Spurgeon, “One of the most notable of the sacred hymns. It sings the omniscience and omnipresence of God, inferring from these the overthrow of the powers of wickedness, since he who sees and hears the abominable deeds and words of the rebellious will surely deal with them according to his justice. The brightness of this Psalm is like unto a sapphire stone, or Ezekiel's "terrible crystal"; it flames out with such flashes of light as to turn night into day. Like a Pharos, this holy song casts a clear light even to the uttermost parts of the sea, and warns its against that practical atheism which ignores the presence of God, and so makes shipwreck of the soul.

1. PSALM 139 COMME
TARY
Edited by Glenn Pease
I
TRODUCTIO
1. Spurgeon, “One of the most notable of the sacred hymns. It sings the omniscience and
omnipresence of God, inferring from these the overthrow of the powers of wickedness, since he
who sees and hears the abominable deeds and words of the rebellious will surely deal with them
according to his justice. The brightness of this Psalm is like unto a sapphire stone, or Ezekiel's
"terrible crystal"; it flames out with such flashes of light as to turn night into day. Like a Pharos,
this holy song casts a clear light even to the uttermost parts of the sea, and warns its against that
practical atheism which ignores the presence of God, and so makes shipwreck of the soul.
2. Here the poet inverts his gaze, from the blaze of suns, to the strange atoms composing his own
frame. He stands shuddering over the precipice of himself. Above is the All encompassing Spirit,
from whom the morning wings cannot save; and below, at a deep distance, appears amid the
branching forest of his animal frame, so fearfully and wonderfully made, the abyss of his
spiritual existence, lying like a dark lake in the midst. How, between mystery and mystery, his
mind, his wonder, his very reason, seem to rock like a little boat between the sea and sky. But
speedily does he regain his serenity; when he throws himself, with childlike haste and confidence,
into the arms of that Fatherly Spirit, and murmurs in his bosom, "How precious also are thy
thoughts unto me, O God; how great is the sum of them"; and looking up at last in his face, cries
-- "Search me, O Lord. I cannot search thee; I cannot search myself; I am overwhelmed by those
dreadful depths; but search me as thou only canst; see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead
me in the way everlasting." --George Gilfillan (1813- 1878), in "The Bards of the Bible."
3. OUTLI
E By unknown author
1. THE SEARCHI
G OF GOD’S PRESE
CE.
2. THE SCOPE OF GOD’S PRESE
CE.
3. THE SATISFACTIO
OF GOD’S PRESE
CE.
4. THE SEVERITY OF GOD’S PRESE
CE.
5. THE SUPPLICATIO
OF GOD’S PRESE
CE.
4. Calvin, “In this Psalm David, that he may dismiss the deceptive coverings under which most
men take refuge, and divest himself of hypocrisy, insists at large upon the truth that nothing can
elude the divine observation -- a truth which he illustrates from the original formation of man,

2. since he who fashioned us in our mother's womb, and imparted to every member its particular
office and function, cannot possibly be ignorant of our actions. Quickened by this meditation to a
due reverential fear of God, he declares himself to have no sympathy with the ungodly and
profane, and beseeches God, in the confidence of conscious integrity, not to forsake him in this
life.”
5. This Psalm has often been admired for the grandeur of its sentiments, the elevation of its style,
as well as the variety and beauty of its imagery. Bishop Lowth, in his 29th Prelection, classes it
amongst the Hebrew idyls, as next to the 104th, in respect both to the conduct of the poem, and
the beauty of the style. "If it be excelled," says he, "(as perhaps it is) by the former in the plan,
disposition, and arrangement of the matter, it is not in the least inferior in the dignity and
elegance of its sentiments, images, and figures." "Amongst its other excellencies," says Bishop
Mant, "it is for nothing more admirable than for the exquisite skill with which it descants on the
perfections of the Deity. The Psalmist's faith in the omnipresence and omniscience of Jehovah is
in the commencement depicted · with a singular and beautiful variety of the most lively
expressions: nor,:an anything be more sublime than that accummulation of the noblest and
loftiest images, in the 7th and following verses, commensurate with the limits of created nature,
whereby the Psalmist labors to impress upon the mind some notion of the infinity of God." If we
compare this sacred poem with any hymn of classical antiquity in honor of the heathen deities,
the immense superiority of the sentiments it contains must convince any reasonable person that
David and the Israelites, though inferior in other respects to some other nations, surpassed them
in religious knowledge.
o philosopher of ancient times ever attained to such sublime views of the
perfections and moral government of God as the Hebrew Prophets. How are we to account for
this difference but on the supposition of the divine origin of the religion of the Hebrews? On any
other supposition these Psalms are a greater miracle than any of those recorded by Moses.
Bishop Horsley refers the composition of this Psalm to a later age than that of David. "The
frequent Chaldaisms," says he, "of the diction, argue no very high antiquity." Dr. Adam Clarke,
on the same ground, argues that it was; not written by the sweet singer of Israel, but during or
after the time of the captivity. Other critics, however, maintain that the several Chaldaisms to be
found in it afford no foundation for such an opinion. "How any critic," says Jebb, "can assign
this Psalm to other than David, I cannot understand. Every line, every thought, every turn of
expression and transition is his, and his only. As for the arguments drawn from the two
Chaldaisms which occur, (yebr for yubr, and Kyre for Kyru,) this is really nugatory. These
Chaldaisms consist merely in the substitution of one letter for another very like it in shape, and
easily to be mistaken by a transcriber, particularly by one who had been used to the Chaldee
idiom: but the moral arguments for David's author-ship are so strong as to overwhelm.'my such
verbal or rather literal criticism, were even the objections more formidable than they actually
are." -- Jebb's Literal Translation of the Psalms, etc., volume 2.
6. Right Thoughts by Dr. Warren Wiersbe, “Some people never think about God. They live and
die as strangers in His world. Others think wrong thoughts about Him. They live and die in the
shadows of superstition and confusion. Still others think right thoughts about God, but somehow
it makes no difference in their lives. They live and die disappointed and defeated. Psalm 139 was
written by a man who had right thoughts about God that made a difference. He lived with
confidence, security and fulfillment. He submitted to God. Let's look at the four discoveries
David made as he thought about God and the difference He made in his life.

3. God knows everything (vv. 1-6). Theologians call this God's omniscience. God knows you
personally. We find nearly 50 personal pronouns throughout the psalm. He knows your name,
nature, needs and even the number of hairs on your head. He knows you intimately, including
your actions and your thoughts. He knows you sovereignly.
God is everywhere (vv. 7-12). You cannot flee from Him. This is a beautiful description of His
omnipresence. "Where shall I go to get away from God?" Jonah asked this and never got an
answer. You cannot hide even in darkness. God is in all places at all times (v. 11).
God can do anything (vv. 13-18). He is omnipotent. David says the greatest marvel of all is human
birth. God can make life. He gives each baby the genetic structure He wants him or her to have.
If you leave God out of your life, you will never fulfill what you were born for.
God can guide your life (vv. 19-24). You dare not fight against Him. David said he was going to
serve God--a decision that led to dedication (vv. 23,24). When we put the whole psalm together,
we discover a man who knows God. You, too, can know God through Jesus Christ (John
14:9;17:3).
God knows everything about you. Be open and honest with Him, and He can lead and bless you.
Strive to do His will. God made you and wants to fulfill in your life that for which He made you.
1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
1. You may never have been stripped searched by the police, but everyone has been so searched
by God, for we are all open and naked before his all seeing eyes. He knows us inside and out.
David is just acknowledging that God is all knowing, and this is a good way to see God, for it
means that there is no sense in being anything but completely honest before him. To try and hide
some feeling or attitude that might be offensive to God is nothing short of folly, for he knows you
completely. You just as well let your true feelings come out and deal with them rather than
pretend that you can hide them from God. A healthy relationship with God demands total
openness and honesty. That is why the Psalms are often full of language that is shocking, for they
pour out some of the most outrageous feelings that you would think would be hidden from God,
but they are just the honest feelings and thoughts that are going through the mind of the Psalmist
at the time. They may be horrible thoughts, but they are real, and so that is what is expressed. It
is a good form of catharsis to empty your head and heart of all the awful thoughts that can enter,
and by telling God of them, you can gain control over them rather than allowing them to control
you. Someone wrote, “The Greek word for God is Theos, which derives from the root Theisthai,
which means ‘to see’. They regarded God as being the all-seeing one, whose eye took in the whole
universe at a glance, and whose knowledge extended far beyond that of mortals.”

