Psalms 139King James Version
O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Search me, O God, and know my heart.
The great psalm of divine omniscience and omnipresence. God has searched and known David: his sitting and rising, thoughts from afar, path and lying down. There is not a word in his tongue but God knows it. He has beset him behind and before. Where can he go from the Spirit? If he ascends to heaven, God is there; if he makes his bed in Sheol, God is there; if he takes the wings of morning to the sea's end, even there God's hand leads. The darkness is not dark to God. God knew him in his mother's womb. Search me, O God.
The inescapability of God is not a threat but the deepest possible ground for security: there is no place so dark or so far that God is not already there.
verse: "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." The closing invitation to the very omniscience that opened the psalm: the fear of being known has become the desire for it.
Superscription: 'To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.' The oscillation between wonder (vv1-18) and sharp imprecation (vv19-22) is jarring to modern readers but reflects the psalmist's undivided world: hating God's enemies is continuous with loving God's presence. The closing petition (vv23-24) returns to the opening: having asked what God knows, he asks to be searched.
David as the one known completely by God; God as the searcher, knower, and present one; the wicked and enemies briefly noted; God as the one who knew David in the womb.
Psalm 139 is among the most theologically significant psalms for Christian anthropology. Verses 13-16 on being 'fearfully and wonderfully made' and known before birth became foundational for Christian theology of personhood and sanctity of life. The omnipresence passage (vv7-12) is the most extensive treatment of divine presence in the Psalter. Ephesians 2:10 ('his workmanship') echoes v14.
For when you want to know whether God knows where you actually are and what you are actually carrying. The psalm says: yes, completely, and that is the beginning of safety.
1[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.] O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16Thine 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.
17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
19Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.