Bible Commentaries

This psalm purports to be a psalm of David, and there is no reason to doubt that it is properly attributed to him. See introduction to Psalm 138:1-8. At what time it was composed is, however, unknown. It contains reflections which might have occurred at any period of his life; yet it would seem most probable that it was not written in his early years, but that it is a record of his most mature thoughts on a great and very important subject.

The psalm relates to the omnipresence of God, and contains such reflections as would occur to one meditating on that attribute of the Deity. It is the most distinct and full statement of that doctrine which is to be found in the Hebrew Scriptures, and the doctrine is presented in language which has never been surpassed for sublimity and beauty. The leading idea in the psalm seems to be that of comfort from the fact that God is everywhere; that he knows all that pertains to us; that we can never be hidden from his view; that he has known us from the beginning; that as he fashioned and formed us - making us what we are - he knows all our necessities, and can supply them. The psalm consists of three parts:

I. A celebration of the Omniscience and Omnipresence of God, as a ground of confidence and hope, Psalm 139:1-18.

(a) The fact that he knows all that there is in the heart, Psalm 139:1-6.

(b) The fact that he is everywhere present, Psalm 139:7-12.

(c) The fact that all in our past life has been known to God; that he has created us, and that his eye has been upon us from the beginning of our existence, Psalm 139:13-16.

(d) The fact that his thoughts toward us are precious, and numberless as the sand, Psalm 139:17-18.

II. The feelings of the psalmist in relation to the acts of the wicked as a proof that he loved God, Psalm 139:19-22. These reflections seem to have sprung from his contemplation of the divine character and perfections, as leading him to hate all that was opposed to a Being so pure, so benevolent, so holy. On looking into his own heart, in view of what God was, he was conscious that he had no sympathy with the enemies of God as such; that such was his love for the character of God, and such his confidence in him, that he could have nothing in common with them in their feelings toward God, but wished to be dissociated from them forever.

III. The expression of a desire that, as God saw all the recesses of the human soul, he would search his heart, and would detect any evil he might see there, and deliver him from the evil, and lead him in the way which conducted to life eternal, Psalm 139:23-24. Anyone may feel, and must feel, that after all which he knows of himself - after all the effort which he makes to ascertain what is within his heart - there are depths there which his eye cannot penetrate, and that there may be sins of thought and feeling there which he has not detected; but it is only from the consciousness of sincerity, and a true desire to honor God, that one can pray that God would search him, and that he would detect and bring out every form of sin which he may see concealed and lurking in the soul He who can sincerely offer this prayer is a pious man.

O Lord, thou hast searched me - The word rendered searched, has a primary reference to searching the earth by boring or digging, as for water or metals. See Job 28:3. Then it means to search accurately or closely.

And known me - As the result of that search, or that close investigation. Thou seest all that is in my heart. Nothing is, or can be, concealed from thee. It is with this deep consciousness that the psalm begins; and all that follows is but an expansion and application of this idea. It is of much advantage in suggesting right reflections on our own character, to have this full consciousness that God knows us altogether; that he sees all that there is in our heart; that he has been fully acquainted with our past life.

Thou knowest my downsitting ... - In the various circumstances of life, thou knowest me. Thou knowest me in one place as well as in another. I cannot so change my position that thou will not see me, and that thou wilt not be perfectly acquainted with all that I say, and all that I do. In every posture, in every movement, in every occupation, thou hast a full knowledge of me. I cannot go out of thy sight; I cannot put myself into such a position that thou wilt not see me.

Thou understandest my thought - Hebrew, "As to my thought." That is, Thou seest what my plans are; what I design to do; "what I am thinking about." A most solemn reflection! How unwilling would bad people be - would even good people be - to have those round about them know always "what they are thinking about."

Afar off - Not when the "thought" is far off; but "thou," being far off, seest us as clearly as if thou wert near. I cannot go to such a distance from thee that thou wilt not see perfectly all that I am thinking about.

Thou compassest my path ... - Margin, "winnowest." The Hebrew word - זרה zârâh - means properly "to scatter," to cast loosely about - as the wind does dust; and then, to winnow - to wit, by throwing grain, when it is thrashed, up to the wind: Isaiah 30:24; Jeremiah 4:11; Ruth 3:2. Then it means "to winnow out;" that is, to winnow out all the chaff, and to leave all the grain - to save all that is valuable. So here it means that God, as it were, "sifted" him. Compare Isaiah 30:28; Amos 9:9; Luke 22:31. He scattered all that was chaff, or all that was valueless, and saw what there was that was real and substantial. When it is said that he did this in his "path and his lying down," it is meant that he did it in every way; altogether; entirely.

And art acquainted with all my ways - All the paths that I tread; the whole course of my life. All that I do, in all places and at all times, is fully known to thee.

For there is not a word in my tongue - All that I say; all that I have power to say; all that I am disposed at any time to say.

But lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether - All that pertains to it. What is "said," and what is "meant." Merely to "hear" what is spoken does not imply necessarily a full knowledge of what is said - for it may be false, insincere, hypocritical. God knows exactly what is said and what is "meant."

Thou hast beset me behind and before - The word rendered "beset" - צור tsûr - means properly to press; to press upon; to compress. It has reference commonly to the siege of a city, or to the pressing on of troops in war; and then it comes to mean to besiege, hem in, closely surround, so that there is no way of escape. This is the idea here - that God was on every side of him; that he could not escape in any direction. He was like a garrison besieged in a city so that there was no means of escape. There is a transition here (not an unnatural one), from the idea of the Omniscience of God to that of His Omnipresence, and the remarks which follow have a main reference to the latter.

And laid thine hand upon me - That is, If I try to escape in any direction I find thine band laid upon me there. Escape is impossible.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me - literally, "Wonderful knowledge away from me," or, more than I can comprehend. It is beyond my reach; it surpasses all my powers to comprehend it.

It is high, I cannot attain unto it - It is so exalted that I cannot grasp it; I cannot understand how it can be.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? - Where shall I go where thy spirit is not; that is, where thou art not; where there is no God. The word "spirit" here does not refer particularly to the Holy Spirit, but to God "as" a spirit. "Whither shall I go from the all-pervading Spirit - from God, considered as a spirit?" This is a clear statement that God is a "Spirit" (compare John 4:24); and that, as a spirit, he is Omnipresent.

Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? - Hebrew, From his face; that is, where he will not be, and will not see me. I cannot find a place - a spot in the universe, where there is not a God, and the same God. Fearful thought to those that hate him - that, much as they may wish or desire it, they can never find a place where there is not a holy God! Comforting to those that love him - that they will never be where they may not find a God - their God; that nowhere, at home or abroad, on land or on the ocean, on earth or above the stars, they will ever reach a world where they will not be in the presence of that God - that gracious Father - who can defend, comfort, guide, and sustain them.