In this poem, however, the psalmist’s hope rests entirely with the God who knows him, the God with whom he is in relationship. all the days ordained for me were written in your book. There has been considerable debate about the precise genre of this psalm. David not only asked, but was prepared to listen to all that God would reveal to him … One of the most notable of the sacred hymns. The prayer of the writer of Psalm 139, King David, showed that he obviously wanted to be in the centre of the will of God. Give thanks. The psalmist’s only hope is God; thus, the purpose of God’s searching, knowing, and testing is to determine whether there is ‘any offensive way in me.’” Why? Fearfully is a good translation here. One image that comes to mind is a mother tending her child. and lead me in the everlasting way. The word zarah in verse 3 means to measure or to scrutinize. The right brain is usually associated with creativity, and that better fits hagar. Grant provide insight into the meaning and composition of this magisterial psalm in their new commentary Psalms, Volume 2 (NIV Application Commentary). The word kilyah means kidney or heart or internal organs. The psalmist further prays that Yahweh will guide him “in the everlasting way” (derek). There are a number of reasons, including the fact that “several Davidic psalms refer to the ‘temple’ (e.g., 5:7, 27:4; 65:4; 68:29” (Broyles, 28)––but the temple was built by David’s son, Solomon, and was not in existence during David’s lifetime. “You hem me in (Hebrew: sur) behind and before. But verses 9-12 suggest that the psalmist finds God’s presence comforting, not threatening. 139:23, 24. Even an insightful human counselor can often see things hidden at our core––and bring them to the surface where we can see them too. And because God has known us, fully known us, we should be compelled to ask God to search us to see whether there is any offensive way in us (vv. 5 You hem me in behind and before. He continues with a full-orbed look at that presence from birth. He has seen our comings and goings, our faithfulness and faithlessness. “For you formed my inmost being (Hebrew: kilyah). for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2014), Gower, Ralph, The New Manners and Customs of Bible Times (Chicago: Moody Press, 1987), Kidner, Derek, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 73-150, Vol. 13 For you formed my inmost being. 1 For the leader. However, we need to acknowledge two things about these verses: 23 Search me, God, and know my heart. The darkness is like light to you. They would not have separated body and soul as the Greeks did. “The hymnic nature of the first eighteen verses seems to support the claims of Hermann Gunkel and Claus Westermann” (915). Commentaries on this text are divided on this issue. Enter. But in the psalmist’s day, there were no anatomical drawings or anything that we would recognize as a doctor’s office or hospital. Is this a subtle reference to the resurrection? (914–15). The names of the righteous are inscribed there, and that record will prove decisive at the last judgment. Try me, and know my thoughts. 23-24). 12 even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, They’ve abrogated any relationship with God. His very presence casts out all darkness (John 1:5). Psalms 139, Coffman Commentaries on the Bible, One of over 110 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the Church of Christ, presents a verse level look at the Bible. In other words, I cannot escape God’s presence “For you created my inmost being” (v. 13). The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc. 17-18a). But what does the psalm mean and how are its four poetic movements connected? Psalm 139 is a personal prayer and song of praise to God. The word hagar in verse 1 means to search or to seek. Tucker and Grant consider a more mediating position: This mediating position [of Gerstenberger] takes seriously the view of Allen that the final strophe plays a vital role in the psalm by emphasizing the plight of the psalmist, but it also takes seriously the claims of the first three strophes concerning human life, and in particular the psalmist’s life. (17-24) Verses 1-6 God has perfect knowledge of us, and all our thoughts and actions are open before him. Anderson, A.A., The New Century Bible Commentary: Psalms 73-150 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972), Broyles, Craig C., New International Biblical Commentary: Psalms (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1999, Brueggemann, Walter, The Message of the Psalms A Theological Commentary (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1984), Clifford, Richard J., Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 73-150 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003), DeClaisse-Walford, Nancy; Jacobson, Rolf A.; Tanner, Beth Laneel, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament:  The Book of Psalms (Grand Rapids:  Wm. Does the psalmist see God’s presence as a blessing or a curse? And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Others insist the psalm is a prayer of an unjustly accused person, given the final strophe, while some have suggested it is a complaint uttered by a psalmist in the midst of hostility.Others still highlight the wisdom themes present and prefer a “meditation” or “wisdom meditation” label. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue,. You knit me together in my mother’s womb” (v. 13). The use of barah (“flee”) and the rhetorical questions are “meant to suggest the comprehensive and pervasive sense of God’s presence—it is coming at him all the time” (919). 