TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 139:7–16. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
It is of great use to us to know the certainty of the things wherein we have been instructed, that we may not only believe them, but be able to tell why we believe them, and to give a reason of the hope that is in us. David is sure that God perfectly knows him and all his ways,
I.Because he is always under his eye.
If God is omnipresent, he must needs be omniscient; but he is omnipresent; this supposes the infinite and immensity of his being, from which follows the ubiquity of his presence; heaven and earth include the whole creation, and the Creator fills both (Jer 23:24); he not only knows both, and governs both, but he fills both. Every part of the creation is under God's intuition and influence. David here acknowledges this also with application and sees himself thus open before God.
1.No flight can remove us out of God's presence: "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, from thy presence, that is, from thy spiritual presence, from thyself, who art a Spirit?" God is a Spirit, and therefore it is folly to think that because we cannot see him he cannot see us: Whither shall I flee from thy presence? Not that he desired to go away from God; no, he desired nothing more than to be near him; but he only puts the case, "Suppose I should be so foolish as to think of getting out of thy sight, that I might shake off the awe of thee, suppose I should think of revolting from my obedience to thee, or of disowning a dependence on thee and of shifting for myself, alas! whither can I go?" A heathen could say, Quocunque te flexeris, ibi Deum videbis occurrentem tibi - Whithersoever thou turnest thyself, thou wilt see God meeting thee. Seneca. He specifies the most remote and distant places, and counts upon meeting God in them.
(1.)In heaven: "If I ascend thither, as I hope to do shortly, thou art there, and it will be my eternal bliss to be with thee there." Heaven is a vast large place, replenished with an innumerable company, and yet there is no escaping God's eye there, in any corner, or in any crowd. The inhabitants of that world have as necessary a dependence upon God, and lie as open to his strict scrutiny, as the inhabitants of this.
(2.)In hell - in Sheol, which may be understood of the depth of the earth, the very centre of it. Should we dig as deep as we can under ground, and think to hide ourselves there, we should be mistaken; God knows that path which the vulture's eye never saw, and to him the earth is all surface. Or it may be understood of the state of the dead. When we are removed out of the sight of all living, yet not out of the sight of the living God; from his eye we cannot hide ourselves in the grave. Or it maybe understood of the place of the damned: If I make my bed in hell (an uncomfortable place to make a bed in, where there is no rest day or night, yet thousands will make their bed for ever in those flames), behold, thou art there, in thy power and justice. God's wrath is the fire which will there burn everlastingly, Rev 14:10.
(3.)In the remotest corners of this world: "If I take the wings of the morning, the rays of the morning-light (called the wings of the sun, Mal 4:2), than which nothing more swift, and flee upon them to the uttermost parts of the sea, or of the earth (Job 38:12, Job 38:13), should I flee to the most distant and obscure islands (the ultima Thule, the Terra incognita), I should find thee there; there shall thy hand lead me, as far as I go, and thy right hand hold me, that I can go no further, that I cannot go out of thy reach." God soon arrested Jonah when he fled to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
2.No veil can hide us from God's eye, no, not that of the thickest darkness, Psa 139:11, Psa 139:12. "If I say, Yet the darkness shall cover me, when nothing else will, alas! I find myself deceived; the curtains of the evening will stand me in no more stead than the wings of the morning; even the night shall be light about me. That which often favours the escape of a pursued criminal, and the retreat of a beaten army, will do me no kindness in fleeing from them." When God divided between the light and darkness it was with a reservation of this prerogative, that to himself the darkness and the light should still be both alike. "The darkness darkeneth not from thee, for there is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves." No hypocritical mask or disguise, how specious soever, can save any person or action from appearing in a true light before God. Secret haunts of sin are as open before God as the most open and barefaced villanies.
II.Because he is the work of his hands.
He that framed the engine knows all the motions of it. God made us, and therefore no doubt he knows us; he saw us when we were in the forming, and can we be hidden from him now that we are formed? This argument he insists upon (Psa 139:13-16): "Thou hast possessed my reins; thou art Master of my most secret thoughts and intentions, and the innermost recesses of my soul; thou not only knowest, but governest, them, as we do that which we have possession of; and the possession thou hast of my reins is a rightful possession, for thou coveredst me in my mother's womb, that is, thou madest me (Job 10:11), thou madest me in secret. The soul is concealed form all about us. Who knows the things of a man, save the spirit of a man?" Co1 2:11. Hence we read of the hidden man of the heart. But it was God himself that thus covered us, and therefore he can, when he pleases, discover us; when he hid us from all the world he did not intend to hide us from himself. Concerning the formation of man, of each of us,
1.The glory of it is here given to God, entirely to him; for it is he that has made us and not we ourselves. "I will praise thee, the author of my being; my parents were only the instruments of it." It was done,
(1.)Under the divine inspection: My substance, when hid in the womb, nay, when it was yet but in fieri - in the forming, an unshapen embryo, was not hidden from thee; thy eyes did see my substance.