4. 2. Stedman, “It is divided into four paragraphs of six verses each. It is easy to follow the outline
for it is already structured for us in the RSV. In each paragraph the psalmist faces a question
about himself in relationship to God. In the first paragraph he asks, "How well does God know
me?" The first sentence gives us his answer: The Hebrew word for "searched" is the word, "to
dig." Literally what this man is saying is, "O Lord, you dig me!"
ow that is how up-to-date the
Bible is! The word means, "You dig into me and therefore you know me." It is not surprising that
the word dig has come to mean in English, "to know or to understand." This is the way the
psalmist begins, "Lord, you dig me!" In what way does God understand?
The Greek word for God is *Theos* (Theos); which derives from the root *Theisthai*
(Theisthai), which means ‘to see’. They regarded God as being the all-seeing one, whose eye took
in the whole universe at a glance, and whose knowledge extended far beyond that of mortals.
“The Hebrew word for "searched" is the word, "to dig." Literally what this man is saying is, "O
Lord, you dig me!"
ow that is how up-to-date the Bible is! The word means, "You dig into me
and therefore you know me." It is not surprising that the word dig has come to mean in English,
"to know or to understand." This is the way the psalmist begins, "Lord, you dig me!" In what
way does God understand?”
"O LORD, Thou hast searched me and known me." (Ps 139:1) The divine knowledge is
extremely thorough and searching. God searches us as officers search a prisoner for contraband
or as burglars search a house for plunder. The same word is used for Joshua and Caleb spying
out the Promised Land. It's used in Job for searching and digging out gold and silver. (Job 28:3)
Literally, we could translate it "O Lord, you dig me!" See how up-to-date the Bible is? It's not
surprising that the word "dig" has come to mean "understand."
The word "search" also means to pierce through. We sometimes speak of seeing right through a
person. That's a poetic figure of speech for us, but when it comes to God, it's a fact. He sees right
through us.
Isn't it odd
that a being like God
who sees through the facade
still loves the clod
He made out of sod?
Isn't it odd?
But He does! God is like a doctor, giving us a physical, like a psychiatrist exploring our inner
depths, like an intimate friend who probes us until we reveal all. And this knowledge is not just
analytical knowledge, it is personal, relational, intimate knowledge.
God is the great researcher. He digs for all the facts, for He longs to know every detail of our
lives. He makes a thorough investigation of our lives. He knows all and is Omniscient.
God knows his inner life, his thought, his heart, and his actions. He understands us, for He knows
how we feel about everything, and how we think. He knows that your motive was right even

5. though the whole thing went wrong. He know when you are being hypocritical.
He even knows the head count of our hairs, and I would assume not just those on the head, but all
over the body. For some this is a sizable number.
3. “Isn't it odd
that a being like God
who sees through the facade
still loves the clod
He made out of sod?
Isn't it odd?
But He does! God is like a doctor, giving us a physical, like a psychiatrist exploring our inner
depths, like an intimate friend who probes us until we reveal all. And this knowledge is not just
analytical knowledge, it is personal, relational, intimate knowledge.” unknown
4. Spurgeon, “God knows us by name. “
ames are very important. They are more than merely a
means of distinguishing between people in a conversation. If that were all they were about
numbers would do. But people complain and rightly so if they are treated as merely a number
and not a name.
ames are personal. They are not only labels but expressions of who we are. If
you say someone is a Hitler you don't mean that they have the name "H i t l e r" you mean that
they are an evil person like the famous leader of
azi Germany. I an sure before the 20th century
the name Hitler had no bad connotations to it. But now it means more In the same vein if you say
someone is a Mother Theresa you mean more than they are a mother whose name is Theresa. You
mean they are a person who loves and cares for the needy.”
5. Calvin, “1. O Jehovah! thou hast searched me. David declares, in the outset of this Psalm, that
he does not come before God with any idea of its being possible to succeed by dissimulation, as
hypocrites will take advantage of secret refuges to prosecute sinful indulgences, but that he
voluntarily lays bare his innermost heart for inspection, as one convinced of the impossibility of
deceiving God. It is thine, he says, O God! to discover every secret thought, nor is there anything
which can escape thy notice, He then insists upon particulars, to show that his whole life was
known to God, who watched him in all his motions -- when he slept, when he arose, or when he
walked abroad. The word er, rea, which we have rendered thought, signifies also a friend or
companion, on which account some read -- thou knowest what is nearest me afar off, a meaning
more to the point than any other, if it could be supported by example. The reference would then
be very appropriately to the fact that the most distant objects are contemplated as near by God.
Some for afar off read beforehand, in which signification the Hebrew word is elsewhere taken, as
if he had said -- O Lord, every thought which I conceive in my heart is already known to thee
beforehand. But I prefer the other meaning, That God is not confined to heaven, indulging in a
state of repose, and indifferent to human concerns, according to the Epicurean idea, and that
however far off we may be from him, he is never far off from us.
The verb hrz, zarah, means to winnow as well as to compass, so that we may very
properly read the third verse -- thou winnowest my ways,2 a figurative expression to
denote the bringing of anything which is unknown to light. The reader is left to his own
option, for the other rendering which I have adopted is also.appropriate. There has
been also a difference of opinion amongst interpreters as to the last clause of the verse.

6. The verb
ko, sachan, in the Hiphil conjugation, as here, signifies to render successful,
which has led some to think that David here thanks God for crowning his actions with
success; but this is a sense which does not at all suit the scope of the Psalmist in the
context, for he is not speaking of thanksgiving. Equally forced is the meaning given to
the words by others -- Thou hast made me to get acquainted or accustomed with my
ways;3 as if he praised God for being endued with wisdom and counsel. Though the
verb be in the Hiphil, I have therefore felt no hesitation in assigning it a neuter
signification -- Lord, thou art accustomed to my ways, so that they are familiar to thee.
6. Barnes, “O Lord, thou hast searched me - The word rendered searched, has a
primary reference to searching the earth by boring or digging, as for water or metals.
See Job_28:3. Then it means to search accurately or closely.
And known me - As the result of that search, or that close investigation. Thou seest all that is in
my heart.
othing is, or can be, concealed from thee. It is with this deep consciousness that the
psalm begins; and all that follows is but an expansion and application of this idea. It is of much
advantage in suggesting right reflections on our own character, to have this full consciousness
that God knows us altogether; that he sees all that there is in our heart; that he has been fully
acquainted with our past life.
7. Gill, “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 particular persons, as David and
others: and this knowledge of God is considered after the manner of men, as if it was
the fruit of search, to denote the exquisiteness of it; as a judge searches out a cause, a
physician the nature of a disease, a philosopher the reason of things; who many times,
after all their inquiries, fail in their knowledge; but the Lord never does: his elect lie in
the ruins of the fall, and among the men of the world; he searches them out and finds
them; for be knows where they are, and the time of finding them, and can distinguish
them in a crowd of men from others, and notwithstanding the sad case they are in, and
separates them from them; and he searches into them, into their most inward part,
and knows them infinitely better than their nearest relations, friends and acquaintance
do; he knows that of them and in them, which none but they themselves know; their
thoughts, and the sin that dwells in them: yea, he knows more of them and in them
than they themselves, Jer_17:9. And he knows them after another manner than he does
other men: there are some whom in a sense he knows not; but these he knows, as he
did David, so as to approve of, love and delight in, Mat_7:23.
8. Henry, “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

7. 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.
othing 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.”
9. Prof. Benne Holwerda, “We don't know anything of the time this psalm was written, neither of
the circumstances in which David found himself. It really does not matter, it is a psalm for all
times, even for today. Therefore I will not weary you for one second with all kinds of claims and
presumptions about the background of the psalm. We will instantly begin by reading what it says
in verse one, 'LORD Thou hast searched me and known me'.
Here, David prays to the LORD. That word is written here with capital letters. In the Hebrew
that means Jahweh, Him Who saw the misery of His people in Egypt and therefore led them out
with a strong hand. After that He led them through the wilderness into the good land of Canaan,
to be a gracious Father to them for evermore. Of course, you have heard at some time that when
our language has Lord (that is with lower case letters!), it means God as He rules all things. But
when the word is written with only capital letters, then - we used to say - we think of His
covenant as an expression of His faithfulness to the covenant. Undoubtedly, we are not far amiss
here. But yet, the content of the name LORD is much richer.
It does not only speak of God's faithfulness to the covenant, but it emphasizes that He is active in
that covenant. He does not just speak beautiful words of redemption, but He makes that
redemption real. He not only speaks, but also makes His word come true. He speaks first, but
then also confirms it. That is where the God of Israel is distinct from the idols, who do nothing
and never change anything. When David addresses Him as LORD, he thinks of all God's works

8. of deliverance in earlier days, and also of his own days; he thinks of the power with which He
fulfills His promises. Since that is so, we must say more, for since that time has been Christmas,
and Good Friday, and Easter and Pentecost. David could not think of them, for in his days these
facts were still a long way off, in the far future. But the LORD continued with His works of
deliverance. When I now read that name LORD, it has a much deeper meaning, 'the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ'.
David prayed: 'LORD, Thou Who hast redeemed Thy people out of Egypt'. We pray with him,
yet we can say more than David, 'LORD, Thou Who in Christ hast revealed Thyself as redeemer
and Who in Him art our eternal merciful Father.' It is to this God that we say, O LORD, thou
hast searched me and known me!
In the first place, 'searched me'. Of course it means that His eyes went searching and seeking
through everything, He sees me, all the way down to the bottom of my existence. He looks right
through me. I cannot hide myself from Him. To say it in
ew Testament language: 'All things are
naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do'.
Is that something to be afraid of? Many commentators answer this question in the affirmative.
They point out that after this David considers the possibility of fleeing away from God and
escaping from His grasp. He finds the inquiring eyes of His God unbearable. He cannot stand
these eyes, as search lights looking into the bottom of his existence.
But you must not forget, there is more. Right in front is His
ame LORD, that is to say, God in
the majesty of His deliverances. Then follows: Thou not only searchest me, but Thou also
knowest me.
Do not be too hasty and say, 'that is no wonder'. When the LORD looks right through you, of
course He sees everything. But by doing so, you have mutilated the beautiful biblical word
'knowing'. Of course, we could speak here of God's omniscience. But omniscience in itself is a
terror. Knowledge as such is yet without interest and without love. But when you read of God's
'knowledge' in the Bible, be careful. It really does not mean that He knows everything and that
nothing escapes Him. But it means in the first place that He is interested, He sympathizes, He is
moved.
'Knowledge' is cold, but 'knowing' is altogether different. I think for instance of the last words of
Exodus 2. It says that the Israelites were oppressed in a terrible manner and they sighed about
their harsh slavery. But then it is written of their God, 'He heard their complaining; He
remembered His covenant; He looked at the children of Israel; and He knew them!'
ow you understand at once what it means that the LORD 'knows' you. He was concerned about
the suffering of His people. He was hurt by it. In all their oppression, He was oppressed. Anyone
would be afraid of God's 'searching'. But what does the Lord mean by that? What is behind it? Is
He the cold Inquisitor, the one Who mercilessly looks in all the corners, Who brings all your
secrets out into the open, and then without mercy brings everything into judgment? Beloved,with
the LORD it is pure interest and warm sympathy. He knows me and is moved with tenderness,
with compassion. He is never indifferent concerning me. He searches everything in my life, even
what remains hidden from man's eyes, even things that escaped me. He does it because He loves
me.
We are dealing here with something very tender. The Lord looks at you, He loves you, and
therefore you are not for one second out of His eye. It is so very personal: Thou hast searched me
and known me, just as if I were the only one for Him. As if there was no one else in need of His
love and care.