1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;. He likens that task to trying to count every grain of sand. In this context, the psalmist is saying that Yahweh knows him relationally––experientially. Is hagar superior to zarah? The left brain is usually associated with logic and mathematics, and that better fits zarah. However, “Rarely do hymns remind us of the kind of pervasive presence of God in our lives that might prompt a sense of holy fear. “If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me” (vv. 1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 21 Yahweh, don’t I hate those who hate you? What has been already said of deeds and thoughts is now extended to "words." 19–22). But the psalmist is saying something that transcends the wonder of the birth process. We find ourselves doing hateful things––and failing to live according to treasured values (Romans 7:15-20). Surely there are times when we would be embarrassed to think of God watching our every move. Yahweh created him. Yet as the poem draws to a close, it is the psalmist’s nearness to God (v. 18b) that gives him cause for hope even in the face of impending threats. Yet he has remained present with us (v. 18). 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, It has a winsome character. If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. "I am fearfully and wonderfully made” he declares. “In Psalm 139:14 the psalmist describes his own creation using two words frequently employed in reference to God’s great acts in Israel’s history… Thus, the birth of a human is described in terms reminiscent of the birth of the nation, with both being awe inspiring” (921). Your form could not be submitted. This knowledge is comforting to faithful followers and terrifying to the disobedient. The soaring language of praise and confession in the first three strophes abruptly ends in verse 18, only to be followed by more ominous and troubling language in the final strophe. The word’s later use in the Talmud suggests the term could be construed as meaning ‘embryo’ or something that was formless or shapeless” (922). 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down,. The verb “to hem in” (tsur) or “to bind” is an equivocal term that can mean Yahweh makes him secure, but in some contexts also means “laying siege.” So which is it? “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will overwhelm me; the light around me will be night;’ with all my ways you are familiar. Yahweh is indeed close enough to bind him up (in support) but also ‘to lay siege’ to him, should doing so be warranted” (918). These merisms follow the Lord’s searching of the psalmist, where thereafter he knows him. And laid Your hand upon me. The authors don’t believe a dichotomy of meaning is warranted. Impossible! Tucker and Grant note several verses that seems to suggest the weightiness that comes with the nearness of God’s presence in offering comfort: Then there are the images of God’s hand that further illustrate this “flight and fascination” with God’s presence in the psalm: This tenuous balance between “flight and fascination” exists throughout Scripture. Yahweh knows, not only what the psalmist expresses in words, but also the thoughts of his mind. (916-17). He is not describing an occasional presence, but one that is ongoing and enduring. For the Chief Musician. ), Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Grand Rapids:  Zondervan, 2006), Renn, Stephen D., Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2005), Richards, Lawrence O., Encyclopedia of Bible Words (Zondervan, 1985, 1991), Sakenfeld, Katharine Doob (ed. ), which the WEB has updated. Even then they would spend most of the day independently. Listen to God. Does the psalmist mean awakening from sleep or meditation? You laid your hand on me” (v. 5). 3 You sift through my travels and my rest;. For further study, see Craig C. Broyles, New International Biblical Commentary: Psalms, pages 26-31 and A.A. Anderson, The New Century Bible Commentary: Psalms (1-72), pages 43-45. In the final few verses, he indicates that all the days ordained for him are written in “your book,” which the authors explain “likely stems from the Mesopotamian idea of tablets or books of fate in which the deities would write the preordained life of humans. The psalmist has no escape. We can be grateful that Yahweh loves us enough to use both ways to understand us. 1 Yahweh, you have searched me, 7 Where could I go from your Spirit? You knit me together in my mother’s womb. has pastored on Capitol Hill and with the Evangelical Covenant Church in Michigan. The psalmist acknowledges that Yahweh understands him better than the psalmist understands himself. You understand my thought from afar. Your eyes saw my body” (v. 15-16a). the light around me will be night;”. Readers through the centuries have interpreted “A Psalm of David” to mean “A Psalm written by David,” but a number of scholars question that interpretation today. Tucker and Grant consi… AN EXPOSITION OF PSALM 139 by Charles H. Spurgeon One of the most notable of the sacred hymns. Psalm 139 is one of the more well-known and well-beloved psalms—and for good reason. Psalm 139:16 “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Explanation and Commentary of Psalm 139:16. The reciprocal is also true. Try me, and know my thoughts. We don’t know. LORD, you know it all.. 5 Behind and before you encircle me Psalm 139 is the 139th psalm of the Book of Psalms, generally known in English by its first verse, in the King James Version, "O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. In verses 13 and 15, the poet invokes images of knitting and weaving to explain the care with which God created him. After presenting the sublime doctrines of God's omnipresence and omniscience, the Psalmist