(2.)By the divine operation. As the eye of God saw us then, so his hand wrought us; we were his work.
(3.)According to the divine model: In thy book all my members were written. Eternal wisdom formed the plan, and by that almighty power raised the noble structure.
2.Glorious things are here said concerning it. The generation of man is to be considered with the same pious veneration as his creation at first. Consider it,
(1.)As a great marvel, a great miracle we might call it, but that it is done in the ordinary course of nature. We are fearfully and wonderfully made; we may justly be astonished at the admirable contrivance of these living temples, the composition of every part, and the harmony of all together.
(2.)As a great mystery, a mystery of nature: My soul knows right well that it is marvellous, but how to describe it for any one else I know not; for I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the womb as in the lowest parts of the earth, so privately, and so far out of sight.
(3.)As a great mercy, that all our members in continuance were fashioned, according as they were written in the book of God's wise counsel, when as yet there was none of them; or, as some read it, and none of them was left out. If any of our members had been wanting in God's book, they would have been wanting in our bodies, but, through his goodness, we have all our limbs and sense, the want of any of which might have made us burdens to ourselves. See what reason we have then to praise God for our creation, and to conclude that he who saw our substance when it was unfashioned sees it now that it is fashioned.
Historical interpretation
Four Centuries of Reception
8 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Since, therefore, all things are seen and heard, let us fear him and abandon the abominable lusts that spawn evil works, in order that we may be shielded by his mercy from the coming judgments. For where can any of us escape from his mighty hand? For the Scripture says somewhere, “Where shall I go, and where shall I be hidden from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I depart to the ends of the earth, there is your right hand; if I take my bed in the depths, there is your Spirit.” Where, then, can one go, or where can one flee from him who embraces the universe?
My mind, intent on the study of truth, took delight in these most pious teachings about God. For it did not consider any other thing worthy of God than that he is so far beyond the power of comprehension that the more the infinite spirit would endeavor to encompass him to any degree, even though it be by an arbitrary assumption, the more the infinity of a measureless eternity would surpass the entire infinity of the nature that pursues it. Although we understood this teaching in a reverent manner, it was clearly confirmed by these words of the prophet: “Whither shall I go from your spirit? Or whither shall I flee from your face? If I ascend into heaven, you are there; if I descend into hell, you are present. If I take my wings early in the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there also shall your hand lead me and your right hand shall hold me.” There is no place without God, nor is there any place which is not in God. He is in heaven, in hell and beyond the seas. He is within all things; he comes forth and is outside all things. While he thus possesses and is possessed, he is not included in anything nor is he not in all things.
If they really conceive of a kind of subordination of the Son in relation to the Father, as though he were in a lower place, so that the Father sits above and the Son is thrust off to the next seat below, let them confess what they mean. We shall have no more to say. A plain statement of the view will at once expose its absurdity. They who refuse to allow that the Father pervades all things do not so much as maintain the logical sequence of thought in their argument. The faith of the orthodox is that God fills all things; but they who divide their up and down between the Father and the Son do not remember even the word of the prophet: “If I climb up into heaven, you are there; if I go down to hell, you are there also.” Now, to omit all proof of the ignorance of those who predicate place of incorporeal things, what excuse can be found for their attack upon Scripture, shameless as their antagonism is, in the passages “Sit on my right hand” and “Sat down on the right hand of the majesty of God”? The expression “right hand” does not, as they contend, indicate the lower place, but equality of relation; it is not understood physically, in which case there might be something sinister about God, but Scripture puts before us the magnificence of the dignity of the Son by the use of dignified language indicating the seat of honor. It is left then for our opponents to allege that this expression signifies inferiority of rank. Let them learn that “Christ is the power of God and wisdom of God,” and that “he is the image of the invisible God” and “brightness of his glory” and that “him has God the Father sealed,” by engraving himself on him.