9. Is this psalm written for us to know more about God's omniscience? Happily not! It is this: He is
interested in everything that concerns me; the loving Father's heart is extended in mercy to me.
ow, I am never alone aymore!
And because this is about His love for the smallest things in my life, we find here no theorizing
and philosophizing about God's omniscience. All David attempted to see was the practical riches
of this knowing-in-love. He saw no chance to explain something here. Repeatedly he says in this
psalm, 'His ways are past finding out'. There is a limit to his thinking here which he cannot
exceed. But he can accept these riches without understanding, and set them before him. That is
what happens here!
10. “There is nothing to hide from God and so being fully open to Him is the key to
good emotional health. He is our divine psychologist and we can talk about anything to
God, even our most sinful thoughts and feelings. This can free us from them and give
us control over them. It is no secret what God can do, and no secret of what He knows
about us. There is no need to be a hypocrite with God. We can be totally honest. We
can pray honestly and say I am supposed to be feeling pious right now, but instead I
feel rebellious and lustful and desire only to do what I know is wrong. Help me
overcome this foul mood.
We are all involved in some form of cover up, but not with God.
Before men we stand as opaque beehives. They can see the thoughts go in and out of
us, but what work they do inside of a man they cannot tell. Before God we are as glass
beehives, and all that our thoughts are doing within us he perfectly sees and
understands.” —Henry Ward Beecher.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts
from afar.
1. Your mom and dad, and best friends do not know every time you sit down and get up, for
nobody, however close to you is with you all the time. Only one person can be with you every
minute of your life, and that person is God. He is omnipresent, and that means there is no time or
place where he is not present, and that is why he knows every detail of our lives like no one else
can. Even if you had someone who stayed with you 24/7, they could not know your thoughts, but
God sees not only what your body does, but what your mind is doing at all times.
2. Stedman, “That is, "Lord, you understand and know me in my conscious life. You know when
I sit down (my passive life) and when I rise up (my active life). When I am resting or when I am
acting, you know me. And you know me also in my subconscious life -- that level of life from
which my thoughts arise. You understand them even before they get to the surface. You know
how I think and what I think about. You even understand the thoughts which come unbidden, in

10. a constant flow to my mind." Through Moses, God says: "I know what they are disposed to do,
even before they do it." (Deut 31:21) Again, the "you" is emphatic. God - alone - possesses this
kind of knowledge.
o law court in the world can convict a man on the testimony of witnesses
who tell the court what the accused thought. But God can. At least twice in the Gospels we read
that Jesus "knew their thoughts" and He knows ours too. As Plutarch said; "Men may not see
thee do an impious deed, but God thy very inmost thought can read." The gods of the ancient
people are general gods, but the God of the Bible is a specialist, and He gets to know His people
personally. He is not the God of any place, but the God of every place and every individual. He
takes it seriously being the Creator, and He keeps an eye on all He has made-especially those
made in His image.”
3. “God knows the details of his leisure and his labor, of his rest and recreation.
obody knows us
like God, for he alone can know our inner thoughts. Here is intimacy of the highest order. God is
both far off and near as can be. Job 22;12-14, Jer. 23:23-4, Ps. 11:4 and 44:21. God knows us in
private and in public, and this can be two different personalities. People only often see the one
and family the other, but God sees them both. There is nothing to hide from God and so being
fully open to Him is the key to good emotional health. He is our divine psychologist and we can
talk about anything to God, even our most sinful thoughts and feelings. This can free us from
them and give us control over them. It is no secret what God can do, and no secret of what He
knows about us. There is no need to be a hypocrite with God. We can be totally honest. We can
pray honestly and say I am supposed to be feeling pious right now, but instead I feel rebellious
and lustful and desire only to do what I know is wrong. Help me overcome this foul mood. We are
all involved in some form of cover up, but not with God.” author unknown
4. Before men we stand as opaque beehives. They can see the thoughts go in and out of us, but
what work they do inside of a man they cannot tell. Before God we are as glass beehives, and all
that our thoughts are doing within us he perfectly sees and understands. —Henry Ward Beecher.
5. "Man may not see thee do an impious deed;
But God thy very inmost thought can read."
—Plutarch.
6. Afar off. This expression is, as in Ps 138:6, to be understood as contradicting the delusion (Job
22:12-14) that God's dwelling in heaven prevents him from observing mundane things. —Lange's
Commentary.
6B. “Thou understandest my thought afar off.
ot that God is at a distance from our thoughts; but
he understands them while they are far off from us, from our knowledge, while they are potential,
as gardeners know what weeds such ground will bring forth, when nothing appears.
Deuteronomy 31:21. "I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have
brought them into the land which I sware": God knew their thoughts before they came into
Canaan, what they would be there. And how can it be, but that God should know all our
thoughts, seeing he made the heart, and it is in his hand (Proverbs 21:1), seeing, "we live, and
move, and have our being" in God (Acts 17:28); seeing he is through us all, and in us all
(Ephesians 4:6). Look well to your hearts, thoughts, risings, whatever comes into your mind; let
no secret sins, or corruptions, lodge there; think not to conceal anything from the eye of God.”
--William Greenhill.

11. 7. An unknown author give this testimony: “This was my favorite psalm as a teenager. I prayed
the last two verses a lot. Lord, You know everything about me -- everything. You know everything
I do and everywhere I go. You even know why I went there and why I did that -- though half the
time I don't know why I do things. You know every thought I think. I can't come close to keeping
track of all the stuff going on in my head. But You know it all. What's better and maybe more
amazing, You understand me. I'm misunderstood all the time, but You always understand me.
You know where I'm coming from. You watch me. You're interested in everything I do. You come
to all my games. You even like to watch me sleep. You know everything I say, before I even say it.
And with my mouth, that's kinda scary. And, Lord, You surround me. You're always looking out
for me. You've placed Your hand on me to guide me, to encourage me, to calm me, to protect
me . . . .
All this is too wonderful for me. I can not take it in. I can not begin to comprehend it. It is too
extreme, too high over my head, I'll never be able to get a grip on it. You are too awesome to me,
Lord.”
8. “A little 7 year old is kneeling by his bed saying his nightly prayers. Concerned about his first
day of school, he closes his prayer: "As you know God, tomorrow is the first day of school. I hope
you won't lose sight of me in the crowd." Then he climbs into bed, thinks for a moment, and then
crawls out again -- and adds to his prayer: "I'll be wearing a red shirt." David has shown us in
the first 12 verses of Psalm 139 that we needn't worry about God ever losing us in the crowd.”
unknown author
9. M. R. De Haan, “A father and son were driving down a country road and saw a watermelon
patch a little way off the highway. The father said to the boy, "Keep a lookout here while I go get
a melon." He snuck into the patch, lifted a choice melon from the vine, and then called to the boy,
"Is anyone coming? Look both ways." The little fellow wisely responded, "But Daddy, shouldn't
we look up too?" Yes, that is the most important place to look. How do you behave when no one is
looking but God? Test yourself by this rule.
You cannot hide from God, tho' mountains cover you,
His eye our secret thoughts behold,
His mercies all our lives enfold,
He knows our purposes untold,
You cannot hide from God! --Ackley
10. Our Daily Bread, “Years ago I heard an amusing story. A young man stood up in a crowded
room and loudly said, "Excuse me, everybody, excuse me! Could I please have your attention?"
The noisy chatter stopped and everyone's eyes turned toward him. At that point the young man
grinned and said, "Thank you! I just love attention!" Then he sat down.
This story reminds us that while some people love the spotlight, all of us have legitimate needs,
and only God can be totally attentive to them. He alone has complete knowledge of us. God's
attentiveness is constant. Whenever you feel that nobody cares about you, meditate on Psalm 139
and be satisfied with God's attention. —JEY
Whatever we do, wherever we go,

