Psalms 139

Psalms 139:1-6

David under his calmness leads to the heart-breathing God, his apprehension on ever-hisense the world’s revelling. 1. He spires God’s meniscence, vers. 1—6. 2. He confirms it by two arguments. (1.) God is every where present, therefore he knows all, vers. 7—13. (2.) He made us, therefore he knows us, vers. 13—16. 3. Some inferences are drawn from this doctrine. (3.) It may fall to with pleasing admiration of God, vers. 17, 18. (4.) With a holy dread and detestation of sin and sinners, vers. 19—22.

[3.] With a holy detestation in our own integrity, concerning which we may appeal to God, vers. 23, 24. This great and self-evident truth, that God knows our hearts, and the hearts of all the children of men, if we did but who faith with it, and formerly consider it, and apply it, would have a great influence upon our holiness, and upon our comfort:

To the chief musician, A plain of David.

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2. Thou knoweth my down sitting, and mine up-rising, thou understandeth my thought afar off. 3. Thou compasseth my path, and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4. For thro’ ye not a word in my tongue, but be, O LORD, thou knoweth it altogether. 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Naked and open are all things to him with whom we have to do. This truth the psalmist here, as deeply affected with it, acknowledges. O Lord, thou hast forched me, and known me. When I sit in my house, or walk by the way; I ye down on my bed, or rise to my labour; every step and motion thou seest, and my rising thoughts are understood by thee, v. 2, 3. Me a word is in my tongue, but be, O Lord, thou knoweth it altogether; whether uttered, or only formed ready for speech. He is compelled around with God’s presence and providence, and his hand is ever near to help him if in danger, or hold him up if falling, v. 5. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain unto it. We cannot know ourselves in any measure as God doth; much left can we by searching find out the Almighty to perfection, whose omnipresence and omniscience are mysteries to us untholomeable. But a practical sense of these upon our hearts we should labour to maintain: since God sees our very thoughts, they should be under restraint; since God hears, not an idle word should deny from our tongues; since God is with us in company, or alone, on our beds, at our tables, in our hallways, and his eye on all our works and ways, how careful, how circumspect should we be before him, and how fearful of offending!

7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8. If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the utterance parts of the sea: 10. Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me: even the night shall be light about me.

8. Yes, the darkness holds not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 13. For thou hast possessed my veins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14. I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well. 15. My fubstance was not hid from thee, when I was made in desert; and currently wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16. Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect, and in thy book all my memory were written, I which in tonic-nance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalms 139:7-16

Nothing can be conceived more sublime and affecting, than the description here given of God’s universal presence.

1. He blush all things. There is no escaping his eye by sight, or concealment by darkness. Should we attempt by sight to elude his search, whither shall we go? If I climb up to heaven, God is there, and blush it with his presence; if I make my bed in hell, hid in the silent grave, or even lying down in the everlasting burning, he is there, watching over the dust of his people, and present in his wrath, even in the place of torment. If I take the wings of the morning, and meet the rising sun in the most distant wall, or dwell in the utterance parts of the sea, or of the west, where the descending beam of day seems extinguished in the waters of the ocean, even they shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me; far from escaping, thou must support my steps; and there, as much as ever, I am in thy power, and under thine eye, nor can darkness conceal me from thee. If I am fool enough to say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, vain would he say hope; none the night shall be light about me; yet, the darkness holds not from thee, but the night shineth

Piskin CXL.

falsish to the day; the darkness and light to the sun are both alike. Let the medium of iniquity then tremble at the thought; God’s eye is upon them, nor is there any darkness, or shadow of death, where they can hide themselves.

2. He made all things, and must needs therefore be acquainted with the work of his own hands. Then he is satisfied by the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work of the work

n Ibid. colu. 11. 1 Jute er. a a Chom. 10. n. 2C con. 15B. Pore. 10. 2. 2 Juk reni. 6. Pt. nevi. 1. 4 Pt. vol. 7. Hm. Way of pale w crad. Pt. n. 8. & calli. 10.

17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the firm of them! 18. If I should count them, they are more in number than the land; when I wake, I am still with thee. 19. Surely thou wilt say the wicked, O God: * depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 20. For * they speak against thee violently, and thine enemies take thy home in vain. 21. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 22. I hate them with perfect hatred, I scour; them mine enemies. 23. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. 24. And * see if there be any * wicked way in me, and * lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalms 139:17-23

We have here,

1. The Psalms’s grateful acknowledgment of God’s care over him. New persons are thy thoughts unto me, O God, thoughts of mercy, peace, and grace, which David with great delight meditated upon. How great is the firm of them! To innumerable, that the land of the sea might be easier counted, and so continual, that every morning increased the firm: when I made, I am still with thee, enjoy thy constant protection, and am happy in a sense of thy reviving presence. Note, A heart enlightened to know God’s grace in Jesus Christ, is lost to wonder on the contemplation, and can only cry, O the depth!

a. He foresees the destruction of the wicked. Surely thou wilt say the wicked, O God: they are described as bloody men, they have against thee violently, proud and blasphemous, and thine enemies in heart and practice, showing their earnest against God’s government and law; they take thy name in vain, perjured or profane; and just therefore it is, that their end should be according to their works.

3. He professes his own abhorrence of their practices and ways. I know I have been, I will have no fellowship with these unthroated works of darkness, nor keep company with such evil doers. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? not their persons, but their firm; and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? grieved at the dishonour brought on God by their rebellion, grieved at the misery which they bring on themselves by their firm. I hate them with a perfect hatred, sincerely detest their evil ways; I scour them mine enemies, they must be enemies to me, because enemies to thee. Note, (1.) The ways of sinners we may hate, whilst we have the true love and pity to their souls. (2.) They who hate God, must hate his image, wherever it appears.

4. He appeals to God for his own simplicity, and a great rejoicing it is to have the testimony of a good conference. Surely, no, O God, for sincerity starts out at enquiry, and knew my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, for I desire to conceal nothing from them, and for if there be any wicked way in me; I will allow only to be found in none, but who can understand his errors? discover it to me if I err, and show me the evil, that it may be lamented and renounced; and lead me in the way everlasting, lead me in the paths of holiness, to the kingdom of everlasting glory; guided by thy word, upheld by thy spirit, and enabled to persevere faithfully unto the end. And to this every faithful soul will add his hearty Amen!