Psalms 119:155

Psa 119:155 Salvation [is] far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.

Ver. 155. Salvation is far from the wicked] How can it be otherwise? when as God is neither in their heads, Psa 10:4, nor hearts, Psa 14:1, nor words, Psa 12:4, nor ways, Tit 1:16, can these have part or portion in his salvation?

For they seek not] This contempt of God’s word is a plain proof that no part or piece of God’s favour belongeth to them.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

RESH.

Psa 119:155. Salvation — Which is nigh to the faithful, because they diligently and earnestly seek to know and do the will of God, revealed to them in his word; is far from the wicked — They cannot, upon any good grounds, promise themselves even temporal deliverance, when they are in any adversity or trouble, but certainly eternal salvation is far from them. They may, indeed, flatter themselves that it is near, or that they are in the way to it; but they are dreadfully mistaken. It is at a great distance, for they thrust it from them, by thrusting the Saviour from them, and his statutes, to know, and much more, to practise which, they give themselves no concern; and the longer they persist in sin, at the greater distance it is. But, while salvation is far from them, damnation is near; it slumbers not: for, behold, the Judge standeth before the door.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

155. (Psa 119:155) Far from, the wicked (is) salvation: because thy statutes they seek not. The first word in Hebrew is a masculine adjective, and does not agree regularly with salvation, which is feminine, but is construed as a neuter, something far, as the first word in Psa 119:72 means a good thing, Seek not, and have not sought, i.e. desired either to know or do thy will. See above, on Psa 119:45.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Here is, 1. The description of wicked men. They do not only do God's statutes, but they do not so much as seek them; they do not acquaint themselves with them, nor so much as desire to know their duty, nor in the least endeavour to do it. Those are wicked indeed who do not think the law of God worth enquiring after, but are altogether regardless of it, being resolved to live at large and to walk in the way of their heart. 2. Their doom: Salvation is far from them. They cannot upon any good grounds promise themselves temporal deliverance. Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. How can those expect to seek God's favour with success, when they are in adversity, who never sought his statutes when they were in prosperity? But eternal salvation is certainly far from them. They flatter themselves with a conceit that it is near, and that they are going to heaven; but they are mistaken: it is far from them. They thrust it from them by thrusting the Saviour from them; it is so far from them that they cannot reach it, and the longer they persist in sin the further it is; nay, while salvation is far from them, damnation is near; it slumbers not. Behold, the Judge stands before the door.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 155. Salvation is far from the wicked] There is no hope of their conversion.

For they seek not thy statutes.] And they who do not seek, shall not find.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

155 Safety is far from the wicked. Fully persuaded that the world is governed by the secret providence of God, who is a just judge, the Prophet draws from that source the doctrine, That the wicked are far removed from safety, and safety from them. Hence proceeds the confidence of prayer; for as God is turned away from the despisers of his word, so he is ready to succor his servants. It is to be noticed, that when the Prophet saw that his enemies were elated by their prosperity, he on the contrary lifted up his heart by faith that thus he might come to the settled persuasion that all their delights were cursed and tended to destruction. Whenever then the wicked prosper in the world according to their wishes, so that being pampered to the full they exult in their own fatness, let us learn, in order to defend ourselves, to lay hold upon this buckler which the Holy Spirit is holding out to us, namely, that they shall at length miserably perish, because they seek not the commandments of God. From this we draw a contrary doctrine, That although genuine believers, whilst they walk sincerely in the fear of God may be as sheep appointed to the slaughter, yet their salvation, which is under the special care and protection of God’s secret providence, is just at hand. In this sense the Prophet adds in the following verse,

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

155. seek not] Or, study not. Cp. Psa_119:45; Psa_119:94.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Consider how I love thy precepts,.... How ardently and affectionately, how cordially and sincerely, Psa 119:127; and that was the reason why he was so grieved and distressed when wicked men transgressed and despised them;

quicken me, O Lord, according to thy loving kindness; See Gill on Psa 119:88.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Salvation is far from the wicked - That is,

(a) in their present course: they are very far from being safe, or from having a prospect of salvation;

(b) they are constantly going farther and farther off - making their salvation less probable - not going toward heaven, but from it.

(c) Destruction is very near to them, and they are constantly making it nearer and nearer.

(d) In their present course it may be said that salvation is far - is infinitely remote - from them, so that they can never come to it.

(e) If they would be saved, they must change their course altogether, and go “toward” salvation and not from it.

For they seek not thy statutes - They do not regard thy law; they do not make it a principle to obey thy commandments.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And therefore, on the contrary, I trust that thou wilt save me because I do seek them. My wicked enemies shall certainly be destroyed, by which means I shall be delivered.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 155. Salvation is far from the wicked. By their perseverance in evil they have almost put themselves out of the pale of hope. They talk about being saved, but they cannot have known anything of it or they would not remain wicked. Every step they have taken in the path of evil has removed them further from the kingdom of grace: they go from one degree of hardness to another till their hearts become as stone. When they fall into trouble it will be irremediable. Yet they talk big, as if they either needed no salvation or could save themselves whenever their fancy turned that way.

For they seek not thy statutes. They do not endeavour to be obedient, but quite the reverse; they seek themselves, they seek evil, and therefore they never find the way of peace and righteousness. When men have broken the statutes of the Lord their wisest course is by repentance to seek forgiveness, and by faith to seek salvation: then salvation is near them, so near them that they shall not miss it; but when the wicked continue to seek after mischief, salvation is set further and further from them. Salvation and God's statutes go together: those who are saved by the King of grace love the statutes of the King of glory.

