Psalms 119:86 — Word Study
WLCכָּל־ מִצְוֹתֶ֥יךָ אֱמוּנָ֑ה שֶׁ֖קֶר רְדָפ֣וּנִי עָזְרֵֽנִי׃
BSAAllkôl [every single one] Your commandmentsmitsvâh [laws, teachings] [are] faithfulʼĕmûwnâh [trustworthy, reliable] I am persecutedrâdaph■ [pursued, chased] ◂without causesheqer [falsely, wrongfully] help meʻâzar [assist, aid, give me relief]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כָּל־ | all | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| מִצְוֹתֶ֥יךָ | commandments your | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| אֱמוּנָ֑ה | [are] faithfulness | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| שֶׁ֖קֶר | falsehood | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| רְדָפ֣וּנִי | they have harassed me | Verb qal perfect third person common plural, suffix |
| עָזְרֵֽנִי׃ | help me | Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | All Your commandments are faithful; I am persecuted without cause—help me! |
| KJV | All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me. |
| ASV | All thy commandments are faithful: They persecute me wrongfully; help thou me. |
| YLT | All Thy commands [are] faithfulness, [With] falsehood they have pursued me, Help Thou me. |
| WEB | All of your commandments are faithful. They persecute me wrongfully. Help me! |
| BBE | All your teachings are certain; they go after me with evil design; give me your help. |
Where they part company is שֶׁ֖קֶר — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is followed by an adverbial clause explaining the psalmist's situation, concluding with an imperative plea for help.






7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
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 119:86
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 God's Faithfulnessgenerated
Psalm 119:86 is part of a longer reflection on the psalmist's experiences with both God's commandments and the hostility faced from others. The psalmist acknowledges the reliability of God's laws while simultaneously expressing a plea for divine assistance in the face of unjust persecution. This verse highlights the tension between faithfulness to God's commandments and the challenges that arise from the actions of others.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 119:128–138 | Therefore I admire all Your precepts and hate every false way. |
| 2 | Psalm 19:9 | The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true, being altogether righteous. |
| 3 | Romans 7:12 | So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good. |
| 4 | Psalm 119:78 | May the arrogant be put to shame for subverting me with a lie; I will meditate on Your precepts. |
| 5 | Psalm 7:1–5 | O LORD my God, I take refuge in You; save me and deliver me from all my pursuers, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֱמוּנָ֑ה, 'e.mu.Nahgenerated
The Hebrew word אֱמוּנָה ('emunah) signifies faithfulness, reliability, and trustworthiness. It is derived from a root that conveys firmness and stability, indicating a sense of moral integrity. In this verse, it underscores the unwavering nature of God's commandments, which are dependable and secure.
The parsing indicates that this word is a feminine singular noun in absolute form, emphasizing the concept of faithfulness as a quality inherent to God's commandments. This term is often associated with the idea of fidelity in relationships, making it a key concept in understanding the nature of divine law.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in this verse is עָזְרֵֽנִי, help me, which governs the entire plea. The structure includes a subject noun phrase, a predicate, and two clauses that provide details about the commandments and the psalmist's persecution.
The emphasis is on the contrast between the reliability of God's commandments and the wrongful actions of others. The Hebrew word order places the commandments at the forefront, highlighting their importance in the psalmist's appeal for assistance.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew אֱמוּנָ֑ה is rendered as ἀλήθεια (aletheia), meaning 'truth.' This choice indicates a slight shift in focus from faithfulness to the concept of truthfulness, which reflects the reliability of God's commandments in a broader sense.
The translation choices in the Septuagint suggest an interpretation that aligns God's commandments not just with faithfulness but also with the absolute nature of truth, emphasizing their unchanging and trustworthy character.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 119:86 expresses a strong affirmation of the faithfulness of God's commandments while the psalmist seeks help against wrongful persecution. The verse highlights the reliability of God's laws and the psalmist's distress in facing unjust treatment.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God's laws are reliable and trustworthy, guiding the faithful in their actions and decisions.
The psalmist feels unjustly targeted by others, indicating that their persecution is not based on any wrongdoing.
Many people experience unjust treatment and can find comfort in seeking God's assistance during difficult times.
Asking for help reflects a reliance on God for support and relief in times of distress, emphasizing the importance of divine assistance.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I see God's commandments as trustworthy in my own life?
