Psalms 56:8

Thou tellest my wanderings Thou countest the days and adventures of my fugitive life, while I am driven from my home as a wanderer and vagabond (Psalms 36:11, notes); not one of them escapes Thy notice (Job 31:4; Matthew 10:30). Tell, as in Psalms 22:17; Psalms 48:12, means count.

put thou my tears Or, my tears are put.

into thy bottle By a bold figure God is said to collect and treasure his tears, as though they were precious wine. Kay quotes St. Bernard's saying, "Lacrimae poenitentium vinum angelorum." The -bottle" is the skin bottle of Oriental countries, holding a considerable quantity (Joshua 9:4; Joshua 9:13; 1 Samuel 16:20; Psalms 119:83). There is no reference to the use of so-called -lachrymatories."

are they not in thy book?] Or, record. For God's -book of remembrance" see Malachi 3:16. Cp. Exodus 32:32; Psalms 69:28; Psalms 139:16. The abrupt question is characteristic of this Psalm. Cp. Psalms 56:4; Psalms 56:13.