Psalm 139:1-16 chanted in the Sarum Use by Sarah James.

Theme: A fine account of the omniscience of God, his omnipresence, his power and providence, the excellence of his purposes, his opposition to the wicked, with whom the godly can have no fellowship. The title of this psalm in the Hebrew is, To the chief Musician, or, To the Conqueror, A Psalm of David. The versions in general follow the Hebrew. Notwithstanding these testimonies, there appears internal evidence that the psalm was not written by David, but during or after the time of the captivity, as there are several Chaldaisms in it. The composition is worthy of him, but the language appears to be lower than his time. It is most probable that it was written on no particular occasion, but is a moral lesson on the wisdom, presence, providence, and justice of God, without any reference to any circumstance in the life of David, or in the history of the Jews. The psalm is very sublime; the sentiments are grand, the style in general highly elevated, and the images various and impressive. The first part especially, that contains so fine a description of the wisdom and knowledge of God, is inimitable. Bishop Horsley's account is as follows: "In the first twelve verses the author celebrates God's perfect knowledge of man's thoughts and actions; and the reason of this wonderful knowledge, viz., that God is the Maker of man. Hence the Psalmist proceeds, in the four following verses to magnify God as ordaining and superintending the formation of his body in the womb. He acknowledges God's providential care of him in every moment of his life; and in the remainder of the psalm implores God's aid against impious and cruel enemies, professing his own attachment to God's service, that is, to the true religion, and appealing to the Searcher of hearts himself for the truth of his professions." The composition, for the purity and justness of religious sentiment, and for the force and beauty of the images, is certainly in the very first and best style. (From the Adam Clarke Commentary, 1831)

In Judaism: According to the Midrash Shocher Tov, Psalm 139 was written by Adam. Verses 5 and 16, for example, allude to the formation of the first man. Abramowitz explains that the themes of the psalm relate to Adam, while David wrote the actual words. Psalm 139 is part of the final Davidic collection of psalms, comprising Psalms 138 through 145, which are attributed to David in the first verse. Verse 16 is the only place in the Tanakh where the word גָּלְמִ֚י, galmi, from the same root as golem, appears. In describing the creation of Adam hour by hour, the Talmud states that in the second hour the dust from the earth was gathered into a golem (unformed mass). A Midrash on Genesis 5:1 also describes Adam's creation as a golem of immense size, stretching from one end of the earth to the other. This is reflected in verse 16, in which Adam says to God, "Your eyes saw my golem". The psalm addresses God, or, in Jewish tradition, YHWH, and the speaker calls out and establishes a salutation and an understanding of what he knows God to be. He goes on to marvel at the omnipresence of God even in the most secret of places, and praise God for His vast knowledge of the future. Finally, the Psalmist concludes by asking God to “slay the wicked” and stands against them, assuring God of his fervor, asking to be tested and led in the correct path. The Psalmist praises God's supreme authority, and being able to witness everything on heaven, earth and in the underworld. Through this psalm, the writer insists on God being the only true God and challenges anyone to question his faith. Psalm 139 is recited during the week of Parashat Bereishit (beginning of the annual Jewish cycle of Torah readings). Verses 8–10 are included in a Tefilat HaDerech (Traveler's Prayer) produced by the Open Siddur Project. (Wikipedia)

In Christianity: In the current Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 139 is recited at Vespers, but also on Wednesdays of the fourth week. In the liturgy of the Mass, it is played or sung for the Feast of St. John the Baptist. The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention sponsors the Psalm 139 Project, which aims to place ultrasound machines in crisis pregnancy centers so as to reveal to pregnant women the marvelous formation of their unborn child. (Wikipedia)

Nine hundred years ago, the Cathedral of Salisbury, England developed a unique form of chant and liturgy known as the “Use of Salisbury,” or “Sarum Use.” Differences from the Roman rite are both melodic (more florid in the Sarum) and textual (Elizabethan English rather than Latin). The best repository of Sarum Use tones is the St. Dunstan's Plainsong Psalter, from which Sarah has sung this psalm. Additional resources on Sarum Use plainsong at https://canticasacra.org.

“A Mother With Her Sleeping Child” is an oil painting (19th c.) by Léon Bazille Perrault.