Psalms 71:12
in Psalms 71Be not far from me, O God. Hurry, O my God, to help me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me.
KJV
O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.
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This verse in Psalms 71
Commentary
6 notes on this verseO God, be not far from me. Nearness to God is our conscious security. A child in the dark is comforted by grasping its father's hand. O my God, make haste for my help. To call God ours, as having entered into covenant with us, is a mighty plea in prayer, and a great stay to our faith. The cry of "make haste" has occurred many times in this portion of the Psalms, and it was evoked by the sore pressure of affliction. Sharp sorrows soon put an end to procrastinating prayers.
This site's exposition
Be not far from me
on Psalms 71:12-13
The prayer turns urgent, asking God to hurry. Verse 13 asks that the scorn the accusers aimed at the psalmist fall back on them, that they be ashamed and consumed. That is imprecation, a prayer that hands the judgment of the wicked over to God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"O Lord, my God, be not far from me." So it is, and the Lord is not far off at all. For, "The Lord is nigh unto them that have bruised the heart." "My God, unto my help look Thou." "Be they confounded and fail that engage my soul." What hath he desired? "Be they confounded and fail." Why hath he desired it? "That engage my soul"? What is, "That engage my soul"? Engaging as it were unto some quarrel. For they are said to be engaged that are challenged to quarrel. If then so it is, let us beware of men that engage our soul. What is, "That engage our soul"? First provoking us to withstand God, in order that in our evil things God may displease us. For when art thou right, so that to thee the God of Israel may be good, good to men right in heart? When art thou right? Wilt thou hear? When in that good which thou doest, God is pleasing to thee; but in that evil which thou sufferest, God is not displeasing to thee. See ye what I have said, brethren, and be ye on your guard against men that engage your souls. For all men that deal with you in order to make you be wearied in sorrows and tribulations, have this aim, namely, that God may be displeasing to you in that which ye suffer, and there may go forth from your mouth, "What is this? For what have I done?" Now then hast thou done nothing of evil, and art thou just, He unjust? A sinner I am, thou sayest, I confess, just I call not myself. But what, sinner, hast thou by any means done so much evil as he with whom it is well? As much as Gaiuseius? I know the evil doings of him, I know the iniquities of him, from which I, though a sinner, am very far; and yet I see him abounding in all good things, and I am suffering so great evil things. I do not then say, O God, "what have I done" to Thee, because I have done nothing at all of evil; but because I have not done so much as to deserve to suffer these things. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
I my God! a God in covenant with me, make haste for my help, lest I perish before help come." II. He prays that his enemies might be made ashamed of their designs against him. What it was which they unjustly said against him,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
O God, be not far from me,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
O God, be not far from me - See the notes at Psa 22:11. O my God, make haste for my help - See the notes at Psa 40:13.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֱ֭לֹהִים | ʾelohim | O God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּרְחַ֣ק | tirchak | you be far | H7368 → | 57 times |
| מִמֶּ֑נִּי | mimeni | from me | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י | ʾelohai | O God my | H430 → | 2601 times |
| לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי | leezrati | to help my | H5833 → | 26 times |
| חֽוּשָׁה׃ | chushah | make haste ! | H2363 → | 20 times |
אֱ֭לֹהִיםO God
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּרְחַ֣קyou be far
tirchakH7368 →57 times
מִמֶּ֑נִּיfrom me
mimeniH4480 →1188 times
אֱ֝לֹהַ֗יO God my
ʾelohaiH430 →2601 times
לְעֶזְרָ֥תִיto help my
leezratiH5833 →26 times
חֽוּשָׁה׃make haste !
chushahH2363 →20 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 35:22O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. O Lord, be not far from me.
it leads to
- Psalms 10:1
Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 3:7
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
- Psalms 10:1
Through
Psalms 70:5But I am poor and needy; hurry to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.
it leads to
- Psalms 40:17
But I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my helper and deliverer; O my God, do not delay.
- Psalms 141:1
I call upon You, O LORD; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to You.
- Revelation 22:20
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
- Psalms 40:17
Through
Psalms 10:1Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
it leads to
- Psalms 22:1
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning?
- Psalms 27:9
Hide not Your face from me, nor turn away Your servant in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or forsake me, O God of my salvation.
- Psalms 22:1
Through
Psalms 22:11Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
it leads to
- Psalms 38:21
Do not forsake me, O LORD; be not far from me, O my God.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 38:21
About Psalms
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 71; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.