TRV
Translation
King James Version
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
American Standard Version
For there is not a word in my tongue, But, lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether.
World English Bible Messianic
For there is not a word on my tongue, but, behold, LORD, you know it altogether.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For there is not a word in my tongue, but loe, thou knowest it wholy, O Lord.
Young's Literal Translation
For there is not a word in my tongue, Lo, O Jehovah, Thou hast known it all!
In the KJVVerse 16,244 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 139 verses 1–6
1 ¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
David here lays down this great doctrine, That the God with whom we have to do has a perfect knowledge of us, and that all the motions and actions both of our inward and of our outward man are naked and open before him.
I. He lays down this doctrine in the way of an address to God; he says it to him, acknowledging it to him, and giving him the glory of it. Divine truths look fully as well when they are prayed over as when they are preached over, and much better than when they are disputed over. When we speak of God to him himself we shall find ourselves concerned to speak with the utmost degree both of sincerity and reverence, which will be likely to make the impressions the deeper.
II. He lays it down in a way of application to himself, not, "Thou hast known all," but, "Thou hast known me; that is it which I am most concerned to believe and which it will be most profitable for me to consider." Then we know these things for our good when we know them for ourselves, Job 5:27. When we acknowledge, "Lord, all souls are thine," we must add, "My soul is thine; thou that hatest all sin hatest my sin; thou that art good to all, good to Israel, art good to me." So here, "Thou hast searched me, and known me; known me as thoroughly as we know that which we have most diligently and exactly searched into." David was a king, and the hearts of kings are unsearchable to their subjects (Pro 25:3), but they are not so to their Sovereign.
III. He descends to particulars: "Thou knowest me wherever I am and whatever I am doing, me and all that belongs to me." 1. "Thou knowest me and all my motions, my down-sitting to rest, my up-rising to work, with what temper of mind I compose myself when I sit down and stir up myself when I rise up, what my soul reposes itself in as its stay and support, what it aims at and reaches towards as its felicity and end. Thou knowest me when I come home, how I walk before my house, and when I go abroad, on what errands I go." 2. "Thou knowest all my imaginations. Nothing is more close and quick than thought; it is always unknown to others; it is often unobserved by ourselves, and yet thou understandest my thought afar off. Though my thoughts be ever so foreign and distant from one another, thou understandest the chain of them, and canst make out their connexion, when so many of them slip my notice that I myself cannot." Or, "Thou understandest them afar off, even before I think them, and long after I have thought them and have myself forgotten them." Or, "Thou understandest them from afar; from the height of heaven thou seest into the depths of the heart," Psa 33:14. 3. "Thou knowest me and all my designs and undertakings; thou compassest every particular path; thou siftest (or winnowest) my path" (so some), "so as thoroughly to distinguish between the good and evil of what I do," as by sifting we separate between the corn and the chaff. All our actions are ventilated by the judgment of God, Psa 17:3. God takes notice of every step we take, every right step and every by-step. He is acquainted with all our ways, intimately acquainted with them; he knows what rule we walk by, what end we walk towards, what company we walk with. 4. "Thou knowest me in all my retirements; thou knowest my lying down; when I am withdrawn from all company, and am reflecting upon what has passed all day and composing myself to rest, thou knowest what I have in my heart and with what thought I go to bed." 5. "Thou knowest me, and all I say (Psa 139:4): There is not a word in my tongue, not a vain word, nor a good word, but thou knowest it altogether, knowest what it meant, from what thought it came, and with what design it was uttered. There is not a word at my tongue's end, ready to be spoken, yet checked and kept in, but thou knowest it." When there is not a word in my tongue, O Lord! thou knowest all (so some read it); for thoughts are words to God. 6. "Thou knowest me in every part of me: Thou hast beset me behind and before, so that, go which way I will, I am under thy eye and cannot possibly escape it. Thou hast laid thy hand upon me, and I cannot run away from thee." Wherever we are we are under the eye and hand of God. perhaps it is an allusion to the physician's laying his hand upon his patient to feel how his pulse beats or what temper he is in. God knows us as we know not only what we see, but what we feel and have our hands upon. All his saints are in his hand.
IV. He speaks of it with admiration (Psa 139:6): It is too wonderful for me; it is high. 1. "Thou hast such a knowledge of me as I have not of myself, nor can have. I cannot take notice of all my own thoughts, nor make such a judgment of myself as thou makest of me."? 2. "It is such a knowledge as I cannot comprehend, much less describe. That thou knowest all things I am sure, but how I cannot tell." We cannot by searching find out how God searches and finds out us; nor do we know how we are known.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–6. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 139
"You have understood my thoughts from afar; You have tracked out my path and my limit" [Psalm 139:3]; "and all my ways You have seen beforehand" [Psalm 139:4]. What is, "from afar"? While I am yet in my pilgrimage, before I reach that, my true country, You have known my thoughts....The younger son went into a far country. After his toil and suffering and tribulation and want, he thought on his father, and desired to return, and said, "I will arise, and go to my father." "I will arise," said he, for before he had sat. Here then you may recognise him saying, "You have known my down-sitting and up-rising." I sat, in want; I arose, in longing for Your Bread. "You have understood my thoughts from afar." For far indeed had I gone; but where is not He whom I had left? Wherefore the Lord says in the Gospel, that his father met him as he was coming. Truly; for "he had understood his thoughts from afar." "My path," he says; what, but a bad path, the path he had walked to leave his father?...What is, "my path"? That by which I have gone. What is, "my limit"? That whereunto I have reached. "You have tracked out my path and my limit." That limit of mine, far distant as it was, was not far from Your eyes. Far had I gone, and yet You were there. "And all my ways You have seen beforehand." He said not, "hast seen," but, "hast seen beforehand." Before I went by them, before I walked in them, You saw them beforehand; and You permitted me in toil to go my own ways, that, if I desired not to toil, I might return into Your ways. "For there is no deceit in my tongue." What meant he by this? Lo, I confess to You, I have walked in my own way, I have become far from You, I have departed from You, with whom it was well with me, and to my good it was ill with me without You....