12. There's nothing we could mention
That God is unacquainted with,
He always pays attention! —Fitzhugh
Keep your eyes on the Lord; He never takes His eyes off you.”
11. Barnes, “Thou knowest my downsitting ... - In the various circumstances of life, thou knowest
me. Thou knowest me in one place as well as in another. I cannot so change my position that thou
will not see me, and that thou wilt not be perfectly acquainted with all that I say, and all that I do.
In every posture, in every movement, in every occupation, thou hast a full knowledge of me. I
cannot go out of thy sight; I cannot put myself into such a position that thou wilt not see me.
Thou understandest my thought - Hebrew, “As to my thought.” That is, Thou seest what my
plans are; what I design to do; “what I am thinking about.” A most solemn reflection! How
unwilling would bad people be - would even good people be - to have those round about them
know always “what they are thinking about.”
Afar off -
ot when the “thought” is far off; but “thou,” being far off, seest us as clearly as if
thou wert near. I cannot go to such a distance from thee that thou wilt not see perfectly all that I
am thinking about.
12. Clarke, “My downsitting and mine uprising - Even these inconsiderable and casual things are
under thy continual notice. I cannot so much as take a seat, or leave it, without being marked by
thee.
Thou understandest my thought - לרעי lerei, “my cogitation.” This word is Chaldee, see
Dan_2:29, Dan_2:30.
Afar off - While the figment is forming that shall produce them.
13. Gill, “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 knew when he betook himself to it, and to whose care he committed
himself and family; under whose protection he laid himself down, and on whom he depended for
safety, Psa_4:8. Or, since lying down to sleep is afterwards mentioned, this may respect sitting
down at table to eat and drink; when the Lord knows whether men use the creatures aright, or
abuse them; whether they receive their food with thankfulness, and eat and drink to the glory of
God: or else this downsitting was to read the word of God, and meditate upon it; so the Targum
paraphrases it,
"my sitting down to study the law.''
When men do this, the Lord knows whether in reading they understand what they read, or read
attentively and with affection; whether it is to their comfort and edification, and for doctrine,
reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness; whether their meditation on it is sweet, and
is attended with profit and pleasure. "Uprising" may respect either rising from bed, when the
Lord knows whether the heart is still with him, Psa_139:18; what sense is had of the divine
protection and sustentation, and what thankfulness there is for the mercies of the night past; and

13. whether the voice of prayer and praise is directed to him in the morning, as it should be, Psa_3:5;
or else rising from the table, when the Lord knows whether a man's table has been his snare, and
with what thankfulness he rises from it for the favours he has received. The Targum interprets
this of rising up to go to war; which David did, in the name and strength, and by the direction, of
the Lord;
thou understandest my thought afar off; God knows not only his own thoughts, but the thoughts
of men, which none but themselves know; by this Christ appears to be truly God, the omniscient
God, being a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, Mat_9:3, Heb_4:12. God knows
what thoughts his people have of him, and of his lovingkindness in Christ; what thoughts they
have of Christ himself, his person, offices, and grace; what thoughts they have of themselves,
their state, and condition: he knows all their vain thoughts, and complains of them, and which
also they hate; and all their good thoughts, for they come from him. And he knows them "afar
off", or "of old" (b), even before they are; so Aben Ezra interprets it, a long time past, and
compares it with Jer_31:3; where the same word is rendered "of old": God knows the thoughts of
his people, as well as his own, from all eternity; see Isa_25:1; as he knew what they would say and
do, so what they would think; he knows thoughts that are past long ago, and forgotten by men, or
were unobserved when thought; how else should he bring them into judgment? or though he is
afar off in the highest heavens, yet he sees into the hearts of men, and is privy to all their
thoughts.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar
with all my ways.
1. God makes the best detective in history, for he can know every move we make. Others will not
know if you slip away in the darkness of night to go where you are forbidden to go, but God
knows perfectly when you are leaving, and where you are going, and the thoughts that motivated
you to go. Many a wife has to higher a private eye to spy on her husband to see if he is having an
affair, but this is all common knowledge to God to knows your habits, and you unusual behavior
as well. An unknown author adds, “He knows our lying down; a word used often in the Old
Testament for sexual relations; showing us that He knows even the most private and personal
activities of our life. His knowledge is intimate, and he knows us in all of our nakedness, even
greater than does a mate. He knows the paths we take through each day; every detour; every
pause; every habit; every choice. He knows us inside and out. As Job declares: "Does He not see
my ways, And number all my steps?" (Job 31:4)
2. Milton traveled a great deal as a young man and in later years he wrote, “I again take God to
witness that in all places where so many things are considered lawful, I lived sound and
untouched from all profligacy and vice, having this thought perpetually with me that though I
might escape the eyes of men, I certainly could not the eyes of God.” Such a testimony makes it
clear that when Christians fall into some sin they never planned to fall into, it is due to their
losing sight of the truth of this Psalm. If believers were fully aware of God's watching their every

14. move, they would have a hard time doing what they know to be folly.
3. Spurgeon, “Thou compassest my path and my lying down. My path and my pallet, my running
and my resting, are alike within the circle of thine observation. Thou dost surround me even as
the air continually surrounds all creatures that live. I am shut up within the wall of thy being; I
am encircled within the bounds of thy knowledge. Waking or sleeping I am still observed of thee.
I may leave thy path, but you never leave mine. I may sleep and forget thee, but thou dost never
slumber, nor fall into oblivion concerning thy creature. The original signifies not only
surrounding, but winnowing and sifting. The Lord judges our active life and our quiet life; he
discriminates our action and our repose, and marks that in them which is good and also that
which is evil. There is chaff in all our wheat, and the Lord divides them with unerring precision.
And art acquainted with all my ways. Thou art familiar with all I do; nothing is concealed from
thee, nor surprising to thee, nor misunderstood by thee. Our paths may be habitual or accidental,
open or secret, but with them all the Most Holy One is well acquainted. This should fill us with
awe, so that we sin not; with courage, so that we fear not; with delight, so that we mourn not.”
4. Reflection on Psalm 139 by unknown author
Father, you know me better than I could ever know myself.
You know in all truth what I have been, what I am, what I will become.
You know me when I am loving and when I am selfish.
You know when I succeed and when I fail.
You know everything about me
And yet, Father, you love me more than I will ever know.
You don’t hold it against me that I fail, or am discouraged.
You try also to show me that I should not hold it against myself,
Because by doing so I will fail to love more.
You are forgiving and loving.
It is beyond my understanding.
I read your word and am inspired,
But then immediately I feel its poverty in my own life.
But Father, if I do try to escape you, really where can I go?
Deep down I never want to escape you, but at times I try.
Help me to realise that at these times you will support me,
You will send the light needed,
You will send your consolation through another,
You will send your strength and courage.
God, my Father, know my thoughts.
Guide me to you.
You know what I desire
Even though I do not always move toward my goal
5. OUR DAILY BREAD
We cannot tell God anything He doesn't already know. When we pray, we simply put into words
what He's been aware of all along.

15. That doesn't make prayer unnecessary; rather, it encourages us to pray. We find relief in talking
to Someone who knows us and our situation fully. It's a comfort to know that God's response
arises not from information we give Him, but from His perfect knowledge of our circumstances.
He knows all conditions—past, present, future—that bear on our well-being.
"Your Father knows," Jesus said in Matthew 6:8. He knows our thoughts, our intentions, our
desires; He is intimately acquainted with all our ways (Psalm 139:3). He knows the anguish of our
heart, the strain of continual frustration, the enemies inside and outside that war against our
souls.
So, can we presume to dictate the time and terms of our deliverance from trials or adversity? Can
we say our way is better, more likely to develop our soul?
o, we cannot teach God anything. He
alone knows the way to bring us to glory. Out of all possible paths, He has chosen the best, the
route most adapted to who we are and what He has in store for us.
We cannot teach God knowledge, but we can love and trust Him. That's all He asks of us. —
David Roper
6. Our Daily Bread, “In today's world of inexpensive, high-tech spying devices, total privacy has
become a rare and precious thing. A special agent for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says,
"Don't assume that you are alone, not ever."
Cameras are used to monitor people in public places like banks and shopping malls. In addition,
tiny wireless video cameras that sell for less than $100 are being used by ordinary people for less
than honorable purposes.
It might seem odd, therefore, to hear someone celebrate a complete lack of privacy, until we
realize that the One watching his every move was Almighty God. After stating that God knew
each thought, word, and action before it happened, David said, "Such knowledge is too
wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it" (Psalm 139:6).
o place was beyond the presence, guidance, and protection of God (vv.7-10). The deepest
darkness became flooded with light because God was there (vv.11-12). From the womb to the
tomb, every day of David's life was known to his Creator (vv.13-16). And the number of times
God thought about him could not be counted (vv.17-18).
We are completely known and never alone in our relationship with God. What a comfort! —
DCM
I never walk alone, Christ walks beside me,
He is the dearest Friend I've ever known;
With such a Friend to comfort and to guide me,
I never, no, I never walk alone. —Ackley
© 1952 The Rodeheaver Co.
He is not alone who is alone with Jesus.
7. TODAY I
THE WORD
After Jacob had deceived his father Isaac and stolen the birthright from his twin brother Esau,

