Psalms · Chapter 139 of 150

Psalm 139

God knows all things. · He is every where present. · The psalmist's hatred to sin, and desire to be led aright.

1To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. 5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 19Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 20For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. 21Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 22I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 23Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

King James Version (1769) · public domain

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar. 3You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways. 4Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD. 5You hem me in behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

7Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? 8If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. 9If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea, 10even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast. 11If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me”— 12even the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You. 13For You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well. 15My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.

17How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God, how vast is their sum! 18If I were to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; and when I awake, I am still with You. 19O God, that You would slay the wicked— away from me, you bloodthirsty men— 20who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain. 21Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD, and detest those who rise against You? 22I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them as my enemies. 23Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. 24See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.

Berean Standard Bible · public domain

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

7Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? 8If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there! 9If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me. 11If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me. The light around me will be night,” 12even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you. 13For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well. 15My frame wasn’t hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth. 16Your 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.

17How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is their sum! 18If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you. 19If only you, God, would kill the wicked. Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men! 20For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain. 21LORD, don’t I hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you? 22I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies. 23Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. 24See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.

World English Bible · public domain

About Psalms

Psalm 139 commentary

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706), public domain.

Verses 1-6

God has perfect knowledge of us, and all our thoughts and actions are open before him. It is more profitable to meditate on Divine truths, applying them to our own cases, and with hearts lifted to God in prayer, than with a curious or disputing frame of mind. That God knows all things, is omniscient; that he is every where, is omnipresent; are truths acknowledged by all, yet they are seldom rightly believed in by mankind. God takes strict notice of every step we take, every right step and every by step. He knows what rule we walk by, what end we walk toward, what company we walk with. When I am withdrawn from all company, thou knowest what I have in my heart. There is not a vain word, not a good word, but thou knowest from what thought it came, and with what design it was uttered. Wherever we are, we are under the eye and hand of God. We cannot by searching find how God searches us out; nor do we know how we are known. Such thoughts should restrain us from sin.

Verses 7-16

We cannot see God, but he can see us. The psalmist did not desire to go from the Lord. Whither can I go? In the most distant corners of the world, in heaven, or in hell, I cannot go out of thy reach. No veil can hide us from God; not the thickest darkness. No disguise can save any person or action from being seen in the true light by him. Secret haunts of sin are as open before God as the most open villanies. On the other hand, the believer cannot be removed from the supporting, comforting presence of his Almighty Friend. Should the persecutor take his life, his soul will the sooner ascend to heaven. The grave cannot separate his body from the love of his Saviour, who will raise it a glorious body. No outward circumstances can separate him from his Lord. While in the path of duty, he may be happy in any situation, by the exercise of faith, hope, and prayer.

Verses 17-24

God's counsels concerning us and our welfare are deep, such as cannot be known. We cannot think how many mercies we have received from him. It would help to keep us in the fear of the Lord all the day long, if, when we wake in the morning, our first thoughts were of him: and how shall we admire and bless our God for his precious salvation, when we awake in the world of glory! Surely we ought not to use our members and senses, which are so curiously fashioned, as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. But our immortal and rational souls are a still more noble work and gift of God. Yet if it were not for his precious thoughts of love to us, our reason and our living for ever would, through our sins, prove the occasion of our eternal misery. How should we then delight to meditate on God's love to sinners in Jesus Christ, the sum of which exceeds all reckoning! Sin is hated, and sinners lamented, by all who fear the Lord. Yet while we shun them we should pray for them; with God their conversion and salvation are possible. As the Lord knows us thoroughly, and we are strangers to ourselves, we should earnestly desire and pray to be searched and proved by his word and Spirit. if there be any wicked way in me, let me see it; and do thou root it out of me. The way of godliness is pleasing to God, and profitable to us; and will end in everlasting life. It is the good old way. All the saints desire to be kept and led in this way, that they may not miss it, turn out of it, or tire in it.

Key verses in Psalm 139

Psalms 139:13
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
Psalms 139:14
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Psalms 139:16
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
Psalms 139:15
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Psalms 139:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.