- In what ways have I experienced unjust treatment, and how did I respond?
- How can I seek God's help when I feel overwhelmed by challenges?
- What does it mean to me to rely on God's faithfulness during difficult times?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:86 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAll thy commandments [are] faithful,.... Or, "faithfulness" (x) they are made by a faithful God, who is holy, just, and true; they command faithfulness, sincerity, and uprightness; and require men to
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAll thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleAre faithful; they are in themselves most just and true, and they require justice and faithfulness from men, promising many blessings to those that perform it, and severely forbid all fraud and falseness, threatening grievous punishments to those that use it; and such promises and threatenings are true, and shall certainly be executed.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:86 All thy commandments [are] faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.Ver. 86. All thy commandments are faithful] Heb. faithfulness, that is, they are true, sure, equal, infallible. They persecute me wrongfully] For asserting thy truths, and adhering thereunto. Help thou me] The more eagerly men molest us the more earnestly should we implore the Divine help.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges86. faithful] Lit. faithfulness (cp. Psalms 119:75; Psalms 119:138); they are an expression of the character of God, in strong contrast to the falsehood (cp. Psalms 119:78) with which his persecutors assail him.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAll thy commandments are faithful - Margin, “faithfulness.” The idea in the Hebrew is that they are worthy to be relied on. They are founded in truth, and they should secure our confidence.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bibleë, Caph. 81-88. My soul fainteth—Affliction and trial are again upon him. “The clouds return after the rain.” The exact point of the grief is expressed in Psalms 119:83.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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
All Your commandments are faithful; I am persecuted without cause—help me!
All of your commandments are faithful. They persecute me wrongfully. Help me!
All Your commandments are faithful; I am persecuted without cause—help me!
All your commands are reliable. I am pursued without reason. Help me!
Tyndale line
All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
All thy commandments are faithful: They persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
All thy commandements are true: they persecute me falsely: helpe me.
Strictly literal
All thy commandments are faithfulness. They persecute me wrongfully: help thou me.
All Thy commands [are] faithfulness, [With] falsehood they have pursued me, Help Thou me.
All Your commands [are] faithfulness, || They have pursued me [with] falsehood, || Help me.
All thy commandments are founded on truth: without cause they persecute me; help thou me.
All your commandments are reliable; those people persecute me wrongfully; help me.
Simplified
All your commands are trustworthy. Help me against these people who persecute me with their lies!
All your teachings are certain; they go after me with evil design; give me your help.
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 Septuagint align closely, with six words matched in their translations. The Dead Sea Scrolls also support the Masoretic Text, indicating consistency across these ancient witnesses.
כָּל־ מִצְוֹתֶ֥יךָ אֱמוּנָ֑ה שֶׁ֖קֶר רְדָפ֣וּנִי עָזְרֵֽנִי׃
6 of the 6 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.
כול מצוותי׳כה אמונה שקר רדפו׳ני עוזר׳ני
6 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 119:86
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.
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
מִצְוָה (mitsvah) means 'commandment' and can refer to commands from both humans and God. It encompasses laws, ordinances, and precepts, indicating a range of directives within religious and moral contexts. The term is derived from a root meaning to command, linking it to the broader framework of divine law.
מִצְוָה 181 n.f. commandment
base
H4687 מִצְוָה commandment
4687 mitsvah mits-vaw'
from 6680; a command, whether human or divine (collectively,
the Law):--(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance,
precept.
see HEBREW for 06680
מִצְוָה (mits.vah) — commandment.
1) commandment
1a) commandment (of man)
1b) the commandment (of God)
1c) commandment (of code of wisdom)
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word אֱמוּנָה (*emuwnah*) is built from the root of H529, indicating concepts of firmness and steadfastness. It encompasses meanings such as fidelity, trust, and stability. The entries consistently highlight its moral implications, particularly in relation to faithfulness.
