The supplicant David, then, blends wisdom themes with a complaint in offering his psalm of prayer and worship before the Lord. This “I-Thou” relationship, and the accompanying pervasive, intimate presence of God, roots the psalmist's hope and comfort—as well as our own. However, some references say bones, which is ‘esem––not ‘osem. The verb “to hem in” (tsur) or “to bind” is an equivocal term that can mean Yahweh makes him secure, but in some contexts also means “laying siege.” So which is it? See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Hebrew: derek ) (vv. Or where could I flee from your presence? and Kahane, Ahuvia, The Oxford English-Hebrew Dictionary (Oxford University Press, 1998), Fohrer, Georg, Hebrew & Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament (SCM Press, 2012), Freedman, David Noel (ed. He is the One who knows all things. (17-24) Verses 1-6 God has perfect knowledge of us, and all our thoughts and actions are open before him. Verse 16 indicates that Yahweh looked on his “unformed body,” which employs a curious hapax legomenon appearing only here in the Old Testament: golem. The frightening unknowns of dawn and sea would lose their terror when Yahweh was there to sustain him. Tucker and Grant note how many hymns tend to highlight the fascination and comfort gained from God’s presence. but the night shines as the day. Tucker and Davis offer an overview of these four movements: The language adopted in the first two strophes underscores the dominance of the “I-Thou” relationship in the poem. 3 (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2016), Tate, Marvin E., Word Biblical Commentary: Psalms 51-100 (Dallas: Word Books, 1990), Waltner, James H., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Psalms (Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 2006), Baker, Warren (ed. Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men! They used the word nepes to mean breath, the animating force that gives the creature life. And he marvels at this, confessing a sense of awe at the vastness of God’s thoughts about him. How vast is their sum! We don’t know. Not really. Psalm 139: No Escape From God Related Media. I can’t attain it. The word yare (fearfully) means fear or reverence or to be awesome. “For the Chief Musician” (Hebrew: menasseah––leader). If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand” (vv. In our day, we see anatomical drawings in our doctors’ offices that demonstrate the intricate detail that went into the design of our bodies. But in the psalmist’s day, there were no anatomical drawings or anything that we would recognize as a doctor’s office or hospital. The one who creates always has a special place in his/her heart for that which he/she has created––and so it is with Yahweh. 139:23, 24. It sings the omniscience and omnipresence of God, inferring from these the overthrow of the powers of wickedness, since he who sees and hears the abominable deeds and words of the rebellious will surely deal with them according to his justice. Psalm 139:16 “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Explanation and Commentary of Psalm 139:16. He continues with a full-orbed look at that presence from birth. has pastored on Capitol Hill and with the Evangelical Covenant Church in Michigan. There has been considerable debate about the precise genre of this psalm. After presenting the sublime doctrines of God's omnipresence and omniscience, the Psalmist appeals to Him, avowing his innocence, his abhorrence of the wicked, and his ready submission to the closest scrutiny. To modern readers, this pa... Shout. One of the most notable of the sacred hymns. The psalmist admits to God, in effect, “You know where I live,” which is to say, God can get at me as God wills and there is no place to hide. “How precious to me are your thoughts, God! Or where could I flee from your presence? The final strophe abruptly shifts from hymnic language to more petitionary language. He founded THEOKLESIA, which connects the 21st century Church to the vintage Christian faith; holds a Master of Theology in historical theology; and makes the vintage faith relevant at. But for most of human history, people didn’t know each other’s movements to that extent unless they were living in the same house. 19 If only you, God, would kill the wicked. The God who calls David from the fields to be his anointed king is the same God who chastens David for his pursuit of Bathsheba” (926). The psalmist further prays that Yahweh will guide him “in the everlasting way” (derek). The word sur (hem me in) usually means to besiege. Tucker and Grant note several verses that seems to suggest the weightiness that comes with the nearness of God’s presence in offering comfort: Then there are the images of God’s hand that further illustrate this “flight and fascination” with God’s presence in the psalm: This tenuous balance between “flight and fascination” exists throughout Scripture. Try me, and know my thoughts. “The verb ‘to search’ (haqar) can refer to searching out land (Judg 18:2) or searching out a city (2 Sam 10:3), but often, especially in the wisdom literature, the verb means ‘to search’ in the sense of ‘to examine’” (917). Enter. “For you formed my inmost being (Hebrew: kilyah). From David’s example we can learn how to respond to the character of God—with an attitude of worship and awe, as well as profound intimacy and friendship with the One who knows us completely yet still loves us deeply. Does the psalmist see God’s presence as a blessing or a curse? . Not only would Yahweh be there beside him, but Yahweh would also lead and hold him. He describes God as:-Omniscient. The psalmist’s life force acknowledges the wonder of Yahweh’s works. (916). For the Chief Musician. As the NIV’s translation suggests, Psalm 139 can be divided into four strophes: verses 1–6; 7–12; 13–18; and 19–24. Psalm 139 combines praise of, appeal to, and wisdom meditation on this God who knows all and who encompasses all. The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc. Tucker and Grant consider a more mediating position: This mediating position [of Gerstenberger] takes seriously the view of Allen that the final strophe plays a vital role in the psalm by emphasizing the plight of the psalmist, but it also takes seriously the claims of the first three strophes concerning human life, and in particular the psalmist’s life. Psalm 139 reflects on the human condition, and specifically God’s interaction with the individual human experience. