O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Psalms 139:1.-Yahweh, thou thoroughly knowest me wherever I am (Psalms 139:1); for thou hast formed me from the womb, and hast ever precious thoughts toward me (Psalms 139:13). I have no fellowship with sinners, thou knowest; therefore keep me in the w... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. THOU KNOWEST MY DOWN-SITTING AND MINE UP-RISING - "my down-sitting," to rest after work, and "mine up-rising," to go to work (). THOU UNDERSTANDEST MY THOUGHT AFAR OFF - whether I am at rest or at work, thou... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. THOU COMPASSEST MY PATH AND MY LYING DOWN, AND ART ACQUAINTED (ART FAMILIAR) WITH ALL MY WAYS. "Thou compassest" [zaarah, from zeer, a circle, or crown] (cf. ). The Hebrew usually means to ventilate, or sift thoroug... [ Continue Reading ]
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. FOR (THERE IS) NOT A WORD IN (I:E., THAT RISES TO) MY TONGUE, (BUT), LO, O LORD, THOU KNOWEST IT ALTOGETHER. 'Without God none can speak out his thoughts (), therefore God knows them before they are uttered' (Coc... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. THOU HAST BESET ME BEHIND AND BEFORE, AND LAID THINE HAND UPON ME - Thou art omnipresent as well as omniscient. Behind, before, and from above-from every side I am in thine hand, whether for punishment or for help.... [ Continue Reading ]
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. SUCH KNOWLEDGE IS TOO WONDERFUL FOR ME: IT IS HIGH, I CANNOT ATTAIN UNTO IT. He bursts out into praises of the wonderful vastness of the infinite knowledge of God, transcending man's finite powers of comprehension (). T... [ Continue Reading ]
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? WHITHER SHALL I GO FROM THY SPIRIT? OR WHERE SHALL I FLEE FROM THY PRESENCE? If I had reason to fear judicial vengeance, because of my sin, where could I hide myself? (.) Jonah experienced this to his cost (, etc.; ).... [ Continue Reading ]
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. IF I ASCEND UP INTO HEAVEN, THOU ART THERE: IF I MAKE MY BED IN HELL (SHEOL, HADES-THE UNSEEN WORLD OF SPIRITS DEPARTED THIS LIFE), BEHOLD, THOU ART THERE - cf. on the latter clause, .... [ Continue Reading ]
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; IF I TAKE THE WINGS OF THE MORNING, AND DWELL IN THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE SEA - a poetic phrase to express the instantaneous rapidity with which the rays of the morning dawn dart from east to west of the horizon:... [ Continue Reading ]
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. IF I SAY, SURELY THE DARKNESS SHALL COVER ME; EVEN THE NIGHT SHALL BE LIGHT ABOUT ME. "Cover" - literally, bruise, or overwhelm, as in Genesis 3:15 [ shuwp (H7779)]; Job 9:17. So the Septuagint and Vulgate here,... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. YEA, THE DARKNESS HIDETH NOT FROM THEE. Hengstenberg, in conformity with Psalms 139:9 - where is the antecedent condition, the consequent-translates the second clause of pa... [ Continue Reading ]
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. FOR THOU (EMPHATIC) HAST POSSESSED MY REINS. The "For" implies, it is no wonder that nothing appertaining to me is hidden from thee, seeing that it is THOU who ownest my reins (the hidden seat of my feelings-properly, the... [ Continue Reading ]
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. I WILL PRAISE THEE; FOR I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE - an argument why we should not, on the one hand, give way to sin, as if we could escape God's cognizance; and on... [ Continue Reading ]
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. MY SUBSTANCE WAS NOT HID FROM THEE, WHEN I WAS MADE IN SECRET "My substance" - literally, my strength (Deuteronomy 8:17; Job 30:21). So my bones and sinews, the seat of strength... [ Continue Reading ]
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. THINE EYES DID SEE MY SUBSTANCE, YET BEING UNPERFECT - the as yet unshaped 'embryonic substance;' literally, 'something roll... [ Continue Reading ]
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! HOW PRECIOUS ALSO ARE THY THOUGHTS UNTO ME, O GOD! - (the same Hebrew, ; ) How cold and poor are our warmest thoughts toward God! How unspeakably loving and gloriously rich are His thoughts toward us! Compare , "the... [ Continue Reading ]
If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. IF I SHOULD COUNT THEM, THEY ARE MORE IN NUMBER THAN THE SAND - "which cannot be measured nor numbered" (). WHEN I AWAKE, I AM STILL WITH THEE. Thy thoughts of loving-kindness are so countless that... [ Continue Reading ]
Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. SURELY, [ 'im (H518)] - literally, 'If;' elliptical: If only "thou wilt slay the wicked, O God," I shall still more praise thee. Compare the 'if,' Psalms 81:8. DEPART FROM ME THEREFORE, YE BLOODY MEN. He shows how... [ Continue Reading ]
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. FOR THEY SPEAK AGAINST THEE WICKEDLY - literally, 'for wickedness.' "They speak against thee." So the Syriac. Compare Psalms 10:4; Psalms 5:4. The parallelism of the next clause favours, 'they speak of thee (making thy... [ Continue Reading ]
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 HATE THEM, O LORD, THAT HATE THEE? One cannot at once love the Lord and love His enemies (). Jehoshaphat's alliance with God-hating Ahab was the only blot on his otherwise consistent c... [ Continue Reading ]
_I HATE THEM WITH PERFECT HATRED: I COUNT THEM MINE ENEMIES._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART; TRY ME, AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS: AND SEE IF (THERE BE ANY) WICKED WAY IN ME, AND LEAD ME IN THE WAY EVERLASTING. David, conscious of his integrity in his walk with God, asks that the Lord shall pr... [ Continue Reading ]