אֱמוּנָה n.f. firmness, steadfastness, fidelity
lit. firmness, steadiness
steadfastness
faithfulness, trust
base
H530 אֱמוּנָה firmness, steadfastness, fidelity . lit. firmness, steadiness
. steadfastness
. faithfulness, trust
530 'emuwnah em-oo-naw'); or (shortened) >emunah {em-oo-naw'
feminine of 529; literally firmness; figuratively security;
morally fidelity:--faith(-ful, -ly, -ness, (man)), set
office, stability, steady, truly, truth, verily.
see HEBREW for 0529
אֱמוּנָה (e.mu.nah) — faithfulness.
firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
An infinite attribute of Jehovah; adapted to make perfect both the confidence of those who believe his word and rely on his promises, and the despair of those who doubt his word and defy his threatenings, De 28:26 Nu 23:19 Ps 89:33-34 Heb 10:23.
→ EXHORTATION TO Ps 12:1; 31:23; Pr 20:6; 28:20; Mt 10:22; 24:45-47; 25:14-23; Lu 12:42-44; 16:10-12; 19:12-27; 1Co 4:2; Re 2:10
See OBEDIENCE, EXHORTATION TO
See PERSEVERANCE
See MINISTERS, FAITHFUL
See REPROOF, FAITHFULNESS IN
→ INSTANCES OF
Abraham Ga 3:9
Moses Heb 3:5
David 2Sa 22:22-25
Elijah 1Ki 19:10,14
שֶׁ֫קֶר (sheqer) refers to deception, falsehood, and disappointment. It encompasses various forms of deceit, including fraud and wrongful testimony. The word is built from the root associated with untruths and can imply sham or lying. It is used in contexts involving false prophets and general dishonesty.
שֶׁ֫קֶר 113 n.m. deception, disappointment, falsehood
deception, what deceives, disappoints, and betrays one
deceit, fraud, wrong
injurious falsehood, in testimony
falsity, of false or self-deceived prophets
lie, falsehood, in gen.
base
H8267 שֶׁ֫קֶר deception, disappointment, falsehood . deception, what deceives, disappoints, and betrays one
. deceit, fraud, wrong
. injurious falsehood, in testimony
. falsity, of false or self-deceived prophets
. lie, falsehood, in gen.
8267 sheqer sheh'-ker
from 8266; an untruth; by implication, a sham (often
adverbial):--without a cause, deceit(-ful),
false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, + lie, lying, vain
(thing), wrongfully.
see HEBREW for 08266
שֶׁ֫קֶר (she.qer) — deception.
1) lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood
1a) deception (what deceives or disappoints or betrays one)
1b) deceit, fraud, wrong
1b1) fraudulently, wrongfully (as adverb)
1c) falsehood (injurious in testimony)
1c1) testify falsehood, false oath, swear falsely
1d) falsity (of false or self-deceived prophets)
1e) lie, falsehood (in general)
1e1) false tongue
1f) in vain
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
fols'-hood.
See LYING.
→ General scriptures concerning Ex 20:16; 23:1; Le 6:2-7; 19:11,12,16; Job 13:4; 21:34; 27:4; 31:5,6,33; 36:4; Ps 5:6,9; 10:7; 12:2,3; 28:3; 31:18; 34:13; 36:3; 50:19,20; 52:2-5; 55:21,23; 58:3; 59:12; 62:4; 63:11; 101:5,7; 109:2; 116:11; 119:29,69,163; 120:2-4; 144:8,11; Pr 2:12-15; 3:3; 6:12,13,17-19; 10:9,10,18,31; 11:9; 12:17,19,20,22; 13:5; 14:5,8,25; 17:4,7; 19:5,9,22,28; 20:17; 21:6; 26:18,19,24-26,28; 27:14; Ec 5:6; Isa 28:15; 32:7; 57:11; 59:3,4,12,13; 63:8;
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-Perf-3cp | Suff — Verb qal perfect third person common plural · suffixHVqp3cp/Sp1bs
עָזַר (azar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to help or succour. It is built from a primitive root that conveys the idea of surrounding or protecting. The entries indicate its use in various forms: Qal (to help), Niphal (to be helped), and Hiphil (to help). The word captures the essence of providing support or aid.
[עָזַר] 82 vb. help, succour
Qal help
Niph. I am helped
Hiph. v. Qal.
base
H5826 [עָזַר] help, succour
5826 `azar aw-zar'
a primitive root; to surround, i.e. protect or aid:--help,
succour.
עָזַר (a.zar) — to help.
1) to help, succour, support
1a) (Qal) to help
1b) (Niphal) to be helped
1c) (Hiphil) to help
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVqv2ms/Sp1bs
