Psalms 139
PATdily relieved me, as I cried to thee: and mightily supported ray spirit, by a courageous faith and hope in thee. The two last verses of this Psalm seem to me a sufficient indication that David (to whom the title ascribes it) composed it, when ho lay under the imputation of having evil designs upon Saul; (1 Sam. xxiv. 9.) which, as he protests against; in several parts of other Psalms, and calls God often to witness his integrity; so here he appeals unto him in a set and solemn meditation, composed on purpose to represent before him the clearness of his intentions: which never suffered such designs to enter into his thoughts. And who could believe that a man, who seriously acknowledged it was impossible to conceal any - thing from God’s all-.?6cuig eye, who forms us in the womb, should be so impudent as to make this appeal unto him, if he were conscious to himself of any such guilt? And, which is more, how could he be confident (as he declares he was, ver. 19.) that God would make his innocence evidently appear, by destroying his opposers, if he did not know they were calumniators? whose vile aspersions when God had effectually confuted, he delivered this Psalm to the master of the music, as a lasting testimony of his sincerity all along, before he came to the kingdom; and a constant admonishment to himself and others, never to promote any designs for the future by sinister arts, though managed so secretly that they lay hid from the eyes of all the world: since God cannot but be privy to them; who loves righteousness, and hates all iniquity. hence, and take up my dwelling in the remotest parts of the world;
Psalms 139:1
C/ LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. I am accused, O Lord, of grievous crimes; but my comfort is, thou seest I am not guilty of them: for the exactcst survey cannot make any thing so well known to us, as I am to thee; who art thoroughly acquainted with me.
Psalms 139:2
Thou knowest my doivn-sitting, and mine tip-rising; thou understandest my thought -afar off. Thou knowest what designs I have, when I sit musing at home; and what I go about when I stir abroad: nay, my inclinations are so perfectly understood by thee, that before I have conceived any design it is visible unto thee.
Psalms 139:3
Thou compassest my path, and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ivays. Nothing can be so narrowly sifted, as all the motions of my body and mind, both by day and by night, are scanned by thy all-penetrating eye: which comprehends and is intimately privy to all the ends which I pursue.
Psalms 139:4
All the kings of the earth shall praise thee ) O Lord, when they hear the ivords of thy mouth. Which will move, sure, all our neighbouring kings, who have any knowledge of my affairs (2 Sam. v. 11, 12. viii. 10.) to join with me, in praising thee, O Lord: when they shall hear, by how many strange providences thou hast brought to pass, that which thou promisedst to me by thy prophet. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.] When 1 am about to speak, thou, O Lord (such is thy most admirable wisdom), needest not to be informed what it is: but knowest before I open my mouth every thing I intend to utter.
Psalms 139:5
Yea, they shall si?ig in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord. The wonderful ways whereby the Lord brings things about, shall be the subject of their songs; and they shall think it their greatest happiness to be guided and governed by him: for they shall confess, that none can do such glorious things as the Lord hath wrought. TJiou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.] Whatsoever I have done long ago, is as well known to thee, as that which is lately passed, or which I am about to do: for I am so environed by thee, and so absolutely in thy power, that I cannot possibly escape thy notice, nor so much as stir without thy leaA r e.
Psalms 139:6
Tltough the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. Whose sublime greatness doth not make him neglect (as they see in’ me) the meanest persons; especially when their minds are as humble as their conditions: but will not let him stoop to the loftiest princes (as they may see in Saul), whom he despises, when they are forgetful of him, and ungrateful to him for his benefits. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain tado it.] O amazing height of understanding! It is in vain to think I can hide any thing from it; which so far Surpasses all I can say or conceive, that it excels even my admiration.
Psalms 139:7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shall stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. Which have been so great to me, that, should I fall again into the same straits wherein I was before, and be encompassed with them, I should hope that thou wouldest preserve rae, and bring me safe out of them all. Thy power, I am confident, will repress the violent assaults of my enemies; and by thy almighty goodness I shall be delivered from their wrath and fury, (2 Sam. v. 17, &c. viii. l,&cl) Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?] Into what world shall I go, where thou art not as present as thou art in this? It is impossible for me, should I make never so much haste, to get out of thy sight. *
Psalms 139:8
Tlie Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endurethfor ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands. The Lord, who hath begun, will go on to finish his gracious intentions towards me; not for my merits (I know they are none at all), but for thy own mercy’s sake, O Lord; which, as it was the sole motive to what thou hast done for me, so will I hope (for it is still the same, and ever will be) incline thee to preserve and settle me in that dignity, to which not my ambition, but thy own goodwill and pleasure, hath promoted me. PSALM CXXXIX., To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.] If I could get up into the highest part of heaven, I should not be out of thy reach; or go down and lie in the lowest depth of the earth, I should find thee still as near unto me.