16. he had to flee for his life. Esau harbored murderous thoughts, so their mother Rebekah concocted
a scheme in which Jacob was supposedly sent to look for a wife. But the fact was that he was on
the run, lonely and probably frightened.
One night, on the road and sleeping out in the open, Jacob had a dream. He saw a stairway
reaching from heaven to earth, with angels going up and down, and God above all. The Lord
promised him: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go” (Gen. 28:10-22).
At Bethel, Jacob discovered an encouraging truth of pilgrimage: God is always there. Wherever
we go, whether on or off the path of godliness, He is there and He is sovereign!
What does God know about us? Everything–our thoughts, words, and actions. Where can we
hide?
owhere. As Psalm 139 opens, this complete, intimate knowledge of us may seem a little
overwhelming, even a little threatening. David couldn’t comprehend it either. But he warmed to
the idea of God’s omnipresence as he went along, for it guaranteed constant guidance and
protection (v. 10).
Omnipresence is a truth as vast as the universe, but also as private as a mother’s womb. Just as
God is everywhere in space, so He’s everywhere in time (cf. Jer. 23:24). He was personally
involved in David’s creation, and had written the story of his life before one day of it had come to
be (v. 16). He’s done the same for each one of us!
o wonder David finally called this attribute of
God “precious.”
TODAY ALO
G THE WAY
You can create a greeting card using verses 9–10 in today’s Scripture reading: “If I rise on the
wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your
right hand will hold me fast.”
8.Barnes, “Thou compassest my path ... - Margin, “winnowest.” The Hebrew word - זרה
zârâh - means properly “to scatter,” to cast loosely about - as the wind does dust; and then,
to winnow - to wit, by throwing grain, when it is thrashed, up to the wind: Isa_30:24;
Jer_4:11; Rth_3:2. Then it means “to winnow out;” that is, to winnow out all the chaff,
and to leave all the grain - to save all that is valuable. So here it means that God, as it
were, “sifted” him. Compare Isa_30:28; Amo_9:9; Luk_22:31. He scattered all that was
chaff, or all that was valueless, and saw what there was that was real and substantial.
When it is said that he did this in his “path and his lying down,” it is meant that he did it
in every way; altogether; entirely.
And art acquainted with all my ways - All the paths that I tread; the whole course of my life.
All that I do, in all places and at all times, is fully known to thee.
9. Gill, “Thou compassest my path and my lying down,.... The Targum adds,
"to study in the law.''

17. 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 knowledge. Or, "thou winnowest", as some render the word (c); he
distinguishes actions; he discerns and separates the good from the bad, or the goodness of an
action from the evil and imperfection of it, as in winnowing the wheat is separated from the chaff.
Or, "thou measurest my squaring" (d); all his dimensions, his length and breadth, as he lay down
in his bed;
and art acquainted with all my ways; the whole of his life and conversation, all his works and
doings: God knows all the evil ways and works of his people; he takes notice of them, and
chastises for them; and all their good works, and approves and accepts of them; he knows from
what principles of faith and love they spring, in what manner they are performed, and with what
views, aims, and ends; see Rev_2:2, Psa_1:6.
10. O Lord, in me there lieth nought
But to thy search revealed lies;
For when I sit
Thou markest it;
o less thou notest when I rise;
Yea, closest closet of my thought
Hath open windows to thine eyes.
Thou walkest with me when I walk,
When to my bed for rest I go,
I find thee there,
And everywhere:
ot youngest thought in me doth grow,
o, not one word I cast to talk
But, yet unuttered, thou dost know.
If forth I march, thou goest before;
If back I turn, thou com'st behind:
So forth nor back
Thy guard I lack;
ay, on me, too, thy hand I find.
Well, I thy wisdom may adore,
But never reach with earthly mind.

18. To shun thy notice, leave thine eye,
O whither might I take my way?
To starry sphere?
Thy throne is there.
To dead men's undelightsome stay?
There is thy walk, and there to lie
Unknown, in vain I should assay.
O sun, whom light nor flight can match!
Suppose thy lightful flightful wings
Thou lend to me,
And I could flee
As far as thee the evening brings:
Ev'n led to west he would me catch,
or should I lurk with western things.
Do thou thy best. O secret night,
In sable veil to cover me:
Thy sable veil
Shall vainly fail:
With day unmasked my night shall be;
For night is day, and darkness light,
O Father of all lights, to thee.
--Sir Philip Sidney, 1554-1586.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O
LORD.
1. Here is the foreknowledge of God. This is not surprising, for we even do this at times and know
what someone is going to say before they say it. I often watch a movie and know what the next
scene is going to be, because of the logical consequence of what has gone before. I know that the
man who is caught in bed with another women as his wife walks in is going to say, “It’s not what

19. it looks like.” I can sense the way the writer of a movie is thinking and guess what is coming, and
often I am right. God knows infinitely better than we do, and knows with accuracy and not just
guessing.
God knows what we are going to pray for before we ask, but it is not our words he listens to, but
our desires and our lives. The choices we make in life are our prayers, and not just our words.
God is a divine mind reader.
There are many choices that can be made, but God knows all of them, and he knows which one
you would have made if other factors had been present to give you more information and
different motivation. Because he can know all, he is never surprised at the choices people make.
2. Stedman, “When I was a boy in northern Minnesota I lived for a time in a Swedish settlement.
The Swedish Christians used to tease the rest of us, saying, "You know, we Scandinavians are
going to have a wonderful time in heaven while all the rest of you are learning the language!" I
used to resent that until I discovered that God knows more than Swedish; he also knows English,
Afrikaans, Hebrew, and all other languages of earth. That is what impresses the psalmist: "Even
before I utter a word, Lord, you know it. You understand my language, you communicate with
me."
3. Spurgeon, “The unformed word, which lies within the tongue like a seed in the soil, is certainly
and completely known to the Great Searcher of hearts. A negative expression is used to make the
positive statement all the stronger: not a word is unknown is a forcible way of saying that every
word is well known. Divine knowledge is perfect, since not a single word is unknown, nay, not
even an unspoken word, and each one is "altogether" or wholly known. What hope of
concealment can remain when the speech with which too many conceal their thoughts is itself
transparent before the Lord? O Jehovah, how great art thou! If thine eye hath such power, what
must be the united force of thine whole nature!
4. Treasury of David, Verse 4. For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O LORD, thou
knowest it altogether. The unformed word, which lies within the tongue like a seed in the soil, is
certainly and completely known to the Great Searcher of hearts. A negative expression is used to
make the positive statement all the stronger: not a word is unknown is a forcible way of saying
that every word is well known. Divine knowledge is perfect, since not a single word is unknown,
nay, not even an unspoken word, and each one is "altogether" or wholly known. What hope of
concealment can remain when the speech with which too many conceal their thoughts is itself
transparent before the Lord? O Jehovah, how great art thou! If thine eye hath such power, what
must be the united force of thine whole nature!
Verse 4. For there is not a word in my tongue, etc. The words admit a double meaning.
Accordingly some understand them to imply that God knows what we are about to say before the
words are formed on our tongue; others, that though we speak not a word, and try by silence to
conceal our secret intentions, we cannot elude his notice. Either rendering amounts to the same
thing, and it is of no consequence which we adopt. The idea meant to be conveyed is, that while
the tongue is the index of thought to man, being the great medium of communication, God, who
knows the heart, is independent of words. And use is made of the demonstrative particle lo! to

20. indicate emphatically that the innermost recesses of our spirit stand present to his view. --John
Calvin.
Verse 4. For there is not a word in my tongue, etc. How needful it is to set a watch before the doors
of our mouth, to hold that unruly member of ours, the tongue, as with bit and bridle. Some of you
feel at times that you can scarcely say a word, and the less you say the better. Well, it way be as
well; for great talkers are almost sure to make slips with their tongue. It may be a good thing that
you cannot speak much; for in the multitude of words there lacketh not sin. Wherever you go,
what light, vain, and foolish conversations you hear! I am glad not to be thrown into
circumstances where I can hear it. But with you it may be different. You may often repent of
speaking, you will rarely repent of silence. How soon angry words are spoken! How soon foolish
expressions drop from the mouth! The Lord knows it all, marks it all, and did you carry about
with you a more solemn recollection of it you would be more watchful than you are. --Joseph C.
Philpot.
5. God knows everything that passes in our inmost souls better than we do ourselves: he reads
our most secret thoughts: all the cogitations of our hearts pass in review before him; and he is as
perfectly and entirely employed in the scrutiny of the thoughts and actions of an individual, as in
the regulation of the most important concerns of the universe. This is what we cannot
comprehend; but it is what, according to the light of reason, must be true, and, according to
revelation, is indeed true. God can do nothing imperfectly; and we may form some idea of his
superintending knowledge, by conceiving what is indeed the truth, that all the powers of the
Godhead are employed, and solely employed, in the observation and examination of the conduct
of one individual. I say, this is indeed the case, because all the powers of the Godhead are
employed upon the least as well as upon the greatest concerns of the universe; and the whole
mind and power of the Creator are as exclusively employed upon the formation of a grub as of a
world. God knows everything perfectly, and he knows everything perfectly at once. This, to a
human understanding, would breed confusion; but there can be no confusion in the Divine
understanding, because confusion arises from imperfection. Thus God, without confusion,
beholds as distinctly the actions of every man, as if that man were the only created being, and the
Godhead were solely employed in observing him. Let this thought fill your mind with awe and
with remorse. —Henry Kirke White, 1785-1806.
6. “Every day the average person speaks enough words to fill a good-sized book and in the course
of a lifetime, enough to fill a college library. We forget; by far; the majority of them; but every
one is known to Him. Jesus said: "For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you
shall be condemned."... "And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall
render account for it in the day of judgment." (Mt 12:36-37) If that doesn't cause us to bridle our
tongues; nothing will. Mark Twain said: "It is fortunate that we have free speech. But it is too
bad that the supply usually exceeds the demand." (#305) Beloved, God gave man a mouth that
closes, and ears that don't -- which should tell us something! (#229) You know why the dog is
man's best friend, don't you? It's because he wags his tail instead of his tongue. (#632)
7. Barnes, “For there is not a word in my tongue - All that I say; all that I have power to say; all