For God was everywhere who said, "I fill heaven and earth." But if this was said of the Father, where could he be without his Word and his Wisdom, "which teaches from end to end mightily, and orders all things sweetly"? But neither could he be anywhere without his Spirit. If, therefore, God is everywhere, then his Spirit is also everywhere. Consequently, the Holy Spirit was also sent to that place where he already was. For he, too, who finds no place to which he could go from the face of God, says, "If I shall ascend into heaven, you are there; if I shall descend into hell, you are present," wishing it to be understood that God is present everywhere, referred to his Spirit in the preceding verse. For there he spoke as follows: "Where shall I go from your Spirit? And where shall I flee from your face?"
"For if our heart should have a bad opinion [of us]," that is, should accuse us within, because we do not do with that intention with which it ought to be done, "God is greater than our heart and knows all things." You conceal your heart from people; conceal it from God if you can. How will you conceal it from him to whom it was said by a certain sinner, "Where shall I go from your spirit, and from your face where shall I flee?" He was asking where he might flee to escape the judgment of God and did not find [an answer]. For where is God not? "If I ascend into heaven," he says, "you are there. If I descend into hell, you are present." Where will you go? Where will you flee? Do you wish to listen to advice? If you wish to flee from him, flee to him! Flee to him by confessing, not by hiding from him. For you cannot hide, but you can confess. Say to him, "You are my refuge," and let love be nurtured in you, which alone leads to life. Let your conscience bear testimony to you because it is of God. If it is of God, do not wish to boast of it before people because neither the praises of people lift you into heaven nor do their censurings put you down from there. Let him who gives the crown see; let him be witness by whom as Judge you are crowned. God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
Behold you find that the runaway in a far country cannot escape His eyes, from whom he flees. And whither can he go now, whose "limit is tracked out"? Behold, what says he? "Whither shall I go from Your Spirit?" [Psalm 139:7]. Who can in the world flee from that Spirit, with whom the world is filled? [Wisdom 1:7] "And whither shall I flee from Your Face?" He seeks a place whither to flee from the wrath of God. What place will shelter God's runaway? Men who shelter runaways, ask them from whom they have fled; and when they find any one a slave of some master less powerful than themselves, him they shelter as it were without any fear, saying in their hearts, "he has not a master by whom he can be tracked out." But when they are told of a powerful master, they either shelter not, or they shelter with great fear, because even a powerful man can be deceived. Where is God not? Who can deceive God? Whom does not God see? From whom does not God demand His runaway? Whither then shall that runaway go from the Face of God? He turns him hither and there, as though seeking a spot to flee to.
“I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” The son set out abroad and fled into a far country; but he did not escape from those accusing witnesses, the eyes of the heavenly Father. David explains this more clearly by his words: “Whither shall I go from your spirit? or whither shall I flee from your face? If I ascend into heaven, you are there; if I descend into hell, you are present. If I take my wings early in the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall your hand lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” David sees that throughout the world all transgressions stand exposed to the eyes of God. Neither the sky, nor the earth, nor the seas, nor a deep cavern nor night itself can hide sins from him. The psalmist perceives how lawless and evil it is to sin in the sight of God. Therefore, he cries out, “To you only have I sinned and have done evil before you.”
Hold most firmly and never doubt that God the Trinity is unbounded in power, not in mass; and that every creature, spiritual and bodily, is bound by his power and his presence. For God the Father says, “I fill the heavens and the earth.” For it is said of the Wisdom of God, which his Son is, that “it reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other and orders all things well.” Concerning the Holy Spirit we read that “the Spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world.” And David the prophet says, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.”
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Summary
Psalms 139:7 presents a profound rhetorical question posed by King David, expressing the absolute and inescapable omnipresence of God. It sets the stage for a deep meditation on the divine attributes, highlighting the futility of any attempt to evade God's Spirit or presence, and instead inviting a posture of awe, reverence, and humble submission before the Creator who intimately knows and encompasses all of existence. This verse serves as a foundational declaration of God's boundless reach and His intimate involvement in every aspect of creation and human life.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is strategically placed within Psalm 139, a magnificent and deeply personal hymn by David that explores God's attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. The psalm opens with a detailed affirmation of God's omniscience, declaring that God knows David's every thought, word, and path, even before they come to be (Psalms 139:1-6). Verse 7 marks a pivotal transition, moving from God's complete knowledge to His boundless presence, establishing the foundation for the subsequent verses that vividly illustrate God's omnipresence across all dimensions of creation—heaven, the depths of the earth, and even the extremities of the sea (Psalms 139:8-12). The psalm then transitions to God's omnipotence in the intricate creation of human life (Psalms 139:13-16), and concludes with David's heartfelt prayer for God to search his heart and lead him in the way everlasting (Psalms 139:23-24). The rhetorical questions in verse 7 are not born of a desire to escape God, but rather a profound realization of His boundless reach and an expression of awe at His infinite nature, serving as a poetic bridge from God's knowledge to His pervasive presence.
