies read, "maliciously" [Psalms 119:150].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:150 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey draw nigh that follow after mischief,.... Or "evil" (c); that which is sinful in itself, and injurious to others.
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law. They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleVer. 150. They draw nigh, to wit, to me, or against me, as ; they are at hand, and ready to seize upon me. They are far from thy law; they cast away far from them all thoughts of and respect to thy law, which forbids such wicked practices.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.Ver. 150. They draw nigh that follow after mischief] Those scelerum assidui sectatores prompti sunt ac parati. They are far from thy law] And so having nothing to restrain their rage; since they have cast their cords from them.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(150, 151) Near.—Notice the antithesis. They, the wicked, are near with their temptation to sin and their hindrances to virtue. Thou art near with the aid and support of Thy law.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 150. They draw nigh] They are just at hand who seek to destroy me. They are far from thy law.] They are near to all evil, but far from thee.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges145–152. Qôph. Unceasing prayer to be kept faithful in the midst of faithlessness is the rule of the Psalmist’s life.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThey draw nigh - They follow me; they press hard upon me. That follow after mischief - That seek to do me wrong. They are far from thy law - They yield no obedience to it; they are not influenced by it in their conduct toward me.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Those who follow after wickedness draw near; they are far from Your law.
They draw near who follow after wickedness. They are far from your law.
Those who follow after wickedness draw near; they are far from Your law.
Those who are eager to do wrong draw near; they are far from your law.
Tyndale line
They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
They draw nigh that follow after wickedness; They are far from thy law.
They draw nigh that follow after wickedness; they are far from thy law.
They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
They drawe neere, that follow after malice, and are farre from thy Lawe.
Strictly literal
They have drawn nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
Near have been my wicked pursuers, From Thy law they have been far off.
My wicked pursuers have been near, || They have been far off from Your law.
They that pursue mischievous devices draw nigh: from thy law are they far.
Those who are persecuting me are coming closer to me, but they are far from your law.
Simplified
Evil people come running to attack me—they totally disregard your law.
Those who have evil designs against me come near; they are far from your law.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls agree closely, with only minor variations in spelling. The Septuagint matches four out of five words from the Hebrew text, indicating a strong alignment in meaning despite differences in structure.
קָ֭רְבוּ רֹדְפֵ֣י זִמָּ֑ה מִתּוֹרָתְךָ֥ רָחָֽקוּ׃
4 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
קרבו רודפי זמה מתורת׳כה רחקו
5 words on the leather.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 119:150
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
קָרַב (qarab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to approach or come near, with various nuances including bringing or presenting something. It encompasses different forms such as Qal (to approach), Niphal (to be brought near), and Hiphil (to bring near). The term is often associated with offerings or dedications to God, particularly in the context of the book of Ezekiel.
[קָרֵב], קָרַב 279 vb. come near, approach
Qal 93 approach
Niph. he shall be brought unto God
Pi. cause to approach, bring near
Hiph.
177
bring near, bring, present
of time
as term techn. (c. 158 t.), chiefly Ez HP, bring near, of presenting, dedicating, or offering to י׳
base
H7126 קָרֵב, קָרַב come near, approach .approach
. he shall be brought unto God
. cause to approach, bring near
. . . bring near, bring, present
. of time
. as term techn. (c. 158 t.), chiefly Ez HP, bring near, of presenting, dedicating, or offering to י׳
7126 qarab kaw-rab'
a primitive root; to approach (causatively, bring near) for
whatever purpose:--(cause to) approach, (cause to) bring
(forth, near), (cause to) come (near, nigh), (cause to) draw
near (nigh), go (near), be at hand, join, be near, offer,
present, produce, make ready, stand, take.
קָרַב (qa.rav) — to present: come.
: come/approach
1) to come near, approach, enter into, draw near
1a) (Qal) to approach, draw near
1b) (Niphal) to be brought near
1c) (Piel) to cause to approach, bring near, cause to draw near
1d) (Hiphil) to bring near, bring, present
קָרַב (qa.rav) — to present: bring.
: bring/offer
1) to come near, approach, enter into, draw near
1a) (Qal) to approach, draw near
1b) (Niphal) to be brought near
1c) (Piel) to cause to approach, bring near, cause to draw near
1d) (Hiphil) to bring near, bring, present
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
רָדַף (radaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pursue, chase, or persecute. It conveys the idea of running after something, often with hostile intent, and can also figuratively refer to following time or securing something. The word has various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hiphil, each indicating different nuances of pursuit or being pursued.