21. that I am disposed at any time to say.
But lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether - All that pertains to it. What is “said,” and what is
“meant.” Merely to “hear” what is spoken does not imply necessarily a full knowledge of what is
said - for it may be false, insincere, hypocritical. God knows exactly what is said and what is
“meant.”
8. Gill, “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 that;
but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether; the whole of it, from whence it springs; the reason of
it, what is designed, or the ends to be answered by it. The Lord knows the good words of his
people, which they speak to him in prayer, even before and while they are speaking them; and
what they say to one another in private conversation, Isa_65:24. See an instance of words known
by Christ before spoken, in Luk_19:31.
9. FOREK
OWLEDGE A
D OM
ISCIE
CE By unknown author
"Omniscience" literally means "all knowledge," or "all science." The omniscience of God may be
defined as that attribute of God whereby He knows Himself and all things possible and actual in
one eternal act. The All Knowing One knows all things immediately, simultaneously, and
exhaustively. By definition God is the ultimate Scientist since He is the ultimate Knower and has
the ultimate knowledge of all things.
The omniscience of God is expressed by two names found in the Hebrew Scriptures. The first is
found in 1 Samuel 2:3: The Lord is a "God of Knowledge" (El De'ot). The Mighty One is all
knowing and is the source of all knowledge. The second name is found in Genesis 22:14. There
God is called "the Lord Who Sees" (Adonai Yireh). The Lord sees everything. He is completely
aware of the needs of His people and will see to it that they are provided for. God's omniscience is
taught throughout the Holy Scriptures. With Him are wisdom and might; to Him belong counsel
and understanding (Job 12:13:) Psalm 94:9 declares: He that made the ear, shall He not hear? He
that formed the eye, shall He not see?
Whatever omniscience is, only the all knowing God can know it.
To say that God is omniscient is to say that He possesses perfect knowledge and therefore has no
need to learn anything. It means that God has never learned anything, and cannot learn. Who
has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He
consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught
Him knowledge, and informed Him of the way of understanding (Isaiah 40:13-14)? Who has known
the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor (Romans 11:34)? These rhetorical questions
raised by Isaiah and Paul declare that God has never learned anything from anyone. If God were

22. able at any time to receive knowledge that He did not possess and had not possessed from
eternity, He would be imperfect and less than God. I am the Lord, I change not tells us much
about the omniscience of God. To think of a God who must sit at the feet of any teacher, be he
archangel or seraph, is to think of someone other than the Most High God, maker of heaven and
earth.
Because God knows all things perfectly, He knows all things equally well. He knows no thing
better than any other thing. He never discovers anything. He is never surprised by anything. He
is never amazed by anything. The knowledge of one thing is not in God's mind before another
thing. For the mind of man, one thing comes before another; one year comes before another year,
one generation of men comes before another generation. One is the cause and the other is the
effect. There is no such order in the mind of God. He knows all series of events at one glance. God
knows instantly and effortlessly all matter and all matters, every mind, every spirit, every living
being, every creature, all thoughts, all mysteries, all enigmas, all feelings, all desires, all secrets,
every relationship, all thrones and dominions, and all personalities. He knows all laws. He knows
motion, space, time, life, death, good, evil, heaven, hell, all things visible and invisible, all things
in heaven and all things on earth. He knows every cause and why everything is the way it is.
To give us a better understanding of the vastness of the knowledge of God, consider that the most
recent scientific estimates indicate that there are 100 billion to 200 billion stars just in our Milky
Way galaxy. The largest galaxies can have more than a trillion stars each. Scientists now think
that there are a hundred billion galaxies like our Milky Way in the universe. These billions of
galaxies contain untold trillions upon trillions upon trillions upon trillions of stars. God's
knowledge is so great that He is able to count the number of the stars; He gives names to all of
them (Ps. 147:4). Think of the knowledge it would take first to count, and then give a name to
every star!
o wonder why the psalmist goes on to say: great is our Lord, and abundant in
strength; His understanding is infinite (Ps. 147:5).
The knowledge of the God of Israel is so great that He also knows every electron circling every
proton in every atom throughout the entire universe at any given moment! He knows every hair
on the heads of each of the 5.7 billion human beings alive on earth. He knows every one of the
millions of sparrows that fall to the ground. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and
knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and unfathomable His ways (Romans
11:33)! Truly the vastness of God's knowledge is incomprehensible.
ot only does God perfectly know the future, but He also knows all the things that ever could
have happened. He knows all the possibilities and potentials, all the alternative dimensions and
universes that can be imagined. We sometimes wonder what would have happened if such and
such would have happened instead of so and so. What would have happened if the attempt to
assassinate Hitler would have been successful? What if
apoleon had not lost at Waterloo? What
if America had not won the War of Independence? This world would have been very different.
The fact that God knows all possible futures is revealed in the Word of God. Every prophetic
warning is a declaration of evil and danger which the Lord knows will follow from a wrong
choice that we might make. The Lord knew that the city of Keilah would betray David to King
Saul if David remained in that vicinity (1 Samuel 23:4-12). The Son of God knew that the cities of
Tyre and Sidon would have repented and been spared if they had seen the miracles that He did
elsewhere. Woe to you Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre
and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
=evertheless I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgement than

23. for you. And you Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You shall descend to Sheol;
for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day
(Matthew 11:21-23).
This is interesting to speculate about, for if God knows all that might have been then he knows
what each of us might have been and done had we been given the same opportunities as others.
Life is unfair in many ways, but God will know what each of us would have been and done had
we had the same breaks and blessings of those who did great things for him. You who are good
singers for example. You might have been one who sold millions of your records had you had the
same opportunity as those who have.
But there are things God does not know says Steve Thomas
He does not know anyone he does not love. He does not know anyone who does not need
salvation, and he does not know anyone who can save themselves.
Dr William Lyon Phelps the famous Yale professor once had a paper turned in just before
Christmas break with this note: “Only God knows the answer to that question. Merry
Christmas.” He returned the paper with this note, “God gets an A, and you get an F. Happy
ew
Year.”
God ever knows what might have been. Jer. 38:14-39:10. Things could have been different, but he
did not see that surrender can sometimes be wise and brave resistance folly. The future is not
locked in but can be different if we make wiser choices.
Jer. 17:10
Jer. 18:7-10
Jer. 32:16-35
Ps. 69:5-6
II Sam. 12:7-10
Rev. 2:18-22
The Calvinist says God knows because he has predestined. The Arminian says he knows because
he foresees. Both of these are real, but he also knows what has not be determined because it has
never happened to foresee. God’s omniscience is greater than either theological system allows him
to be.
We see the omniscience of Jesus in Luke 22:31-34 and of the Holy Spirit in Rom. 8:26-27.
Matt. 11:20-24 God has ties himself into the plan of history where even he cannot do all that is
possible. He could not have sent his son into the world in the day of Sodom and still kept his plan
for the whole world. There are infinite possibilities, but God has to limit the choices he makes and
cannot make more than one sometimes. But God know what people would have done had they

24. gotten the same chance as others. Being just and fair he will judge all people in a merciful way
based on what he knows they would have done, and in this case he says it will be less severe for
they would have given a positive response. If some would have been saved if they would have
gotten the Gospel, but they never had a chance to hear it, that will make a great difference in the
way God treats them. God’s judgment will be perfectly fair to all.
10. OUR DAILY BREAD
When Scottish theologian John Baillie taught at Edinburgh University, he made it a practice to
open his course on the doctrine of God with these words: "We must remember, in discussing
God, that we cannot talk about Him without His hearing every word we say. We may be able to
talk about others behind their backs, but God is everywhere, yes, even in this classroom.
Therefore, in all our discussions we must be aware of His infinite presence, and talk about Him,
as it were, before His face."
The knowledge that the Lord is everywhere should have an impact on what we say. David,
thinking of the everywhere-present God, declared, "There is not a word on my tongue, but
behold, O Lord, You know it altogether" (Psalm 139:4).
Lies, gossip, unkind remarks, off-color jokes, angry words, vulgar comments, and disrespectful
use of the Lord's name should never come from our lips. Rather, we should speak only those
things that God approves of. Our desire should be the same as David's passionate prayer in
Psalm 19, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your
sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer" (v.14).
Remember, God is listening. —Richard De Haan
From others we can hide some things
We've thought and said and done;
We cannot hide them from the Lord,
He knows them, every one. —Cooper
Every word we say on earth is heard in heaven.
11. Our Daily Bread, “The Bible tells us that God knows our every thought and every word on
our tongue (Psalm 139:1-4). And when we don't know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit "makes
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26).
These biblical truths assure us that we can have communication with God even without a word
being spoken, because He knows the intentions and desires of our heart. What a comfort when we
are perplexed or in deep distress! We don't have to worry if we can't find the words to express
our thoughts and feelings. We don't have to feel embarrassed if sometimes our sentences break
off half-finished. God knows what we were going to say. We don't have to feel guilty if our
thoughts wander and we have to struggle to keep our minds focused on the Lord.
And for that matter, we don't have to worry about a proper posture in prayer. If we are elderly or
arthritic and can't kneel, that's okay. What God cares about is the posture of our heart.
What a wonderful God!
o matter how much you falter and stumble in your praying, He hears
you. His heart of infinite love responds to the needs and emotions of your own inarticulate heart.