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near East, deities were often associated with specific geographical locations, temples, or territories. To escape a god's influence, one might simply leave their perceived domain. David's declaration in Psalm 139 radically challenges this localized view of divinity, presenting Yahweh as a transcendent yet immanent God whose presence is not confined by any physical or spiritual boundary. The concept of God's "presence" (Hebrew: panim, literally "face") was profoundly significant in Israelite thought, often denoting a direct, personal encounter with God, whether for blessing or judgment. To be "from" or "flee from" His presence would imply an attempt to escape His direct oversight and active involvement, a notion that the psalmist declares utterly impossible for the God of Israel. This understanding reinforces the unique monotheistic perspective of Israel, where God is sovereign over all creation, filling heaven and earth, a concept echoed in Jeremiah 23:24.
Key Themes
The primary and most explicit theme of Psalms 139:7 is God's Omnipresence, emphasizing that God is present everywhere, at all times, and in every dimension of existence. This verse powerfully underscores the Inescapable Divine Presence, illustrating the absolute futility of any attempt to evade divine scrutiny or connection. This concept famously echoes the unsuccessful attempt of Jonah to flee from the Lord's presence, demonstrating that God's reach extends beyond human limitations. For the righteous, this omnipresence is a profound source of immense Comfort and Security, knowing God is always near, especially in times of trouble or loneliness, as He promises "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). Conversely, for those who would seek to do evil or hide their deeds, it serves as a powerful reminder of Divine Accountability, as nothing can be hidden from God's all-seeing gaze, a truth articulated in Proverbs 15:3. The verse also implicitly conveys a deep sense of Awe and Wonder at the infinite, boundless nature of God.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies movement, often meaning "to walk," "to come," "to depart," or "to go away." In this context, it denotes a deliberate act of moving from one place to another, suggesting an attempt to distance oneself or find a location where God's influence or presence is absent. The psalmist questions the very possibility of such a journey, highlighting the universal scope of God's being.
This word implies a sudden, often urgent, act of escape or bolting away. It conveys a sense of urgency and desperation, highlighting an attempt to rapidly evade or elude God's reach, reinforcing the idea of an impossible escape from divine pursuit or observation. The choice of this word emphasizes the futility of even a desperate, swift attempt to escape God's omnipresence.
Literally meaning "face," this term is used broadly in Hebrew to denote a personal, direct, and intimate manifestation or awareness of God. It refers not merely to God's abstract existence "everywhere," but to His personal "face" or attention being directed towards all places and all people. To flee from His "presence" is to attempt to escape His direct, personal engagement, oversight, and active involvement in creation, which the psalmist declares to be utterly impossible.
Verse Breakdown
"Whither shall I go from thy spirit?"
This opening rhetorical question immediately establishes the central theme of God's omnipresence. The psalmist is not asking for directions, but rather expressing the utter impossibility of finding a place where God's active, pervasive, and life-giving essence (His "spirit," rûwach) is absent. It implies a search for a void, a place beyond God's reach and influence, which the psalmist knows does not exist. The "spirit" here refers to God's active, animating, and pervasive divine force that fills and sustains all creation.
"or whither shall I flee from thy presence?"
This second clause functions as a powerful synonymous parallel to the first, reinforcing and intensifying the initial question. "Presence" (Hebrew: pânîym, "face") emphasizes God's personal and direct manifestation, His intimate engagement with all things. The act of "fleeing" suggests a more desperate and urgent attempt to escape, perhaps from a sense of accountability or overwhelming awe. Together, these two clauses underscore the absolute futility of any human effort to escape God's all-encompassing being and direct oversight, whether through deliberate movement or urgent, desperate flight.
