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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: Psalm 139

Chapter 139

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

A. M. 2956. B.C. 1048. (Title.) A Psalm. This Psalm is supposed to have been composed by David when made king of Israel; though some think it was written by him when accused of traitorous designs against Saul. It is a most sublime ode on the wisdom, knowledge, presence, and justice of God: the sentiments are grand, the style highly elevated, and the images various, beautiful, and impressive

thou hast

23 11:4,5 17:3 44:21 1 Kings 8:39 1 Chronicles 28:9 Jeremiah 12:3 17:9,10 John 21:17 Hebrews 4:13 Revelation 2:18,23

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

knowest

56:8 Genesis 16:13 2 Kings 6:12 19:27 Proverbs 15:3 Isaiah 37:28 Zechariah 4:10

understandest

94:11 Matthew 9:4 Luke 9:47 John 2:24,25 1 Corinthians 4:5

afar off

Ezekiel 38:10,11,17

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

compassest

or, winnowest.

Job 13:26,27 14:16,17 31:4 Matthew 3:12

my path

18 121:3-8 Genesis 28:10-17 2 Samuel 8:14 11:2-5,27

and art acquainted

2 Samuel 12:9-12 Proverbs 5:20,21 Ecclesiastes 12:14 Isaiah 29:15 Jeremiah 23:24 John 6:70,71 13:2,21 Acts 5:3,4

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

there is not

19:14 Job 8:2 38:2 42:3,6-8 Zephaniah 1:12 Malachi 3:13-16 Matthew 12:35-37 James 1:26 3:2-10

thou knowest

50:19-21 Jeremiah 29:23 Hebrews 4:12,13

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

beset me

Deuteronomy 33:27 Job 23:8,9

and laid

Exodus 24:11 Revelation 1:17

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

knowledge

40:5 13:1 Job 11:7-9 26:14 42:3 Proverbs 30:2-4 Romans 11:33

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

Jeremiah 23:23,24 Jonah 1:3,10 Acts 5:9

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

I ascend

Ezekiel 28:12-17 Amos 9:2-4 Obadiah 1:4

in hell

Job 26:6 34:21,22 Proverbs 15:11 Jonah 2:2

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

If I take

Light has been proved, by many experiments, to travel at the astonishing rate of 194,188 miles in one second of time; and comes from the sun to the earth, a distance of 95,513,794 miles in 8 minutes and nearly 12 seconds! But, could I even fly upon the wings or rays of the morning light, which diffuses itself with such velocity over the globe from east to west, instead of being beyond Thy reach, or by this sudden transition be able to escape Thy notice, Thy arm could still at pleasure prevent or arrest my progress, and I should still be encircled with the immensity of Thy essence. The sentiment in this noble passage is remarkably striking and the description truly sublime.

the wings

18:10 19:6 Malachi 4:2

dwell

74:16,17 Isaiah 24:14-16

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

63:8 73:23 143:9,10 Isaiah 41:13

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Surely

10:11-13 94:7 Job 22:12-14 Isaiah 29:15 Jeremiah 23:24

even the night

Job 12:22

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

Exodus 14:20 20:21 Job 26:6 34:22 Daniel 2:22 Hebrews 4:13

hideth not

Heb. darkeneth not. the darkness, etc. Heb. as is the darkness, so is the light.

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

For thou

Job 10:9-12

covered me

22:9,10 71:6 Job 31:15 Isaiah 44:2 46:3 Jeremiah 1:5

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

for I am fearfully

Genesis 1:26,27

marvellous

92:4,5 104:24 111:2 Job 5:9 Revelation 15:3

right well

Heb. greatly.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

substance

or, strength, or body. when I.

13 Job 10:9-11 Exodus 11:5

in the lowest

63:9 Ephesians 4:9

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

in thy book

56:8 Malachi 3:16 Revelation 20:12

all my members

Heb. all of them. which in continuance were fashioned. or, what days they should be fashioned.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

precious

40:5 Proverbs 8:31 Isaiah 55:8,9 Jeremiah 29:11 Ephesians 3:9,10

how great

31:19 36:7

If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

they are more

40:12

when I awake

3 3:5 16:8-11 17:15 63:6,7 Isaiah 26:19 Daniel 12:2 1 Thessalonians 5:10

Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

Surely

5:6 9:17 55:23 64:7 94:23 Isaiah 11:4

depart from

6:8 119:115 Matthew 7:23 25:41 2 Corinthians 6:17

For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

for they speak

73:8,9 74:18,22,23 Job 21:14,15 Isaiah 37:23,28,29 Jude 1:15 Revelation 13:6

thine

2:1-3 Exodus 20:7

Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

Do not I

15:4 31:6 2 Chronicles 19:2 Revelation 2:2,6

and am not

119:136,158 Jeremiah 13:17 Mark 3:5 Luke 19:41 Romans 9:1-3

I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

hate them

101:3-8 Luke 14:26

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

Search me

1 26:2

know

Deuteronomy 8:2,16 Job 31:6 Proverbs 17:3 Zechariah 13:9 Malachi 3:2,3 1 Peter 1:7

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

And see

7:3,4 17:3 Proverbs 28:26 Jeremiah 17:9,10

wicked way

Heb. way of pain, or grief.

Hebrews 12:15,16

and lead

5:8 25:8,9 119:1,32 143:8,10

the way

Matthew 7:14 John 14:6 Colossians 2:6