25. So keep on praying! —Vernon Grounds
Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed,
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast. —Montgomery
Prayer does not require eloquence but earnestness.
12. CALVI
, “The words admit a double meaning. Accordingly some understand them to imply
that God knows what, we are about to say before the words are formed on our tongue; others,
that though we speak not a word, and try by silence to conceal our secret intentions, we cannot
elude his notice. Either rendering amounts to the same thing, and it is of no consequence which
we adopt. The idea meant to be conveyed is, that while the tongue is the index of thought to man.
being the great medium of communication, God, who knows the heart, is independent of words.
And use is made of the demonstrative particle lo! to indicate emphatically that the innermost
recesses of our spirit stand present to his view.
In verse fifth some read -- behind and before thou hast fashioned me;4 but rwu, tsur,
often signifies to shut up, and David, there can be no doubt, means that he was
surrounded on every side, and so kept in sight by God, that he could not escape in any
quarter. One who finds the way blocked up turns back; but David found himself
hedged in behind as well as before. The other clause of the verse has the same
meaning; for those put a very forced interpretation upon it who think that it refers to
God's fashioning us, and applying his hand in the sense of an artizan to his work; nor
does this suit with the context. And it is much better to understand it as asserting that
God by his hand, laid as it were upon men, holds them strictly under his inspection, so
that they cannot move a hair's breadth without his knowledge.5
5 You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand
upon me.
1. God has hands even though he is spirit, and so this is either anthropomorphic, or Spirit can
have body parts. We are surrounded by the Lord, and we are trapped in his presence. God has
our past covered as well as our future. He can heal the past for he is there where we blew it and
can come in and give forgiveness and healing. Healing of the past is possible because God is there.
Acts 17:28 describes God this way. In words attributed to Paul, God is "the one in whom we live
and move and have our being." God is not somewhere else, but all around us: we live and move
"in God."
2. Spurgeon's Treasury of David

26. Verse 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before. As though we were caught in an ambush, or
besieged by an army which has wholly beleaguered the city walls, we are surrounded by the
Lord. God has set us where we be, and beset us wherever we be. Behind us there is God recording
our sins, or in grace blotting out the remembrance of them; and before us there is God
foreknowing all our deeds, and providing for all our wants. We cannot turn back and so escape
him, for he is behind; we cannot go forward and outmarch him, for he is before. He not only
beholds us, but he besets us; and lest there should seem any chance of escape, or lest we should
imagine that the surrounding presence is yet a distant one, it is added, --
And laid thine hand upon me. The prisoner marches along surrounded by a guard, and gripped
by an officer. God is very near; we are wholly in his power; from that power there is no escape. It
is not said that God will thus beset us and arrest us, but it is done -- "Thou hast beset me." Shall
we not alter the figure, and say that our heavenly Father has folded his arms around us, and
caressed us with his hand It is even so with those who are by faith the children of the Most High.
Verse 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before, etc. There is here an insensible transition from
God's omniscience to his omnipresence, out of which the Scriptures represent it as arising.
"Behind and before", i.e., on all sides. The idea of above and below is suggested by the last clause.
"Beset", besiege, hem in, or closely surround. "Thy hand", or the palm of thy hand, as the
Hebrew word strictly denotes. --Joseph Addison Alexander.
Verse 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before. What would you say if, wherever you turned,
whatever you were doing, whatever thinking, whether in public or private, with a confidential
friend telling your secrets, or alone planning them -- if, I say, you saw an eye constantly fixed on
you, from whose watching, though you strove ever so much, you could never escape ... that could
perceive your every thought? The supposition is awful enough. There is such an Eye. --De Vere.
Verse 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before. One who finds the way blocked up turns back; but
David found himself hedged in behind as well as before. --John Calvin.
Verse 5. Thou hast ... laid thine hand upon me. As by an arrest; so that I am thy prisoner, and
cannot stir a foot from thee. --John Trapp.
Verse 5. And laid thine hand upon me. To make of me one acceptable to thyself. To rule me, to lead
me, to uphold me, to protect me; to restore me; in my growth, in my walk, in my failures, in my
affliction, in my despair. --Thomas Le Blanc.
3. Barnes, “Thou hast beset me behind and before - The word rendered “beset” - צור tsûr - means
properly to press; to press upon; to compress. It has reference commonly to the siege of a city, or
to the pressing on of troops in war; and then it comes to mean to besiege, hem in, closely
surround, so that there is no way of escape. This is the idea here - that God was on every side of
him; that he could not escape in any direction. He was like a garrison besieged in a city so that
there was no means of escape. There is a transition here (not an unnatural one), from the idea of

27. the Omniscience of God to that of His Omnipresence, and the remarks which follow have a main
reference to the latter.
And laid thine hand upon me - That is, If I try to escape in any direction I find thine band laid
upon me there. Escape is impossible.
4. Gill, “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 formation of his body, of which, in Psa_139:14; see Job_10:8 but it denotes how God
compasses men with his presence and providence, so that nothing escapes his knowledge;
and laid thine hand upon me; not his afflicting hand, which sometimes presses hard; though the
Targum thus paraphrases it,
"and stirred against me the stroke of thine hand:''
but rather his hand of power and providence, to preserve, protect, and defend him. Or it signifies
that he was so near to him that his hand was upon him, and he was perfectly known; as anything
is that is before a man, and he has his hand upon.
5. “The prisoner marches along surrounded by a guard, and gripped by an officer. God is very
near; we are wholly in his power; from that power there is no escape. It is not said that God will
thus beset us and arrest us, but it is done— "Thou hast beset me." Shall we not alter the figure,
and say that our heavenly Father has folded his arms around us, and caressed us with his hand It
is even so with those who are by faith the children of the Most High.”
And laid thine hand upon me. To make of me one acceptable to thyself. To rule me, to lead me, to
uphold me, to protect me; to restore me; in my growth, in my walk, in my failures, in my
affliction, in my despair. —Thomas Le Blanc.
6. “Before us is God foreknowing all our deeds and providing abundantly for all the needs of our
future; preparing us now to face triumphantly all that the future holds. We can't turn back and
escape Him for He is there. We can't go forward and outrun Him for He is before us. (Verse 5
begins to anticipate the theme of His omnipresence, discussed in the next paragraph of the
Psalm.)
Thus surrounded by God there is no sense in trying to deceive Him.
one of life's little disguises
fool Him. He sees through all the games people play for exploiting each other and gaining
psychological benefits for themselves.He surrounds us to protect us. He encloses us in His love to
care for us. This omniscient and omnipotent God is our Father -- not only distant in Glory, but
present with us in care and concern. He knows us: past, present and future -- and wants to meet
our needs.” author unknown
7. OUR DAILY BREAD
The term "sandwich generation" is often used to describe people who are being squeezed
between the demands of their children and the responsibility to help their own aging parents. It's

28. not a new dilemma but one that has been complicated by families living far apart, an increasing
number of working women, and the pressures faced by single parents.
For the past 8 years, my wife's mother has needed full time care, and our youngest daughter has
grown from age 7 to 15. Two Bible passages have helped us through the ever-changing landscape
of being parents and caregivers. The first is 1 Timothy 5:4, "If any widow has children or
grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is
good and acceptable before God." There are many different ways to do this, but the clear
command is to care for a parent in need.
The second passage is Psalm 139:5-6. The words of David help us to see that instead of being
hemmed in by circumstances, we are surrounded by God's care: "You have hedged me behind
and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me."
If you're feeling "sandwiched" today, know that the Lord is closer to you than the most pressing
circumstances. —DCM
O wondrous knowledge, deep and high!
Where can a creature hide?
Within Thy circling arms I lie,
Beset on every side. —Watts
Faith puts God between us and circumstances.
8. STEDMA
, “He is simply overwhelmed by the fact that God knows him better than he knows
himself, better than anyone else knows him. That is amazing, is it not? God knows me better than
I know anyone else, no matter how hard I have tried to communicate to him, and better even
than I know myself. For God knows me in the subconscious, the unexplorable part of my life, as
well as in the conscious. What a wonderful revelation this is of God's understanding of each
individual human being. How desperately we need, in this day of depersonalization, to remember
that though science tells us how vast the universe is, and thus how great is the power of God, it
takes God's self-revelation to tell us how important we are to him and how well he knows us.”
9. Great Texts, “THAT God besets us behind and before and has laid His hand on
us is the crowning glory, as it is also the perpetual mystery, of
human life. In the light of this truth nothing seems small or
negligible. Every incident and every association of our lot takes
on a new meaning. The stars have a fresh message for us; the
flowers look up to us with intelligent faces ; God walks in His
garden still, and His voice calls for our recognition.
othing
becomes impossible for us ; our strength is sufficient for our day,
and new ideals press upon us for acceptance as soon as we have
faithfully done the work of the immediate present.
2. We speak of God as a Person, for want of a better term to
express the thought that He is self-conscious and freely acting, of
a kind with ourselves in all that makes for the difference between
the realm of the Personal and that of the Impersonal, though
infinitely higher, not only than we are, but even than we can