appeals to Him, avowing his innocence, his abhorrence of the wicked, and his ready submission to the closest scrutiny. You may unsubscribe from these email communications at any time. Unless the child is asleep or confined to a play pen, she must know minute by minute where the child is and what he/she is doing. (1-6) He is every where present. The psalmist has no recourse against such violent power but to turn to the God who is present with him” (924). The writer of Psalm 139 suggests that if he were in the darkness, the place of chaos and death, the place that is absent of light, then perhaps finally he would find a place apart from God. 9-10). Psalms 139:4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. And he marvels at this, confessing a sense of awe at the vastness of God’s thoughts about him. The authors also note the unusual use of “created.”. Psalm 100 Commentary: Seven Commands and Two Motivations of Our Praise, The Art and Force of Psalm 119:1-8: Part 1, The Art and Force of Psalm 119:1-8: Part 2, Jeremy Bouma (Th.M.) The word yare (fearfully) means fear or reverence or to be awesome. In your book they were all written, Earlier in the poem the hand of God is said to guide the psalmist (v. 10a), thereby suggesting once more the formative work of God in his life. He knows our every movement hour by hour and day by day. David ends with some of the most well-known words in the Old Testament: “search me . Your works are wonderful. There has been considerable debate about the precise genre of this psalm. but the night shines as the day. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Hebrew: derek ) (vv. Instead, they point to Goldingay here: “‘the person who has nothing to hide has nothing to fear of Yhwh’s binding or the touch of Yhwh’s hand’ [Psalms 3, 630]. This “I-Thou” relationship, and the accompanying pervasive, intimate presence of God, roots the psalmist's hope and comfort—as well as our own. Where can I flee from your presence?” (v. 7) he begins. To modern readers, this pa... Shout. (916). Psalm 139 reflects on the human condition, and specifically God’s interaction with the individual human experience. One of the greatest truths in life which we all know, but which we all must come to learn, is that there is no escape from God. Psalm 139:7-10, 12 “Where shall I go from your Spirit? My soul knows that very well. However, Yahweh is never far from us. “In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained (Hebrew: yasar––formed or fashioned) for me, when as yet there were none of them” (v. 16b). I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. In the first strophe "you" serves as the subject of nearly all the verbs, while in the second strophe, "I" dominates throughout. With this abundance of first and second person pronouns in the first six verses, Psalm 139 reflects the profound relationship of the “I” and “You” (or, “I” and “Thou”) in ancient Israel. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23), and that would include the psalmist. Enhance your school’s traditional and online education programs by easily integrating online courses developed from the scholars and textbooks you trust. And he knows even more. At the start, they offer a unifying thread that serves as an interpretive key: As in Psalm 138, the writer of Psalm 139 announces the threats that befall him and pleads for God’s action (Ps 139:19–22). (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007), Freedman, David Noel (Ed. SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. “Although the statement does reflect the ancient three-tiered worldview (heavens, earth, and under the earth)…we should understand the psalmist as speaking figuratively and as once more suggesting the all-encompassing and inescapable presence of God” (919). Psalm 121 encourages us i... Get expert commentary on biblical languages, fresh explorations in theology, hand-picked book excerpts, author videos, and info on limited-time sales. Through his petitions the psalmist aligns himself with God and asks for God to redress his present circumstances. “Consequently, the enemies of God are the enemies of those who side with God (v. 22)” (924). 139:10). Hers is a 24/7 job, at least while the child is small. Yahweh is in front of him and at his rear. All Rights Reserved. In our day, we see anatomical drawings in our doctors’ offices that demonstrate the intricate detail that went into the design of our bodies. The psalmist continues the theme of God’s pervasive presence: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Your enemies take your name in vain. “When I wake up, I am still with you” (v. 18b). The emphasis here is not on workmanship, but on the mystery of creation itself. No reason is provided or justification offered for the divine hand that has befallen the psalmist. The darkness is like light to you” (vv. and Kahane, Ahuvia, The Oxford English-Hebrew Dictionary (Oxford University Press, 1998), Fohrer, Georg, Hebrew & Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament (SCM Press, 2012), Freedman, David Noel (ed. The psalmist describes the enemies as the “wicked” and the “bloodthirsty.” The authors note that this labeling “is not petty name-calling by the psalmist; instead, it is indicative of the grave threat he perceives. when as yet there were none of them. If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand” (vv. Copyright © 2020 HarperCollins Publishers. And he petitions God to act because they are against him, God himself. And he is so close and intimate that he hems him in. Yahweh sees clearly what the psalmist sees only dimly, as if in a primitive mirror (1 Corinthians 13:12). “How precious to me are your thoughts, God! “In Babylonian