רָדַף 141 vb. pursue, chase, persecute
Qal 128
pursue
lit. put to flight, chase
lit., the pursuers
chase, hunt
pursue
fig. persecute, harass
pursue, dog
fig. follow after, aim to secure
Niph. upon the neck (i.e. closely) we are pursued
Pi. pursue ardently
Pu. it shall be chased away like chaff of the mountains
Hiph. usu. they chased him
base
H7291 רָדַף pursue, chase, persecute
7291 radaph raw-daf'
a primitive root; to run after (usually with hostile intent;
figuratively (of time) gone by):--chase, put to flight,
follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or),
pursue(-r).
רָדַף (ra.daph) — to pursue.
1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon
1a2) to persecute, harass (fig)
1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig)
1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be pursued
1b2) one pursued (participle)
1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue
1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away
1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural commonHVqrmpc
זִמָּה (zimmah) refers to a plan or device, particularly one that is wicked or malicious. It encompasses meanings related to evil intentions, such as lewdness and mischief. The term is derived from a root meaning to plot or devise, and it captures various forms of moral wrongdoing, including adultery and idolatry.
זִמָּה n.f. plan, device, wickedness
base
H2154 זִמָּה plan, device, wickedness
2154 zimmah zim-maw'
or zammah {zam-maw'}; from 2161; a plan, especially a bad
one:--heinous crime, lewd(-ly, -ness), mischief, purpose,
thought, wicked (device, mind, -ness).
see HEBREW for 02161
זִמָּה (zim.mah) — wickedness.
1) plan, device, wickedness, evil plan, mischievous purpose
1a) plan, purpose
1b) evil device, wickedness
1c) not chaste, incest, licentiousness, adultery, idolatry, harlotry
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
wik'-ed-nes:
1. In the Old Testament:
The state of being wicked; a mental disregard for justice, righteousness, truth, honor, virtue; evil in thought and life; depravity; sinfulness; criminality. See SIN. Many words are rendered "wickedness." There are many synonyms for wickedness in English and also in the Hebrew. Pride and vanity lead to it: "All the proud, and all that work wickedness (rish`ah) shall be stubble" (Mal 4:1). Akin to this is the word `awen, "iniquity," "vanity": "She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness" (Pr 30:20). Then we have the word hawwah, meaning "mischief," "calamity," coming from inward intent upon evil: "Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in…
תּוֹרָה (towrah) encompasses concepts of direction, instruction, and law, particularly relating to divine or human guidance. It refers to legal directives, customs, and teachings, including the Decalogue and the Pentateuch. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, such as prophetic and priestly instruction, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.
תּוֹרָה n.f. direction, instruction, law
instruction
law (prop. direction)
custom, manner
base
H8451 תּוֹרָה direction, instruction, law . instruction
. law (prop. direction)
. custom, manner
8451 towrah to-raw'
or torah {to-raw'}; from 3384; a precept or statute,
especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch:--law.
see HEBREW for 03384
תּוֹרָה (to.rah) — instruction.
1) law, direction, instruction
1a) instruction, direction (human or divine)
1a1) body of prophetic teaching
1a2) instruction in Messianic age
1a3) body of priestly direction or instruction
1a4) body of legal directives
1b) law
1b1) law of the burnt offering
1b2) of special law, codes of law
1c) custom, manner
1d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word רָחַק (rachaq) is a primitive root meaning to be or become far or distant. It encompasses various forms, including intransitive meanings like receding and transitive meanings such as removing or sending away. The entries indicate uses in different stems, including Qal (to be distant), Piel (to send far away), and Hiphil (to cause to be distant).
רָחַק vb. be, or become, far, distant
Qal be far, distant
Pi. send far away
Hiph.
dir. caus. make, or exhibit, distance, be gone for
indir. caus. remove, put far away
base
H7368 רָחַק be, or become, far, distant
7368 rachaq raw-khak'
a primitive root; to widen (in any direction), i.e.
(intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove (literally or
figuratively, of place or relation):--(a-, be, cast, drive,
get, go, keep (self), put, remove, be too, (wander), withdraw)
far (away, off), loose, X refrain, very, (be) a good way
(off).
רָחַק (ra.chaq) — to remove.
v
1) to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away
1a) (Qal) to be far, be distant
1b) (Piel) to send far away, extend
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make or exhibit distance, be gone far
1c2) to remove, put far away
2) (Niphal) loose
v inf (as adv)
3) at a distance
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp