Psalms139

Psalm 139 extols God's profound omniscience and omnipresence, revealing His intimate knowledge of David's every thought, action, and location. David marvels at being "fearfully and wonderfully made" by God in the womb, acknowledging His detailed involvement in his creation. The psalm concludes with David's plea for God to search his heart and lead him in the way everlasting, contrasting his devotion with the wicked.

God's Perfect Knowledge of Man (Omniscience)

1
LORD, you have searched me, and you know me. ​
2
You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar. ​
3
You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
4
For there is not a word on my tongue, but, behold, LORD, you know it altogether.
5
You hem me in behind and before. You laid your hand on me. ​
6
This knowledge is beyond me. It’s lofty. I can’t attain it. ​

There Is No Escape from God's Presence (Omnipresence)

7
Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?
8
If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there! ​
9
If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10
Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me. ​
11
If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me; the light around me will be night”;
12
even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you. ​

Wonderfully Made in the Womb (Divine Creation)

13
For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. ​
14
I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well. ​
15
My frame wasn’t hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth. ​
16
Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them. ​
17
How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is their sum! ​
18
If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.

Prayer Against the Wicked and Self-Examination

19
If only you, God, would kill the wicked. Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men! ​
20
For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.
21
LORD, don’t I hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?
22
I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies. ​
23
Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. ​
24
See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. ​

Study Notes for Psalms 139

Verse 1

This opening verse establishes the central theological theme: the personal, meticulous knowledge God possesses of David’s inner and outer life. The verb 'searched' implies a thorough, intimate investigation.

Verse 2

Knowing the 'downsitting and mine uprising' signifies God’s awareness of the totality of daily human action, both private repose and public activity. To 'understandest my thought afar off' means God knows the intention before it is fully formed or spoken.

Verse 5

To be 'beset me behind and before' suggests God protects and constrains the psalmist, like a surrounding wall. The laying of the hand signifies divine ownership, blessing, and sovereign control over David’s destiny.

Verse 6

The psalmist reacts to God’s incomprehensible knowledge with awe, acknowledging the limitations of human understanding before the divine intellect. This is a response of worship, not fear.

Verse 8

The contrast between 'heaven' (the heights) and 'hell' (Sheol, the grave/depths) is a merism, illustrating that God’s presence fills all possible cosmic locations, confirming His omnipresence.

Verse 10

'The wings of the morning' refers to the swiftness of the rising sun; the 'uttermost parts of the sea' refers to the distant West. Even in the most remote geographical extremes, God’s guiding and sustaining hand is present.

Verse 12

This verse confirms that for God, darkness (often associated with concealment) and light are functionally identical, reinforcing His ability to see everything regardless of physical conditions.

Verse 13

'Possessed my reins' (referring to the kidneys, considered the seat of deep emotion and inner life) signifies God's governance over the innermost being. He is the active agent in the formation of life in the womb.

Verse 14

To be 'fearfully and wonderfully made' expresses profound reverence for the complexity and intricate design of the human body and soul, attributing this marvelous creation entirely to God’s craftsmanship.

Verse 15

The phrase 'curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth' uses metaphorical language; the womb is likened to the hidden, deep places where complex and secret processes occur, emphasizing the mysterious nature of creation.

Verse 16

The image of God having a 'book' where the psalmist's 'members were written' before they were formed highlights divine foreknowledge and the meticulous planning of individual life and destiny.

Verse 17

Shifting focus, the psalmist marvels at the sheer volume and value of God's thoughts concerning humanity, confirming God's constant, profound, and loving engagement with His creation.

Verse 19

The tone abruptly shifts to an imprecation (a curse or prayer for judgment). This reflects David’s righteous indignation against those who actively oppose God’s moral order.

Verse 22

This 'perfect hatred' is not personal vendetta but zealous alignment with God's judgment against His spiritual enemies. David sees those who hate God as his own enemies because they defy the divine order.

Verse 23

The psalmist moves from meditating on God's omniscience to inviting it into his own life, submitting his heart for divine scrutiny. This is the practical application of the theological truths established earlier.

Verse 24

This concluding petition asks God to expose any potential sinful path ('wicked way') and instead guide him onto the 'way everlasting,' the path of righteousness that leads to eternal life.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Reading Width 45 chars

Options