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2014), Gower, Ralph, The New Manners and Customs of Bible Times (Chicago: Moody Press, 1987), Kidner, Derek, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 73-150, Vol. This knowledge is comforting to faithful followers and terrifying to the disobedient. Does he feel supported or hemmed in? Yahweh is in front of him and at his rear. He designed him from scratch and brought his design to completion. LORD, you know it all.. 5 Behind and before you encircle me Let Tucker and Grant show you ways to walk in "the way everlasting" through their careful exegetical work of this psalm, and every psalm, covered in this volume. Long before God “fearfully and wonderfully made” you, he knew what you would be like and what you would do. Others insist the psalm is a prayer of an unjustly accused person, given the final strophe, while some have suggested it is a complaint uttered by a psalmist in the midst of hostility. Psalm 121 Commentary: Where Does Our Help Come From? The darkness quickly ceases to be darkness because of the radiant light of God. Pastor Lloyd says, "In the opening six verses of Psalm 139, there are eight different Hebrew words that stack up to tell you that God knows your story intimately." 5 You hem me in behind and before. This psalm speaks of the pervasive presence of God, and his intimate knowledge of us, which offer us an outsized measure of hope and comfort in the face of adversity and trial. Yahweh has taken the initiative to know the psalmist in depth, which sounds like a lover seeking to understand the beloved. 4 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), Ross, Allen P., A Commentary on the Psalms, 90-150, Vol. Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you? Copyright © 2020 HarperCollins Publishers. I have two sources for the Hebrew words in this verse, both of which use the word ‘osem (strength or might––or frame). 139:6 with the next paragraph. A psalm of David. But the psalmist declares that, if he were to find himself in one of those distant places, he would find Yahweh there. What those people had in abundance was mystery. 24 See if there is any wicked way in me, 16 Your eyes saw my body. Behold, O Lord, You know it all.. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before,. For Instructors and School Administrators. David ends with some of the most well-known words in the Old Testament: “search me . Earlier in the poem the hand of God is said to guide the psalmist (v. 10a), thereby suggesting once more the formative work of God in his life. These merisms follow the Lord’s searching of the psalmist, where thereafter he knows him. Today with surveillance cameras and tracking devices, it no longer seems odd that someone might know our sitting down and rising up. What has been already said of deeds and thoughts is now extended to "words." There are a number of reasons, including the fact that “several Davidic psalms refer to the ‘temple’ (e.g., 5:7, 27:4; 65:4; 68:29” (Broyles, 28)––but the temple was built by David’s son, Solomon, and was not in existence during David’s lifetime. Add Psalms, Volume 2 to your library today and you will grasp the original meaning, exegetical context, and contemporary significance of these precious biblical poems, hymns, and prayers. At the start, they offer a unifying thread that serves as an interpretive key: As in Psalm 138, the writer of Psalm 139 announces the threats that befall him and pleads for God’s action (Ps 139:19–22). This verse states that Yahweh had foreknowledge of the psalmist’s life before he was born. He likens that task to trying to count every grain of sand. We should not wonder that this is so. ), The New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, 5 vol. They could see that they were fearfully and wonderfully made––but not a great deal more. Yahweh comes close enough to lay his hand on the psalmist. Come. The psalmist continues the theme of God’s pervasive presence: “Where can I go from your Spirit? You understand my thought from afar. However, we need to acknowledge two things about these verses: 23 Search me, God, and know my heart. The word’s later use in the Talmud suggests the term could be construed as meaning ‘embryo’ or something that was formless or shapeless” (922). Grant provide insight into the meaning and composition of this magisterial psalm in their new commentary Psalms, Volume 2 (NIV Application Commentary). ; and Briggs, Charles A., The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1906, 2004), Doniach, N.S. