Psalm 145:18 kjv
The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
Psalm 145:18 nkjv
The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.
Psalm 145:18 niv
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Psalm 145:18 esv
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Psalm 145:18 nlt
The LORD is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.
Psalm 145 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 4:7 | For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD… | God's unique closeness to His people. |
| Isa 55:6 | Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near. | Urgency to call on an accessible God. |
| Jas 4:8 | Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you... | Reciprocal action in drawing close to God. |
| Ps 34:18 | The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. | God's specific nearness to the afflicted. |
| Ps 73:28 | But for me it is good to be near God... | Blessing declared in God's presence. |
| Joel 2:32 | And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD | Promise of salvation for all who invoke God. |
| Rom 10:13 | For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” | Universal scope of salvation through calling on Christ. |
| Acts 2:21 | And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord | NT reaffirmation of salvation through invoking the Lord. |
| Ps 50:15 | Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you... | God invites calling upon Him in distress. |
| Jer 29:13 | You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. | Finding God requires wholehearted seeking. |
| Jn 4:23-24 | But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth... | Worship rooted in spiritual sincerity and reality. |
| Matt 6:5-8 | When you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites... | Warning against superficial and hypocritical prayer. |
| Isa 29:13 | These people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me... | Critique of insincere, external religious practice. |
| Ps 66:18 | If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. | Obstacle to prayer being heard: unconfessed sin. |
| Ps 17:1 | Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry... from lips free of deceit. | Prayer offered from genuine and sincere lips. |
| 1 Jn 5:14-15 | And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. | Asking in accordance with God's truth and will. |
| Hos 6:6 | For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. | God values internal heart-truth over external ritual. |
| Ps 145:19 | He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. | Direct continuation of Ps 145:18's promise of divine response. |
| Prov 15:29 | The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. | Contrast: God's distance from wicked, nearness to righteous. |
| Zep 3:9 | "For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples... that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD" | Prophecy of unified, pure calling on God in the future. |
| Heb 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently seek him. | Drawing near in faith is essential for God's approval. |
| Php 4:6 | do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. | Universal encouragement to call on God through prayer. |
Psalm 145 verses
Psalm 145 18 Meaning
Psalm 145:18 declares the profound accessibility and responsiveness of the LORD (YHWH), the covenant God. He draws near to all individuals who genuinely invoke Him through prayer and sincere appeal. The critical qualifier, "in truth," emphasizes that this divine nearness and responsiveness are reserved for those whose calling is marked by authenticity, integrity, faithfulness, and a genuine heart, free from hypocrisy or mere lip service. It speaks to a relationship founded on sincerity and reality.
Psalm 145 18 Context
Psalm 145 is a majestic acrostic psalm, meaning each verse (with a known exception in the traditional Hebrew text of the 'Nun' verse) begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is a profound hymn of praise, extolling God's greatness, power, majesty, goodness, and righteous character. The entire psalm paints a portrait of a magnificent and compassionate King who actively cares for His creation and especially for His people. Verse 18 is situated within a section (verses 17-20) that highlights God's righteous administration and His attentive care for those who seek Him sincerely. It builds on the idea of God's universal provision (vv. 15-16) by specifying His personal responsiveness to those who truly engage with Him. Historically, this psalm serves as a foundational declaration of YHWH's character, reinforcing the concept of God as an ever-present, approachable, and benevolent ruler to His devoted followers within Israel's worship life.
