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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 139:1-6

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 139:3

Thou compassest my path and my lying down ,.... The Targum adds, "to study in the law.' 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 F3 זרית "ventilasti", Pagninus, Montanus; so Tigurine version and Ainsworth. ; he distinguishes actions; he discerns and separates... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 139:4

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... 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

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 139:4

Verse 4 4.For there is not a word, 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,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 139:1-6

God's knowledge of us. 1. We sometimes say that "we know" a certain man who is a neighbor. By this we may mean nothing more than that we can distinguish him from his fellows, and give him his proper name. That is a slight acquaintance indeed. 2. Sometimes when we make such an affirmation we mean that we have a general knowledge of his occupation and his more outward and formal habits. That goes a very little way. 3. Sometimes we mean more than this—we intimate that we know what a... 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 139:3

Thou compassest (rather, siftest ) my path and my lying down ; literally, my path and my couch—the time of my activity and the time of my rest. And art acquainted with all my ways (comp. Psalms 119:168 , "All my ways are before thee"). read more

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