Psalms 22:19

But You, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist speaks directly to Yahweh in a moment of acute distress, positioned between the description of soldiers dividing his garments and the plea to rescue his life from wild dogs. The address occurs during a crisis where human help is absent and physical danger is immediate.

The words — The Hebrew אַל־תִּרְחָק (al-tirChak) literally commands "do not be distant," while חֽוּשָׁה (ChuSha) translates to "make haste" or "come quickly." These terms structurally frame the verse as a dual demand against divine absence and for urgent action.

The thread — The appeal to God not to stay distant appears in Psalms 22:11, which notes that trouble is near and no one is available to help. The request for swift delivery recurs in Psalms 40:13 and Psalms 40:17, which similarly implore Yahweh to hurry and not delay.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to direct urgent pleas specifically to God rather than waiting for human rescue. It asks for immediate recognition that divine presence, not proximity, determines deliverance in crisis.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאַתָּ֣הve./'a.Tahand/ you יְ֭הוָהYah.wehO Yahweh אַל־'al-may not תִּרְחָ֑קtir.Chakyou be distant אֱ֝יָלוּתִ֗י'e.ya.lu.T/iO strength/ my לְעֶזְרָ֥תִיle./'ez.Ra.t/ito/ help/ my חֽוּשָׁה׃Chu.sha/hmake haste/ !

King James Version

But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.

Cross-references

Psalms 22:11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
Psalms 40:13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; hurry, O LORD, to help me.
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 10:1 Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
Psalms 21:1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, the king rejoices in Your strength. How greatly he exults in Your salvation!
Psalms 18:1 For the choirmaster. Of David the servant of the LORD, who sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love You, O LORD, my strength.
Psalms 70:5 But I am poor and needy; hurry to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.
Psalms 69:13 But my prayer to You, O LORD, is for a time of favor. In Your abundant loving devotion, O God, answer me with Your sure salvation.