Aramaic, the term refers to a formless mass or an incomplete vessel. ), Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2000), Mounce, William D., (ed. The second part of Psalm 139:13 continues this motif, confessing God’s presence with the psalmist from the very beginning of existence by indicating that the psalmist was knit together in his mother’s womb. Know. Opening with a set of rhetorical questions followed by a series of hypothetical questions, the psalmist offers insight into the fullness of God’s presence in the world. The frightening unknowns of dawn and sea would lose their terror when Yahweh was there to sustain him. A psalm. The Israelites thought of their bodies holistically. The psalmist acknowledges that Yahweh has searched (haqar) him and known (yada) him. He founded THEOKLESIA, which connects the 21st century Church to the vintage Christian faith; holds a Master of Theology in historical theology; and makes the vintage faith relevant at. when I was made in secret, Chapter 139 God knows all things. The word nepes means soul, but not in the sense that we often use that word. He realizes that the depth of Yahweh’s knowledge is beyond the psalmist’s ability to understand––now or later. As the authors note, “Because God is pervasively present, the comfort of his presence is juxtaposed with the very threat of the same. This psalm speaks of the pervasive presence of God, and his intimate knowledge of us, which offer us an outsized measure of hope and comfort in the face of adversity and trial. He has made a deliberate effort to know him. The supplicant David, then, blends wisdom themes with a complaint in offering his psalm of prayer and worship before the Lord. Whether the proper translation is frame, bones, or strength, the psalmist is acknowledging that  the core of the psalmist’s being was an open book to Yahweh even when it was being formed in secret in the depths of the earth––when it would have been invisible to anyone else. 4 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), Ross, Allen P., A Commentary on the Psalms, 90-150, Vol. The God who calls David from the fields to be his anointed king is the same God who chastens David for his pursuit of Bathsheba” (926). The issue of Davidic authorship of the psalms is sufficiently complex that I can’t do it justice. This verse states that Yahweh had foreknowledge of the psalmist’s life before he was born. the days that were ordained for me, Others insist the psalm is a prayer of an unjustly accused person, given the final strophe, while some have suggested it is a complaint uttered by a psalmist in the midst of hostility. Praise him. 14 I will give thanks to you, The verb yada‘, “to know,” occurs seven times in the poem (vv. They offer a few examples of merism: “when I sit” and “when I rise” (v. 2a), “my going out and my lying down” (v. 3a), and “behind and before” (v. 5a). They could see that they were fearfully and wonderfully made––but not a great deal more. For there is not a word on my tongue, but, behold, Yahweh, you know it altogether. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O The wings of the dawn and the uttermost parts of the sea stand for incomprehensibly distant and remote places. 14b (Downers Grove, Illinois:  Inter-Varsity Press, 1973), Limburg, James, Westminster Bible Companion: Psalms (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000, Mays, James Luther, Interpretation: Psalms (Louisville: John Knox, 1994), McCann, J. Clinton, Jr., The New Interpreter’s Bible: The Book of Psalms, Vol. The word derek means path or way. From David’s example we can learn how to respond to the character of God—with an attitude of worship and awe, as well as profound intimacy and friendship with the One who knows us completely yet still loves us deeply. Psalm 139:4 "For [there is] not a word in my tongue, [but], lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether." They have become my enemies. That would reduce Jesus’ admonitions to prepare for his coming (Matthew 24:44; 25:13; Mark 13:35-37; Luke 12:35-40) to mean-spirited teases. Not really. “You search out  (Hebrew: zarah) my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways” (v. 3). It is more analytical and less emotional than hagar, and is therefore less winsome––less charming. “I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully (Hebrew: yare) and wonderfully made” (v. 14a). Psalm 139 is a beautiful meditation on four attributes of God: His knowledge, presence, power, and holiness. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue,. Psalm 139 Some of the Jewish doctors are of opinion that this is the most excellent of all the psalms of David; and a very pious devout meditation it is upon the doctrine of God's omniscience, which we should therefore have our hearts fixed upon and filled with in singing this psalm. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." We find darkness frightening––even dangerous. Both Old and New Testaments refer to the book of life (Exodus 32:32; Psalm 139:16, 28; Isaiah 65:6; Daniel 7:10; Malachi 3:16; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12-15; 21:27). But we do know that the psalmist feels strongly the presence of God––a presence that he knows will always be available to him. We are content with having God near us, but preferably not too near” (927). “Yahweh, you have searched (Hebrew: haqar) me, and you know (Hebrew: yada) me” (v. 1). “Where could I go from your Spirit? I. LORD, you have probed me, you know me:. You sift through my travels and my lying down, and wisdom meditation this! ” suggests God ’ s sight others still highlight the fascination and comfort gained from God Related.... 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