Ver. 155. Salvation is far from the wicked. The Lord is almighty to pardon; but he will not use it for thee an impenitent sinner. Thou hast not a friend on the bench, not an attribute in all God's name will speak for thee. Mercy itself will sit and vote with the rest of its fellow attributes for thy damnation. God is able to save and help in a time of need, but upon what acquaintance is it that thou art so bold with God, as to expect his saving arm to be stretched forth for thee? Though a man rise at midnight to let in a child that cries and knocks at his door, yet he will not take so much pains for a dog that lies howling there. This presents thy condition, sinner, sad enough, yet this is to tell thy story fairest; for that almighty power of God which is engaged for the believer's salvation, is as deeply obliged to bring thee to thy execution and damnation. What greater tie than an oath? God himself is under an oath to be the destruction of every impenitent soul. That oath which God sware in his wrath against the unbelieving Israelites, that they should not enter into his rest, concerns every unbeliever to the end of the world. In the name of God consider, were it but the oath of a man, or a company of men that, like those in the Acts, should swear to be the death of such an one, and thou wert the man, would it not fill thee with fear and trembling, night and day, and take away the quiet of thy life, till they were made thy friends? What then are their pillows stuffed with, who can sleep so soundly without any horror or amazement, though they be told that the almighty God is under an oath of damning them body and soul, without timely repentance? William Gurnall.

Ver. 155. Salvation! What music is there in that word. Music that never tires, but is always new, that always rouses yet always rests us! It holds in itself all that our hearts would say. It is sweet rigour to us in the morning, and in the evening it is contented peace. It is a song that is always singing itself deep down in the delighted soul. Angelic ears are ravished by it up in heaven; and our Eternal Father himself listens to it with adorable complacency. It is sweet even to him out of whose mind is the music of a thousand worlds. To be saved! What is it to be saved in the fullest and utmost meaning? Who can tell? Eye hath not seen, nor car heard. It is a rescue, and from such a shipwreck! It is a rest, and in such an unimaginable home! It is to lie down for ever in the bosom of God, in an endless rapture of insatiable contentment. Frederick William Faber, 1853.

Ver. 155, 156. Salvation is far from the wicked. "Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD." When the godly do think and speak of the damnable condition of the wicked, they should not be senseless of their own ill deserving, nor of God's grace which hath made the difference between the wicked and them. David Dickson.

Ver. 155.

1. An awful distance.

2. A distance never decreased by seeking.

3. A distance increased by sinning.

Ver. 155.

1. When salvation is far off.

2. When it is near.

OR

1. When the word is far off salvation is far off.

2. When the word is near salvation is near.

G.R.

Ver. 155. How to avoid salvation.

1. Salvation is inseparable from conformity to God's law: Le 18:5; Lu 5:25-28; Mt 19:17.

2. Salvation is brought to lawbreakers by the Law giver condescending to become the Law keeper and the Law victim. Salvation is avoided by those who refuse to be conformed to the eternal law or will of God. They perish themselves: their own sin punishes them: necessity punishes them. C.A.D.

Ver. 155. A syllogism on salvation.

1. Salvation and obedience go together.

(a) Have a common centre God, his arm and his lips.

(b) A mutual relation: we are saved in order to obedience.

In obeying we are being saved. Without obedience there is

no salvation.

(c) An identical aim our good and God's glory.

(d) Obedience and salvation are inseparable for ever.

2. The godless are far from obedience.

(a) Commands avoided.

(b) Submission excluded.

3. Therefore they are far from salvation. They will not have the one; they cannot have the other.

W.B.H.

Psalms 119:156*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes. "Salvation" is only attainable by man through obedience to the commandments of God. If men will not even "seek" to know and do his commandments, they put "salvation" from them.

Salvation for the obediently disposed.

"Salvation is far from the wicked." Why cannot God save the wicked man against his will? Because

(1) such a salvation would do the wicked man no good; and

(2) because when God saves a man, what he saves is his bad will. Therefore the absolute first condition of salvation must necessarily be "repentance." And this truth has its further application in the life of the saved man, who is ever needing God"s further salvations. He cannot have them if he is self-willed and rebellious. They can only come as he keeps the spirit of sonship, and is "obediently disposed.

I SALVATION IS FAR FROM THE WILFUL. It is, and it must necessarily be. Illustrate by the paper which is to receive the photographic picture it must be in a prepared state. The willful man does not want the salvation. He has no intention of responding to it. God"s salvation is always a work in the man himself, not in his circumstances. The father, in the parable of the prodigal son, could do nothing for his boy so long as he kept in his willful mind. Hope for him dawned when "he came to himself." So penitence is the door of salvation. No man can ever have God"s soul-salvation until he feels that he both needs it and wants it. There can be no waste in God"s spiritual dealings; and it would be waste to give salvation to a man who did not care for the gift, and would make no return for it.

II SALVATION IS NEAR TO THE WILLING AND OBEDIENT. These represent the attitude and mood of mind with which God can work. Let a man want to obey, God will help him to obey. Let a man want to get free from sin, and God will deliver and save him from sin. Let a man be in any kind of disability and distress, if he be a son of God, and cherishing the spirit of sonship, he may be sure of the Father"s deliverance. So the preservation of right attitudes and moods of soul bears direct relation to the workings of the Divine Deliverer in our lives. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Salvation is far from the wicked

God not saving a person is spoken of as if salvation were far from the person. The abstract noun "Salvation" can be stated as "save." AT: "You will certainly not save the wicked" (See: Metaphor and Abstract Nouns)

Great are your merciful actions

Here "great" means "many." AT: "You have shown mercy to people many times" or "You have done many merciful things"

as you always do

Another possible meaning is "because you do what is just."

translationWords

save

evil

love

statute

mercy

life

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.