If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me ,.... The darkness of a cloud or of the night, so that my actions shall not be seen; that is, if I entertain such a thought in my mind, that what I do in the dark will escape the sight and knowledge of God, and so be emboldened to commit it; even the night shall be light about me ; and make all my works manifest, as light does. read more
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee ,.... Any thing that is done by men in it; or "darkeneth not from thee" F9 לא יחשיך ממך "non obscurabit a te", Montanus; "non obtenebrant", Gejerus; so Michaelis. , or causeth such darkness as to hinder the sight of any action committed. The Targum is, "from thy Word;' see Hebrews 4:12 ; but the night shineth as the day ; or "enlightens as the day" F11 יאיר "illustrat", Junius & Tremellius; "illuminabit", Gejerus... read more
For thou hast possessed my reins ,.... His thoughts and counsels, the reins being the seat of instruction and counsel; hence God is called the trier of the reins, and searcher of the hearts of the children of men; he is the possessor or master of their most secret thoughts, and thoroughly knows them; see Psalm 7:9 ; they are also the seat of the affections, which are naturally sinful and inordinate, and set upon carnal and earthly things; but the Lord possesses and engrosses the affections... read more
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made ,.... the formation of man is not of himself, nor of his parents, but of God, and is very wonderful in all its parts; it has been matter of astonishment to many Heathens, as Galen and others, who have, with any carefulness, examined the structure and texture of the human body, the exact symmetry and just proportion of all its parts, their position and usefulness; holy every bone, muscle, artery, nerve and fibre, are nicely framed... read more
My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret ,.... Or "my bone" F14 עצמי "os meum", V. L. Vatablus, Gejerus, "ossa mea", Piscator; "apparatio ossium meorum", Cocceius. ; everyone of his bones, which are the substantial parts of the body, the strength of it; and so some render it "my strength" F15 "Robur meum", Tigurine version; "vis mea", Junius & Tremellius. ; those, though covered with skin and flesh yet, being done by the Lord himself, were not hid from... read more
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect ,.... The word F17 גלמי "informe meum", Montanus; "glomus meam", Michaelis. for "substance" signifies a bottom of yarn wound up, or any rude or unformed lump; and designs that conglomerated mass of matter separated in the womb, containing all the essentials of the human frame, but not yet distinguished or reduced into any form or order; yet, even when in this state, the eyes of the Lord see it and all its parts distinctly; and... read more
Surely the darkness shall cover me - Should I suppose that this would serve to screen me, immediately this darkness is turned into light. read more
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee - Darkness and light, ignorance and knowledge, are things that stand in relation to us; God sees equally in darkness as in light; and knows as perfectly, however man is enveloped in ignorance, as if all were intellectual brightness. What is to us hidden by darkness, or unknown through ignorance, is perfectly seen and known by God; because he is all sight, all hearing, all feeling, all soul, all spirit - all in All, and infinite in himself. He lends to... read more
Thou hast possessed my reins - As the Hebrews believed that the reins were the first part of the human fetus that is formed, it may here mean, thou hast laid the foundation of my being. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 139:7-16
It is of great use to us to know the certainty of the things wherein we have been instructed, that we may not only believe them, but be able to tell why we believe them, and to give a reason of the hope that is in us. David is sure that God perfectly knows him and all his ways, I. Because he is always under his eye. If God is omnipresent, he must needs be omniscient; but he is omnipresent; this supposes the infinite and immensity of his being, from which follows the ubiquity of his presence;... read more