29. conceive. But we reach an even greater truth when we say that
God is an all-encompassing Spirit, in whom we live and move and
have our being, a Presence everywhere and in all things, a Source
of boundless energy and influence, the Cause and Sustainer and
Hope of all that is. There is nothing inconsistent in these
propositions. It is the same God who, being a pervasive Spirit
und having created us in His own image, maintains relations of
tender watchfulness over His children.
Two great ideas underlie this beautiful text:
I. God s Intimate Knowledge of Man.
II. God s Individual Care of Man.
PS. CX1X.-SO
G OF SOL. IO
146 THE E
COMPASSI
G GOD
I.
GOD S I
TIMATE K
OWLEDGE OF MA
.
1. God accurately and exhaustively knows all that a man
knows of himself. Every man who lives amid Christian influ
ences has an intimate knowledge of himself. He thinks of the
moral quality of some of his own feelings. He considers the
ultimate tendency of some of his own actions. In other words,
there is a part of his inward and his outward life with which he
is well acquainted ; of which he has a distinct apprehension.
There are some thoughts of his mind at which he blushes at the
very time of their origin, because he is vividly aware what they
are, and what they mean. There are some emotions of his heart
at which he trembles and recoils at the very moment of their
uprising, because he perceives clearly that they involve a very
malignant depravity. There are some actings of his will of whose
wickedness he is painfully conscious at the very instant of their
rush and movement.
ow, in reference to all this intimate self-knowledge, man is
not superior to God. He may be certain that in no respect does
he know more of himself than the Searcher of hearts knows. He
may be an uncommonly thoughtful person, and little of what is
done within his soul may escape his notice ; let us make the
extreme supposition that he arrests every thought as it rises, and
looks at it; that he analyzes every sentiment as it swells his
heart ; that he scrutinizes every purpose as it determines his will
even if he should have such a thorough and profound self-knowledge
as this, God knows him equally profoundly and

30. equally thoroughly. This process of self-inspection may even go
on indefinitely, and the man grow more and more thoughtful, and
obtain an everlastingly augmenting knowledge of what he is and
what he does, so that it seems to him that he is going down so
far on that path which " the vulture s eye hath not seen," is
penetrating so deeply into those dim and shadowy regions of
consciousness where the external life takes its very first start, as
to be beyond the reach of any eye and the ken of any intelligence
but his own ; and then he may be sure that God understands the
thought that is afar off, and deep down, and that at this lowest
PSALM cxxxix. 5 147
range and plane in his experience He besets him behind and
before.
*[} Let us adore God for the streams of bounty which flow
unceasingly from the fountains of His life, to all His countless
creatures. But, on the other hand, beware lest in thus enlarging
your view of the Infinite One, you lose your hold of the corre
lative truth that though all beings of all worlds are His care,
though His mind thus embraces the universe, He is yet as
mindful of you, as if that universe were blotted out, and you
alone survived to receive the plenitude of His care. 1
2. Although the Creator designed that man should thoroughly
understand himself, and gave him the power of self-inspection
that he might use it faithfully and apply it constantly, yet man
is exceedingly ignorant of himself. Men, says an old writer, are
nowhere less at home than at home. Very few persons practise
serious self-examination at all, and none employ the power of
self -inspection with that carefulness and diligence with which
they ought. Hence men generally are unacquainted with much
that goes on within their own minds and hearts.
But God knows perfectly all that man might but does not
know of himself. Though the transgressor is ignorant of much of
his sin, because, at the time of its commission he sins blindly as
well as wilfully, and unreflectingly as well as freely ; and though
the transgressor has forgotten much of that small amount of sin
of which he was conscious, and by which he was pained, at the
time of its perpetration ; though on the side of man the powers
of self-inspection and memory have accomplished so little towards
this preservation of man s sin, yet God knows it all, and re
members it all. " He compasseth man s path, and his lying down,
and is acquainted with all his ways." " There is nothing covered,
therefore, that shall not be revealed ; neither hid that shall not be

31. known. Whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness, shall be heard
in the light ; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets,
shall be proclaimed upon the house-tops/ The Creator of the
human mind has control over its powers of self-inspection and of
memory, and when the proper time conies, He will compel these
endowments to perform their legitimate functions, and do their
appointed work.
1 W. E. Chauning.
148 THE E
COMPASSI
G GOD
^| You will never know what the Psalmist had in mind till
you come upon a young mother all alone with her laughing babe.
The hours are not long. The house is not lonesome for her,
though she has been left for the day. She has her babe. See, it
lies all uncovered in her lap ! The mother is fair, but the child
is fairer. She counts its fingers, she pulls its toes, she kisses its
dimples, she pats its pudgy arms, she studies its features, she
sounds to their depths its eyes and matches their colour with the
skies. She helps it to stand. She coaxes it to walk. She
teaches it to talk. She infects it with laughter. She bathes it
with love. She tells it her secrets. She cries over it for joy.
She multiplies its happiness and bears its sorrow. Mother and
babe in all the world there is no other vision one-half so fair.
There is no knowledge like love, no explorer like solicitude. She
knows every strength, every weakness, every beauty, every mark
or scar, every characteristic, every disposition, every tendency,
every fault, every charm. The mother has searched her babe and
knows it. A mother with her babe in her arms that is the
Psalmist s picture of the tender care of God for men. 1
3. Let us not forget that there is a bright as well as a dark
side to this picture. For if God s exhaustive knowledge of the
human heart wakens dread in one of its aspects, it starts infinite
hope in another. If that Being has gone down into these depths
of human depravity, and seen it with a more abhorring glance
than could ever shoot from a finite eye, and yet has returned with
a cordial offer to forgive it all, and a hearty proffer to cleanse it
all away, then we can lift up the eye in adoration and in hope.
There has been an infinite forbearance and condescension. The
worst has been seen, and that too by the holiest of beings, and
yet eternal glory is offered to us ! God knows from personal
examination the worthlessuess of human character, with a
thoroughness and intensity of knowledge of which man has no
conception ; and yet, in the light of that knowledge, in the very
flame of that intuition, He has devised a plan of mercy and

32. redemption.
^| Might I follow the bent of my own mind, my pen, such as
it is, should be wholly employed in setting forth the infinite love
of God to mankind in Christ Jesus, and in endeavouring to draw
all men to the belief and acknowledgment of it. The one great
mercy of God, which makes the one, only happiness of all
1
. M. Waters.
PSALM cxxxix. 5 149
mankind, so justly deserves all our thoughts and meditations, so
highly enlightens and improves every mind that is attentive to it,
so removes all the evils of this present world, so sweetens every
state of life, and so inflames the heart with the love of every
Divine and human virtue, that he is no small loser whose mind
is either by writing or reading detained from the view and
contemplation of it. 1
II.
GOD S I
DIVIDUAL CARE OF MA
.
" Thou hast beset me." Even words may fall into bad com
pany. Because of its association many a noble word is misjudged.
" Beset " is such a word. We speak of the " besetments " of life.
We pray about the " sin which doth so easily beset us." Job was
beset with calamities. A traveller from Oriental lands tells us
that at Cairo he was beset with dogs and beggars. A young man
goes wrong, and through his tears of shame he tells how for
months he has been literally beset with temptations. " Beset "
we associate with evil. That is the ordinary use of the word.
But that is not the Psalmist s use. It is the glory of the
Scriptures that they are always finding gold where men see only
clay. The Psalmist takes this word out of man s vocabulary and
gives it a heavenly meaning. " Beset " is a strong word and it
shall not belong to evil. The writer snatches it out of its evil
surroundings and makes it spell out for evermore the love of God.
"Thou hast beset me behind and before." He is talking about
God. It is a startling statement. It is like the old prophet and
his servant. So long we have been pursued by evil. Every day
we have seen the Syrians coming up against us. Every morning
we have seen them closer, having moved up in the night. We
are beset by them. That is the testimony of the generations.
And now on this morning our eyes are opened, and, lo ! the hills
are " full of horses and chariots of fire." Like the young man

33. we cry : " They that be with us are more than they that be with
them." " We are besieged by goodness." God has beset us !
Tf When I was a very little boy I knew my father loved me.
I took it as a matter of course ; but I did not see that he had me
1 William Law, An Earnest and Scri&iis
T50 THE E
COMPASSI
G GOD
in mind very much. When I was very little I thought houses
and clothes and food and money were a matter of course, and I
did not know anybody worked very hard to provide them for me.
It takes a child quite a while to know that these ever-present
necessaries are not free for the using like air for breathing, but
that they cost somebody a great deal of sweat and anxiety.
When I grew older I knew of course that father did it all the
home and food and clothes and money ; but I did not know how
much he did it for me. I saw but little of him. I heard him
talk only a little. He was away and so busy and all wrapped up
in his farm and mill and cattle and horses. That was his business
and care. I was just incidental. Then I grew up to adult life
and I saw it all as it was. He did not think about anything but
his children. His mind was only a little on his farm. It was on
his home. He did not care for his business except as it ministered
to his family. His business was fatherhood ; his farm was only
the incident. He was laying his plans ahead. If the children
were hungry, there was bread. If winter came, there were clothes.
When they were old enough, there was a teacher ready for them.
When temptation came to do wrong, there was also close at hand
an enticement to do good. Once he was sick, and he thought, and
we all thought, he was going to die. I heard him talking to
mother and grandfather, laying out all his business plans, and I
heard him say over and over : " That money is not to be touched
beforehand. It is there to take
ancy to college." He even
spoke of the after years and said : " When the girls marry, I want
them to have so and so." Child that I was, I began to realize
that father carried us all on his heart, and that in his plans he
thought not only of the present, but took in all the future years.
He really with his care and foresight " beset me behind and
before." l
1. " Thou hast beset me behind." God stands between us and
our enemies in the rear. He defends us from the hostility of our
own past. He does not cut us away from our yesterdays. Con
sequences are not annihilated ; their operations are changed.
They are transformed from destructives into constructives. The