INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 139 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN, A PSALM OF DAVID. This psalm was written by David, when he lay under the reproach and calumnies of men, who laid false things to his charge; things he was not conscious of either in the time of Saul's persecution of him, or when his son Absalom rebel... [ Continue Reading ]
O LORD, THOU HAST SEARCHED ME, AND KNOWN [ME]. The omniscience of God reaches to all persons and things; but the psalmist only takes notice of it as respecting himself. God knows all men in general, and whatever belongs to them; he knows his own people in a special manner; and he knows their particu... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU KNOWEST MY DOWNSITTING AND MINE UPRISING,.... Here the psalmist proceeds to observe the particular circumstances and actions of his life, which were known to God; as his "downsitting", either to take rest, as weary persons do. Schultens a explains it of the quiet rest in sleep; this the Lord kn... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU COMPASSEST MY PATH AND MY LYING DOWN,.... The Targum adds, "to study in the law.'' His walk in the daytime, and every step he took, and his lying down at night. It denotes his perfect knowledge of all his actions, day and night; he surrounds every path of man, that they cannot escape his know... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR [THERE IS] NOT A WORD IN MY TONGUE,.... Expressed by it or upon it, just ready to be spoken; or, as the Targum, "when there is no word in my tongue:'' so Aben Ezra, "before it was perfect in my tongue:'' before it is formed there; while it is in the mind, and not expressed, and even before t... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST BESET ME BEHIND AND BEFORE,.... Art on every side of me, all around me, like one besieged in a strait place; so that there is nothing I can think, say, or do, but what is known unto thee. The two Kimchis, father and son, render the word, "thou hast formed me": and interpret it of the forma... [ Continue Reading ]
[SUCH] KNOWLEDGE [IS] TOO WONDERFUL FOR ME,.... Meaning either the knowledge of himself, such as God had of him, which was vastly superior to what he had of himself; and especially the knowledge of other persons and things, whether visible or invisible, in heaven, earth, or hell; things past, presen... [ Continue Reading ]
WHITHER SHALL I GO FROM THY SPIRIT?.... Or, "from thy wind?" which some interpret literally, the wind being God's creature; which he brings out of his treasures, and holds in his fists, and disposes of as he pleases; this takes its circuit through all the points of the heavens, and blows everywhere,... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I ASCEND UP INTO HEAVEN, THOU [ART] THERE,.... No man hath ascended or can ascend to heaven of himself; it is an hyperbolical expression, as are those that follow; none but Christ has ascended to heaven by his own power, who descended from it; saints hope to go there at death, and, when they do,... [ Continue Reading ]
[IF] I TAKE THE WINGS OF THE MORNING,.... And fly as swift as the morning light to the east, to the extremity of it, as Ben Melech; as far as he could go that way, as swiftly as the wings of the morning could carry him thither; so the morning is represented by the Heathens as having wings f; or as t... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN THERE SHALL THY HAND LEAD ME,.... For he could not get there with all the assistance of the wings of the morning, could they be had, without the leadings of divine Providence; and when there, being a good man, should experience the leadings of divine grace; let the people of God be where they w... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I SAY, SURELY THE DARKNESS SHALL COVER ME,.... The darkness of a cloud or of the night, so that my actions shall not be seen; that is, if I entertain such a thought in my mind, that what I do in the dark will escape the sight and knowledge of God, and so be emboldened to commit it; EVEN THE NIGH... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, THE DARKNESS HIDETH NOT FROM THEE,.... Any thing that is done by men in it; or "darkeneth not from thee" i, or causeth such darkness as to hinder the sight of any action committed. The Targum is, "from thy Word;'' see Hebrews 4:12; BUT THE NIGHT SHINETH AS THE DAY; or "enlightens as the day... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU HAST POSSESSED MY REINS,.... His thoughts and counsels, the reins being the seat of instruction and counsel; hence God is called the trier of the reins, and searcher of the hearts of the children of men; he is the possessor or master of their most secret thoughts, and thoroughly knows them;... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL PRAISE THEE; FOR I AM FEARFULLY [AND] WONDERFULLY MADE,.... the formation of man is not of himself, nor of his parents, but of God, and is very wonderful in all its parts; it has been matter of astonishment to many Heathens, as Galen and others, who have, with any carefulness, examined the st... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SUBSTANCE WAS NOT HID FROM THEE WHEN I WAS MADE IN SECRET,.... Or "my bone" n; everyone of his bones, which are the substantial parts of the body, the strength of it; and so some render it "my strength" o; those, though covered with skin and flesh yet, being done by the Lord himself, were not hid... [ Continue Reading ]
THINE EYES DID SEE MY SUBSTANCE, YET BEING UNPERFECT,.... The word q for "substance" signifies a bottom of yarn wound up, or any rude or unformed lump; and designs that conglomerated mass of matter separated in the womb, containing all the essentials of the human frame, but not yet distinguished or... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW PRECIOUS ALSO ARE THY THOUGHTS UNTO ME, O GOD!.... The word r signifies that which is scarce and rare, and not to be attained and enjoyed; see 1 Samuel 3:1; the thoughts and counsels of God are impenetrable and unsearchable; he knows our thoughts, as Aben Ezra observes, but we do not know his, P... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I SHOULD COUNT THEM, THEY ARE MORE IN NUMBER THAN THE SAND,...., That is, if I should attempt to do it, it would be as vain and fruitless as to attempt to count the sands upon the seashore, which are innumerable; Psalms 11:5. So Pindar says s, that sand flies number, that is, is not to be numbere... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY THOU WILT SLAY THE WICKED, O GOD,.... Since he is God omniscient, and knows where they are, what they have done, are doing, and design to do; and God omnipresent, at hand to lay hold upon them; and God omnipotent, to hold them and inflict due punishment on them; this is a consequence rightly... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY SPEAK AGAINST THEE WICKEDLY,.... Against his being, his perfections, his purposes, his providences, his doctrines, ordinances, ministers, and people; or "they speak of thee for wickedness" b, they made mention of the name of God to cover their wickedness, pretending to fear God and love him... [ Continue Reading ]
DO NOT I HATE THEM, O LORD, THAT HATE THEE?.... Wicked men are haters of God; of his word, both law and Gospel; of his ordinances, ways, and worship; of his people, cause, and interest; and therefore good men hate them: not as men, as the creatures of God, and as their fellow creatures, whom they ar... [ Continue Reading ]
I HATE THEM WITH PERFECT HATRED,.... Heartily and really; not in word only, but in deed and in truth; "odio vatiniano", with consummate hatred: this is an answer to his own question; I COUNT THEM MINE ENEMIES; being the enemies of God: the friends of God were David's friends, as angels and good men... [ Continue Reading ]
SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART,.... He had searched him, and knew his heart thoroughly; TRY ME, AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS; he had tried him, and knew every thought in him, Psalms 139:1. This therefore is not said for the sake of God; who, though he is the trier of hearts, and the searcher of the re... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SEE IF [THERE BE ANY] WICKED WAY IN ME,.... Not that David thought himself free from wickedness, or that there was none to be found in his heart and life; and therefore said this in a boasting way, he knew otherwise; see Psalms 19:12; but he is desirous it might be thoroughly looked into and see... [ Continue Reading ]