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 139:4 serves as a profound declaration of God's exhaustive and intimate knowledge of humanity, specifically emphasizing His awareness of every word on the psalmist's tongue even before it is uttered. This verse stands as a powerful testament to divine omniscience, revealing that God's understanding transcends mere observation, penetrating to the very formation of human thought and expression. It underscores the unparalleled depth of God's relationship with His creation, portraying a divine presence that is not only omnipresent but also intricately aware of our innermost being and every potential utterance.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 139:4 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound theological truth. The primary device is Hyperbole, where the psalmist exaggerates for emphasis, stating "not a word in my tongue" to underscore the totality of God's knowledge. This is not meant to be taken literally as a complete absence of words, but rather that every word, even before articulation, is known. This hyperbole effectively conveys the boundless nature of divine omniscience, leaving no room for human concealment. Furthermore, the verse utilizes Anthropomorphism by attributing the human act of "knowing" to God, though it is a knowing far beyond human capacity in its scope and depth. This helps the human reader grasp a divine attribute in relatable terms, making the infinite comprehensible. There is also a strong element of Intimacy conveyed through the direct address "O LORD" and the highly personal nature of God knowing "my tongue," creating a sense of a deeply personal, inescapable, and profoundly relational connection between the psalmist and God.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 139:4 is a cornerstone for understanding the biblical doctrine of divine omniscience, asserting that God's knowledge is not merely vast but absolute, extending to the most private and nascent aspects of human thought and intention. This truth has profound implications for our understanding of God's character as simultaneously transcendent and immanent—a sovereign Creator who is intimately involved in the minutiae of His creation's existence. It highlights that our lives are lived in full transparency before Him, fostering both a deep sense of security in His understanding and a call to integrity in our inner and outer lives. This divine knowledge forms the basis for God's perfect justice, His unwavering love, and His ability to guide, redeem, and sustain His people with perfect wisdom. It assures believers that no prayer is too small, no concern too trivial, and no unspoken groan unheard by the Almighty.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Understanding that God knows every word on our tongue before we speak it, and indeed, every thought in our heart, can be both a profoundly comforting and a deeply challenging truth. It offers immense comfort in knowing that our deepest anxieties, our unspoken prayers, and our most hidden joys are fully comprehended by a loving God who truly "gets" us. We can approach Him in raw honesty, knowing there's no need to pretend, hide, or meticulously craft our words, for He already knows the intent of our hearts. This intimacy invites us into a deeper, more authentic relationship where vulnerability is met with perfect understanding and unwavering grace. Simultaneously, this truth challenges us to greater integrity and mindfulness. If our words and thoughts are laid bare before God, it calls us to cultivate a heart that aligns with His will, to guard our tongues from gossip, anger, deceit, or idle speech, and to ensure our inner dialogue reflects Christ-like character. It encourages us to pray for clean hearts and pure motives, knowing that God sees beyond the facade and desires truth in our innermost being. This awareness should inspire reverence, humility, and a desire for holiness in both our private and public lives.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse mean God knows my thoughts too, not just my words?
Answer: Yes, absolutely. While Psalms 139:4 specifically mentions "words in my tongue," the broader context of Psalm 139, particularly verses 1-3, explicitly states that God knows the psalmist's "thoughts afar off" and is "acquainted with all [his] ways." The progression from thoughts to actions to unspoken words demonstrates God's comprehensive omniscience, encompassing every aspect of human consciousness and intention. The "word" here can be understood as the culmination of a thought process, and God knows it even before it fully forms into an utterance, indicating His knowledge penetrates to the very origin of our expressions.
How can I reconcile God's complete knowledge of me with my free will?
Answer: This is a profound theological question that the Bible consistently affirms without fully resolving the tension. God's knowledge is not presented as a cause for our actions, but rather as a perfect awareness of them, even before they occur. His foreknowledge does not negate our freedom to choose, but rather demonstrates His timeless and complete understanding of all possibilities and actualities. Think of it less like God making you choose something because He knows it, and more like Him perfectly knowing what you will choose, even in your genuine freedom. This paradox is often held in tension within biblical theology, emphasizing God's sovereignty alongside human responsibility, as seen in passages like Philippians 2:12-13, which calls believers to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 139:4 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. As the incarnate Word of God, Jesus perfectly embodied the divine omniscience described by the psalmist. He consistently demonstrated a supernatural knowledge of human hearts and intentions, knowing the thoughts of those around Him (e.g., Matthew 9:4, where He perceived their thoughts and said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?"), discerning the true motives behind questions (e.g., Mark 12:15, where He perceived their hypocrisy), and even knowing the past and future of individuals He encountered (e.g., John 4:17-19, where He revealed the Samaritan woman's marital history). In Christ, the abstract truth of God's exhaustive knowledge becomes tangible and relational. He is the ultimate "Lamb of God" who knows our every sin, weakness, and unspoken need (John 1:29), yet still lays down His life for us. Through His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, Jesus offers a pathway for humanity to stand transparently before this all-knowing God, not in fear, but in grace and forgiveness. He is our High Priest who fully understands our weaknesses, having been tempted in every way, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15), making Him perfectly suited to mediate between us and the God who knows us altogether, inviting us into a relationship of complete honesty and profound grace.