Psalm 139:1-10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 139:9

If I take the wings of the morning ,.... And fly as swift as the morning light to the east, to the extremity of it, as Ben Melech; as far as he could go that way, as swiftly as the wings of the morning could carry him thither; so the morning is represented by the Heathens as having wings F6 Vid. Cuperi Apotheos. Homeri, p. 177. ; or as the rays of the rising sun, called wings for the swiftness of them, Malachi 4:2 ; and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea ; in the most... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 139:10

Even there shall thy hand lead me ,.... For he could not get there with all the assistance of the wings of the morning, could they be had, without the leadings of divine Providence; and when there, being a good man, should experience the leadings of divine grace; let the people of God be where they will, he heads them as a parent his child, teaching him to go; and as a shepherd his flock, into green pastures, and to fountains of living water; he leads to himself, and to his Son by his... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 139:1

O Lord, thou hast searched me - חקרתני chakartani ; thou hast investigated me; thou hast thoroughly acquainted thyself with my whole soul and conduct. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 139:2

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 Daniel 2:29 , Daniel 2:30 . Afar off - While the figment is forming that shall produce them. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 139:3

Thou compassest my path - זרית zeritha thou dost winnow, ventilate, or sift my path; and my lying down, רבעי ribi , my lair, my bed. And art acquainted - Thou treasurest up. This is the import of סכן sachan . Thou hast the whole number of my ways, and the steps I took in them. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 139:4

There is not a word in my tongue - Although ( כי ki ) there be not a word in my tongue, behold O Jehovah, thou knowest the whole of it, that is, thou knowest all my words before they are uttered as thou knowest all my thoughts while as yet they are unformed. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 139:5

Thou hast beset me behind and before - צרתני וקדם אחור achor vekodam tsartani , "The hereafter and the past, thou hast formed me." I think Bishop Horsley's emendation here is just, uniting the two verses together. "Behold thou, O Jehovah, knowest the whole, the hereafter and the past. Thou hast formed me, and laid thy hand upon me." read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 139:6

Such knowledge is too wonderful - I think, with Kennicott, that דעת פלאיה pelaiah daath should be read הדעת פלאי peli haddaath , "This knowledge," ממני mimmenni , "is beyond or above me." This change is made by taking the ה he from the end of פלאיה pelaiah , which is really no word, and joining it with דעת daath ; which, by giving it an article, makes it demonstrative, הדעת haddaath , "This knowledge." This kind of knowledye, God's knowledge, that takes in all... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 139:7

Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? - Surely רוח ruach in this sense must be taken personally, it certainly cannot mean either breath or wind; to render it so would make the passage ridiculous. From thy presence? - מפניך mippaneycha , "from thy faces." Why do we meet with this word so frequently in the plural number, when applied to God? And why have we his Spirit, and his appearances or faces, both here? A Trinitarian would at once say, "The plurality of persons in the Godhead... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 139:8

If I ascend - Thou art in heaven, in thy glory; in hell, in thy vindictive justice; and in all parts or earth, water, space, place, or vacuity, by thy omnipresence. Wherever I am, there art thou; and where I cannot be, thou art there. Thou fillest the heavens and the earth. read more

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