Psalms 139:9
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea. If I could move as swiftly as the light of the rising sun, and in an instant fly from
Psalms 139:10
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. I should not be a jot the farther from thee; without whom, as I could not get thither, so I should be still subject to thy government, and as much under the care and protection of thy almighty providence there, as anywhere else.
Psalms 139:11
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the nigh shall be light about me.* If I should have such a thought as this in my mind, that, though thou art present every where, yet, in the dark, I may lie undiscovered by thee; it would be very foolish: for when the sun is gone down, all that is in mc is as apparent unto thee, as if it were noon-day.
Psalms 139:12
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. The darkness cannot conceal any thing from thee; who, being the Fountain of light, seest as well in the blackest night as in the brightest day: the night and the day, the most open and the most covert practices, are equally clear unto thy view.
Psalms 139:13
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. For my very thoughts, (and w r hat is there more abstruse than they?) my most retired thoughts and contrivances, and my most secret desires, are apparent to thee: whose I am, and by whom I was wrapped up in those skins, which enclosed me in my mother’s womb; than which there is nothing more hidden and dark. »
Psalms 139:14
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Yet there (such is thy stupendous wisdom, which I will never cease to praise and thankfully acknowledge) I was, I know not how, in such a wonderful manner formed, that the thoughts of it strike me with astonishment: thy operations in that wotk arc most admirable: and of that I am exceeding sensible; but I can say no more, for they arc incomprehensible.
Psalms 139:15
My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in tlie lowest parts of the earth. Though I was made in so secret a place, yet not the least jointin mybody was concealed fromthycyes; but I received from thec there (where no more light can come, than there doth in the lowest depths of the earth) such a comely distinction of parts, and variety of powers, that no embroidery can be so curiously wrought.
Psalms 139:16
Tliine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in thy book all my members werewritten, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet therewas none of them. For when the matter out of which I was made was without any form, it was visible to thee how every muscle, vein, and artery, with all the rest of my body, should be wrought, out of the pattern of them which was in thy mind; and accordingly, in time, when there was not so much as one of them, they were all fashioned for the several uses to which they are designed; and not the smallest of them omitted; or left imperfect.
Psalms 139:17
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, God! how great is the sum of themf. How invaluable, also, and incomprehensible (O God, I am not able to express the high and grateful sense I have of it), is thy tender care and providence which thou hast exercised over ine ever since I was born! All the secret passages of it amount to such a sum, that I am not able to give an account of them.
Psalms 139:18
If I should count them, they are mote in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee,. When I attempt to reckon how many they are, I find that I may as well undertake to number the sand; for, though I continue the whole day in this employment, and, after a night’s rest, begin again in the next morning to think how numerous thy mercies are; I am still as far as ever from seeing any end of them..
Psalms 139:19
Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from vie therefore, ye bloody men. Which makes me confident, O God, thou wilt not now desert me; but rather destroy that wicked man, (Psal. cxl. 1.) who, forgetting thy all-seeing eye, regards not by what means he plots my ruin: and therefore it will be best for you all, O ye men of blood, who have slain the priests of the Lord, (1 Sam. xxii. 18.) and now thirst after my life, to make your retreat, and desist from persecuting me any farther.
Psalms 139:20
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. For it is not so much me that they persecute, as virtue and piety; to which, though they are not open, yet they are the most dangerous enemies, because they make it serve their wicked ends: having godly pretences for their doing mischief; and not sticking (so little belief have they of thy omniscience) to call thee to witness the truth of their lies and calumnies.
Psalms 139:21
Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?. And have I not reason then, O Lord, to hate those who have such an inveterate hatred unto thee? and to take the greatest distaste to them that oppose themselves so industriously to thy holy laws?
Psalms 139:22
I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them mine enemies. I detest them with all my heart; and, as, their impiety is the only cause of it, so 1 cannot loathe them more than 1 do; but declare myself upon that account to be their utter enemy.
Psalms 139:23
Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts. If I have any other ground of my enmity, or am guilty of so much as designing any evil to them, merely because they have done so much evil to me, I desire to find it out, and submit myself to the severest trials, which may discover to me any such thought that lurketh in my heart.
Psalms 139:24
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting,. For I would not continue in such a pernicious course; but if in any thing I do, I intend them any hurt, or so much as to be grievous to them, my humble request is, either that I may not live, or live more exactly by the unchangeable rules of righteousness, sincerity, and truth*.