Psalms 139:2

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 knowest how I think and feel, as well as how I act and speak. The clause "afar off" expresses that the wide distance between heaven, God's especial dwelling, and earth, our dwelling, does not in the least prevent, as unbelievers avowedly, or else unconsciously fancy, God's knowing the minutest thought of men here below. Compare the same phrase, ; Jeremiah 23:23. Compare the Epic...

1-6 God has perfect knowledge of us, and all our thoughts and actions are open before him. It is more profitable to meditate on Divine truths, applying them to our own cases, and with hearts lifted to God in prayer, than with a curious or disputing frame of mind. That God knows all things, is omniscient; that he is every where, is omnipresent; are truths acknowledged by all, yet they are seldom rightly believed in by mankind. God takes strict notice of every step we take, every right step and every by step. He knows what rule we walk by, what end we walk toward, what company we walk with. When I am withdrawn from all company, thou knowest what I have in my heart. There is not a vain word, not a good word, but thou knowest from what thought it came, and with what design it was uttered. Wherever we are, we are under the eye and hand of God. We cannot by searching find how God searches us o...

Verse Psalms 139:2. _MY DOWNSITTING AND MINE UPRISING_] Even these inconsiderable and casual things are under thy continual notice. I cannot so much as _take a seat_, or _leave it_, without being marked by thee. _THOU UNDERSTANDEST MY THOUGHT_] לרעי _lerei_, "my cogitation." This word is _Chaldee_, see Daniel 2:29-27. _AFAR OFF._] While the figment is forming that shall produce them....

THOU KNOWEST MY DOWNSITTING ... - In the various circumstances of life, thou knowest me. Thou knowest me in one place as well as in another. I cannot so change my position that thou will not see me, and that thou wilt not be perfectly acquainted with all that I say, and all that I do. In every posture, in every movement, in every occupation, thou hast a full knowledge of me. I cannot go out of thy sight; I cannot put myself into such a position that thou wilt not see me. THOU UNDERSTANDEST MY THOUGHT - Hebrew, “As to my thought.” That is, Thou seest what my plans are; what I design to do; “what I am thinking about.” A most solemn reflection! How unwilling would bad people be - would even good people be - to have those round about them know always “what they are thinking about.” AFAR OFF - Not when the “thought” is far off; but “thou,” being far off, seest us a

EXPOSITION A song of praise to God for his omniscience, his omnipresence, and his marvelous powers, ending with a prayer for the destruction of the wicked, and for the purifying from evil of the psalmist's own heart. The psalm divides into four stanzas of six verses each—the first (Psalms 139:1) dealing with the omniscience of God; the second (Psalms 139:7), with his omnipresence; the third (Psalms 139:13), with his omnipotence; and the fourth (Psalms 139:19) containing the supplication. Psalms 139:1

THOU KNOWEST MY DOWNSITTING AND MINE UPRISING,.... Here the psalmist proceeds to observe the particular circumstances and actions of his life, which were known to God; as his "downsitting", either to take rest, as weary persons do. Schultens a explains it of the quiet rest in sleep; this the Lord knew when he betook himself to it, and to whose care he committed himself and family; under whose protection he laid himself down, and on whom he depended for safety, Psalms 4:8. Or, since lying down to sleep is afterwards mentioned, this may respect sitting down at table to eat and drink; when the Lord knows whether men use the creatures aright, or abuse them; whether they receive their food with thankfulness, and eat and drink to the glory of God: or else this downsitting was to read the word of God, and meditate upon it; so the Targum paraphrases it, "my sitting down to study the law.''

Psalms 139:1. _O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me._ «Thou hast explored me, as men dig in mines, and make subterranean excavations. Thou hast searched into my secret parts, and known me.» Psalms 139:2. _Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising,_ «My simplest acts, those which I scarcely premeditated.» Psalms 139:2. _Thou understandest my thought afar off._ «Before I think it, when I think it, and when I forget it, thou dost understand my every thought.» Psalms 139:3. _Thou compassest my path and my lying down,_ Making a

Psalms 139 In the Divine Presence _ 1. His omniscience (Psalms 139:1)_ 2. His omnipresence (Psalms 139:7) 3. Praising Him (Psalms 139:13) 4. Delighting in His holiness (Psalms 139:19) Here we see the people of God in the light of God, standing in His presence. He is an omniscient and an omnipresent God. How marvellously this is given in this Psalm. And what a comfort to know that He knoweth, that He seeth, that He is about us, around us, with us everywhere, that His hand leads, that His hand upholds

CXXXIX. GOD IS EVERYWHERE: HE KNOWS EVERYTHING OH THAT HE WOULD DESTROY THE WICKED. This Ps. is among the most spiritual productions of the OT. It deals with the mystery of Divine providence, a theme frequently discussed after the Exile, when the national life had died out and each individual was brought face to face with the difficulties which surrounded him and with the thought of his ultimate fate. Other nations, of course, have engaged in similar speculation, but in very different tone and spirit. Here, as elsewhere, the Hebrew poet manifests intense belief in the personality of God, in His righteousness, in His care for the men He has made. He speaks in the first person singular, because he is giving expression to his own faith and in part to his own experience. Again, he uses no abstract terms such as omnipresence, omniscience, and the like: indeed in Biblical Heb. no such words ar...

DOWNSITTING... UPRISING. Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of Species), App-6, put for all movements. THOUGHTS INWARD THOUGHT. Occurs only here and in Psalms 139:17....