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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 139:17-24

Here the psalmist makes application of the doctrine of God's omniscience, divers ways. I. He acknowledges, with wonder and thankfulness, the care God had taken of him all his days, Ps. 139:17, 18. God, who knew him, thought of him, and his thoughts towards him were thoughts of love, thought of good, and not of evil, Jer. 29:11. God's omniscience, which might justly have watched over us to do us hurt, has been employed for us, and has watched over us to do us good, Jer. 31:28. God's counsels... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 139:23

Search me, O God, and know my heart ,.... He had searched him, and knew his heart thoroughly; try me, and know my thoughts ; he had tried him, and knew every thought in him, Psalm 139:1 . This therefore is not said for the sake of God; who, though he is the trier of hearts, and the searcher of the reins, is indeed a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart at once, and knows immediately what is in man; and needs no testimony of him, nor to make use of any means in order to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 139:23

Search me, O God - Investigate my conduct, examine my heart, put me to the test, and entwine my thoughts. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 139:23

Verse 23 23.Search me, O God! He insists upon this as being the only cause why he opposed the despisers of God, that he himself was a genuine worshipper of God, and desired others to possess the same character. It indicates no common confidence that he should submit, himself so boldly to the judgment of God. But being fully conscious of sincerity in his religion, it was not without due consideration that he placed himself so confidently before God’s bar; neither must we think that he claims to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 139:1-24

Lord, thou knowest altogether. This psalm, one of the most sublime of them all, is of unknown authorship. It seems to be the composition of some saint of God who lived after the Captivity. If so , what proof it gives of the blessing of sanctified sorrow (cf. the probably companion psalm, Psalms 119:1-176 ; Psalms 119:67 , Psalms 119:71 , Psalms 119:75 )! The furnace of the Exile, the husks of the far country, did bring prodigal Israel to himself; and this psalm is one clear... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 139:17-24

Thoughts, Divine and human. With some apparent abruptness, the psalmist calls our attention I. THE THOUGHTS OF GOD . 1. Their manifoldness . 2. Their preciousness . Everything we see and hear and touch is a manifested thought of God; it must have existed in his mind before it took shape, color, substance. It adds deep interest to all natural scenery to think of sea and sky, of flower and tree, of the wooded glen and the snow-clad mountain, as thoughts of God. So... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 139:23

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. Examine me, and see if I have not represented my feelings as they really are. Keep on always searching me out (comp. Psalms 139:1 ), and "trying my reins and my heart" ( Psalms 26:2 ). My desire is to be proved and tested. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 139:23-24

God's searching desired. In these verses we seem to be standing by a fair river, a very river of the water of life—full, flowing, beautiful, fertilizing; a joy to all beholders and all who dwell by it. And as we look back at the former parts of this "crown of the psalms," as it has been called, we see the lofty spiritual heights from whence this river has flowed down; we realize the glorious truths about God—his omnipresence and omniscience—which are the source from whence this prayer we... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 139:23-24

Our thoughts. "Know my thoughts." This psalm contains the finest utterance of human feeling about the Divine omniscience that has ever come from human lips. God sees everything and everywhere. He sees the hidden mystery, man's secret thought and purpose. To the God-fearing man that is no trouble; it is rather a source of satisfaction and holy joy. I. THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR THOUGHTS . The wise man says, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." A man is as his thoughts. Man... read more

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