Psalm 145 18 Word analysis
The LORD (YHWH - יהוה): This is the personal, covenant name of God, frequently translated as "LORD" (in all capital letters). It signifies God's self-existence, His eternal faithfulness to His promises, and His unique, intimate relationship with His people, Israel. The use of YHWH emphasizes that this proximity and responsiveness are rooted in God's covenant loyalty.
is near (qarov - קָרוֹב): This Hebrew term conveys more than just spatial closeness; it signifies accessibility, readiness, and intimacy. God is "at hand," approachable, and readily present to hear, help, and answer. It implies an active, responsive relationship, not merely a passive presence.
to all who call on him (l'khol-kor'av - לְכׇל־קֹרְאָיו֙): "To call on" (qara - קָרָא) implies invoking, appealing to, crying out, or praying to. In a theological context, it means to seek God earnestly in supplication, worship, or in times of need. The phrase "all who call on him" suggests a universal scope, extending the invitation to anyone, regardless of background, provided the crucial condition is met.
in truth (be'emet - בֶּאֱמֶת): This is the essential qualifier of the verse. 'Emet' (truth) encompasses genuineness, sincerity, integrity, fidelity, and reliability. To call "in truth" means the prayer or invocation stems from a genuine, authentic heart, free from hypocrisy, pretense, or selfish motives. It requires aligning one's seeking with sincerity, faith, and a genuine desire for God Himself, reflecting inner purity and integrity before Him. It's a contrast to merely going through the motions.
"The LORD is near": This powerful assertion refutes any notion of a distant or unapproachable God. It proclaims God's active, sympathetic presence and His immediate willingness to engage with humanity.
"all who call on him, to all who call on him": The repetition serves to underscore both the broad invitation to everyone to approach God through prayer and the vital condition attached to that access. It draws attention to the type of "calling" God truly responds to.
"call on him in truth": This key phrase transforms the promise of divine nearness from a general statement into a specific relational principle. It profoundly differentiates sincere, authentic prayer from any form of mechanical, ritualistic, or insincere religious observance. The "truth" required involves both the objective truth of God's revealed character and word, and the subjective truth of a sincere, honest, and humble heart seeking Him.
Psalm 145 18 Bonus section
The textual anomaly of the missing 'Nun' verse in Psalm 145 of the Masoretic Text (standard Hebrew Bible), while not impacting verse 18's meaning directly, is a point of scholarly interest as it breaks the acrostic pattern; some ancient versions (like the Septuagint and some Dead Sea Scrolls) include this missing verse, which often emphasizes God's faithfulness or upholding of the fallen, consistent with the Psalm's theme of God's sustaining goodness. Furthermore, the Hebrew word 'emet' (truth), in addition to its meaning of veracity, strongly connotes faithfulness, reliability, and steadfastness. Thus, "calling on Him in truth" also subtly implies an act of faithful reliance on God's inherent truthfulness and His covenant faithfulness, simultaneously requiring a matching fidelity from the one praying. This reciprocal aspect deepens the covenantal bond depicted. This statement also implicitly provides a polemic against the pagan deities of the ancient world, which were often considered capricious, distant, or only accessible through elaborate and sometimes manipulative rituals, starkly contrasting with YHWH, who is depicted as intrinsically near and responsive to the sincere heart.
Psalm 145 18 Commentary
Psalm 145:18 articulates a profound spiritual principle: God, the eternal and faithful Lord, is remarkably accessible. He is "near" – an active, responsive presence – not geographically, but relationally. This proximity, however, is not automatic for all prayers. The critical distinction lies in the integrity of the caller: "to all who call on him in truth." This highlights God's demand for sincerity and authenticity in human engagement. To call in truth means prayer must emanate from a genuine heart, free from pretense or hypocrisy. It implies faith, earnest desire, humility, and a deep reliance on God's character and word. This truthfulness includes personal integrity before God, not cherishing unconfessed sin. God is not deceived by outward shows but looks upon the heart's true disposition. This verse, therefore, serves as both a boundless encouragement to approach God and a stern challenge to examine the genuineness of our heart when we do.
- Example 1: A parent prays desperately for their child's health, not just for a miracle, but with genuine trust in God's will and an acknowledgment of their own complete dependence on Him, demonstrating a prayer "in truth."
- Example 2: A believer seeks God's wisdom for a significant life decision, confessing their limited understanding and sincerely committing to follow God's direction, thereby calling "in truth."