Did Obama quote the Qur'an incorrectly?

Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch is arguing that Obama quoted a verse of the Qur'an out of context. He says this:

He quoted one Qur'an verse in connection with speaking of our shared interests as human beings:

As the Holy Koran tells us, "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth." That is what I will try to do – to speak the truth as best I can, humbled by the task before us, and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart.

Ironically, the Qur'anic passage from which his quote comes actually is about fighting unbelievers, and doesn't remotely lead to thoughts of coming together with people with whom one has differences.

Obama quoted 9:119, which Pickthall renders this way: "O ye who believe! Be careful of your duty to Allah, and be with the truthful."

Spencer adds this:

Obama picked out of this one sentence that made it appear as if the Qur'an was simply counseling one to speak the truth, mindful of the divine presence. In reality, the passage is about the necessity to wage jihad warfare against unbelievers, and not to fail to perform this duty. He took a passage about warfare and division and passed it off as part of a call for us all to come together and sing kumbaya.

Not exactly. I think it would be more accurate to say Obama cited that verse in reference to him speaking his mind to the Muslim world. He then adds some words about coming together, but I do not think those words about coming together have anything to do with the verse he cited, as Spencer makes it seem.

In fact, the tafsir regarding this verse that Obama mentioned does not discuss "jihad warfare" at all, but is restricted to discussions about honesty and truthfulness. Now, the context where the verse is placed within that surah is definitely about warfare, but that particular verse is clearly about being truthful and being with truthful people. There is only one tafsir I could find that mentioned anything about warfare in regards to this verse and it is in the Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs:

(O ye who believe!) 'Abdullah Ibn Salam and his followers as well as all other believers (Be careful of your duty to Allah) obey Allah in that which He has commanded you, (and be with the Truthful) with Abu Bakr, 'Umar and their companions when they stay behind and when they participate in jihad.

Even here, the tafsir is simply telling believers to be with the truthful people in whatever they are doing, whether in peace or war. Probably because God likes truthful, sincere people. Abu Bakr and Umar are most definitely amongst the most truthful and sincere of the believers so it is obvious that the believers of that time should follow those two Companions.

Another example demonstrates further that this verse is not about "jihad warfare" but about truthfulness and being with those who are truthful. From Imam al-Suyuti:

(be with the truthful) It contains the command to be truthful in everything and in every situation. It is used as evidence by the one who says that it is not permitted to lie in any situation either overtly or indirectly. Ibn Abi Hatim transmitted that from Ibn Mas'ud. He said that the lie is not proper either in seriousness or in jest, and he recited this ayat. He said, "You will not find any allowance for lying." It is transmitted that al-Hasan said, "If you want to be with the truthful, then must have asceticism in this world." It is transmitted that Qatada said about this ayat, "Truthfulness is in the intention and truthfulness in the action and truthfulness in night and day and truthfulness in the secret and in public."

Hmm, seems like a lot of talk about truthfulness. No mention about how being truthful has anything to do with "jihad warfare." The verse seems to be reminding the believers to be fair in all of their dealings. This is probably why the Tafsir Jalalayn says this: "O you who believe, fear God, by refraining from [acts of] disobedience to Him, and be with those who are truthful, in [their] faith and covenants, by adhering to sincerity." Again, no mention about how this verse has anything to do with "jihad warfare."

Maybe I'm missing something the ever insightful Mr. Spencer can point out to me.