Literary Devices
Psalms 139:7 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound theological truth. The most prominent is the Rhetorical Question, where the psalmist asks questions not to elicit an answer, but to powerfully emphasize an undeniable truth—that there is no place beyond God's reach. This device compels the reader to acknowledge the absolute nature of God's omnipresence. Furthermore, the verse features Synonymous Parallelism, where the second clause ("or whither shall I flee from thy presence?") echoes and reinforces the meaning of the first ("Whither shall I go from thy spirit?"). "Go from thy spirit" and "flee from thy presence" convey the same core idea of escaping God, intensifying the message through repetition and variation while using slightly different but complementary terms. The use of "spirit" and "presence" also subtly employs Metonymy, where these attributes stand in for God Himself, highlighting His active and personal engagement with creation. Finally, there is an element of Hyperbole in the implied scenario of attempting to escape God, as it serves to magnify the infinite scale of God's presence by presenting an impossible and absurd task, thereby underscoring His boundless nature.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 139:7 is a foundational declaration of God's omnipresence, a core attribute that profoundly shapes our understanding of His nature and our relationship with Him. It reveals a God who is not distant, confined, or limited to specific locales, but intimately present in every corner of existence, actively sustaining and overseeing His creation. This truth impacts our theology of sin, as it means nothing is hidden from God's sight, fostering a deep sense of divine accountability and the impossibility of concealing our deeds or thoughts from Him. It also profoundly affects our understanding of divine providence and care, assuring us that God is always near, actively involved in every detail of our lives and the world. The verse teaches us that God's immanence (His nearness and involvement in creation) is as absolute as His transcendence (His otherness and superiority to creation), making Him both an awe-inspiring sovereign and an ever-present companion.
Reflection and Application
The profound truth of God's omnipresence, as declared in Psalms 139:7, carries immense implications for our daily lives and spiritual formation. For the believer, it is a wellspring of profound comfort and peace, assuring us that we are never truly alone, regardless of our circumstances. In moments of fear, loneliness, distress, or even triumph, this verse reminds us that God is intimately present, offering solace, strength, and shared joy. This truth transforms our understanding of prayer from merely reaching out to a distant deity to communing with an ever-present, attentive Father. Conversely, the inescapable nature of God's presence serves as a powerful motivator for living a life of integrity, righteousness, and conscious holiness. Knowing that every thought, every whispered word, and every hidden deed is known to God inspires us to cultivate inner purity, examine our motives, and align our actions with His divine will, recognizing that there is no secret sin or hidden motive that escapes His all-seeing gaze. Embracing this truth fosters a deeper sense of reverence and awe, encouraging us to live consciously in the light of His holy presence, transforming our mundane activities into acts of worship and our daily walk into a continuous communion with the Divine.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is God's omnipresence a comforting or a frightening truth?
The nature of God's omnipresence can be perceived as both profoundly comforting and deeply sobering, depending on an individual's relationship with Him. For those who are in a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, His omnipresence is an inexhaustible source of comfort, security, and peace. They find solace in the assurance that God is always near, a constant companion and protector, as promised in Hebrews 13:5. This truth means they are never truly alone, even in the darkest valleys or most isolated moments. However, for those who are in rebellion against God, or who seek to hide their sin and live apart from His will, His omnipresence can be a terrifying reality. It signifies that there is no escape from divine accountability, no place where their actions or thoughts can be hidden from His all-seeing eyes. The story of Jonah's futile attempt to flee from the Lord's presence serves as a classic biblical illustration of this latter perspective, demonstrating the impossibility of escaping God's reach or judgment. Ultimately, God's omnipresence underscores His absolute sovereignty, perfect knowledge, and unwavering justice, attributes that are comforting to the righteous and convicting to the unrighteous.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The Old Testament truth of God's omnipresence, so powerfully articulated in Psalms 139:7, finds its ultimate and most personal fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the psalmist grapples with the abstract yet pervasive concept of an everywhere-present Spirit and presence, the New Testament reveals that this infinite God chose to become immanent in a tangible, localized, and relational way through the Incarnation. Jesus, as the Word made flesh, literally "dwelt among us" (John 1:14), embodying the very presence of God in human form. He is Emmanuel, "God with us" (Matthew 1:23), making the invisible, omnipresent God visible and accessible. Furthermore, after His resurrection and ascension, Jesus promised His disciples, and by extension all believers, His perpetual presence: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). This promise is realized through the sending of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sent to indwell believers, making God's omnipresence not just an external reality but an internal, personal, and transformative one. The Spirit, often called the "Spirit of Christ" (Romans 8:9), ensures that the omnipresent God is now intimately present within His people, guiding, comforting, and empowering them. Thus, the unescapable presence David marvelled at becomes the indwelling, relational presence of God in Christ, culminating in the New Covenant vision where God's dwelling place is truly with humanity, forever (Revelation 21:3).