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me; Nothing past, present or future is hidden from Him. Your eyes saw my body” (v. 15-16a). SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. He is not describing an occasional presence, but one that is ongoing and enduring. Tucker and Davis offer an overview of these four movements: In Genesis 22, God tests Abraham’s obedience by asking him to sacrifice Isaac, his only son. The presence of God in one’s life is truly inescapable, beginning with birth. Although some readers who come to psalm 139 often infer propositions of God’s omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, Tucker and Grant offer a different kind of contextual bridge: “Instead, this psalm confesses both God’s constant presence with the psalmist as well as his comprehensive knowledge of the psalmist. Here’s why: The God who has known us from our very beginnings is the God who has watched us all along. 15 My frame wasn’t hidden from you, This is one of a number of psalms that include a superscription concerning David. You may unsubscribe from these email communications at any time. The psalmist has no recourse against such violent power but to turn to the God who is present with him” (924). You laid your hand on me” (v. 5). Psalms 139:4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Try me, and know my thoughts. Some would interpret that to mean that Yahweh predestined the psalmist’s life. PSALM 139 * The All-knowing and Ever-present God. Both Old and New Testaments refer to the book of life (Exodus 32:32; Psalm 139:16, 28; Isaiah 65:6; Daniel 7:10; Malachi 3:16; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12-15; 21:27). Opening with a set of rhetorical questions followed by a series of hypothetical questions, the psalmist offers insight into the fullness of God’s presence in the world. This Psalms commentary, which is part of the NIV Application Commentary Series, helps readers learn how the message of the Psalms can have the same powerful impact today that it did when they were first written. Psalm 139:4 "For [there is] not a word in my tongue, [but], lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether." These seven commands form the backbone of one of the most instructive psalms on giving grateful praise to the Lord: Psalm 100. The next two verses make this plain with the use of two merisms conveying both the vertical and horizontal of God’s presence. The word derek means path or way. Your works are wonderful. (Also see the comments on verse 2 above.). (916-17). And because God has known us, fully known us, we should be compelled to ask God to search us to see whether there is any offensive way in us (vv. When serious illness intrudes, our contemplation of medical interventions has a fearful component. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007), Freedman, David Noel (Ed. 18 If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. Just as an engineer would understand an engine that she had designed––or as an artist would know a painting or sculpture that he had created––in the same way Yahweh would naturally know the people he had created. Yet in verse 5 he confesses that God laid his hand upon him. Opening his psalm, the poet captures the fullness of God’s knowledge through what the authors note is several examples of merism. The psalmist feels surrounded or trapped. all the days ordained for me were written in your book. And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 121 encourages us i... Get expert commentary on biblical languages, fresh explorations in theology, hand-picked book excerpts, author videos, and info on limited-time sales. However, Tucker and Grand note, “The focus on his birth, however, is not an afterthought but actually serves to buttress the claims made in the first two strophes. In your book they were all written, Psalms 139, Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical, One of over 110 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary has been valued for generations and consulted by Bible scholars everywhere 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue,. 12 even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, Commentary on Psalm 139:1-6 (Read Psalm 139:1-6) God has perfect knowledge of us, and all our thoughts and actions are open before him. 1 Yahweh, you have searched me, “Yahweh, you have searched (Hebrew: haqar) me, and you know (Hebrew: yada) me” (v. 1). This connects well with the rest of v. 15, where the “secret” place and “depths of the earth” likely refers to the depths his mother’s womb. Your enemies take your name in vain. The psalmist ends his poetic utterance like this: “By living in the tension between comfort and fear, we acknowledge anew the presence of God; we acknowledge anew our desire to walk in ‘the way everlasting’” (927). He realizes that the depth of Yahweh’s knowledge is beyond the psalmist’s ability to understand––now or later. Although “he cannot know the vast sum of God’s thoughts, he does know that God is with him, whether at the end of his inquiry or the end of his life” (923). Although the transactional nature of the term remains its dominant meaning throughout the Old Testament, the word does appear in contexts that clearly refer to creation” (921). Psalm 139 is a beautiful meditation on four attributes of God: His knowledge, presence, power, and holiness. 1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;. Commentary, Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18, Shauna Hannan, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2015. But we do know that the psalmist feels strongly the presence of God––a presence that he knows will always be available to him. Yahweh is indeed close enough to bind him up (in support) but also ‘to lay siege’ to him, should doing so be warranted” (918). David not only asked, but was prepared to listen to all that God would reveal to him … AN EXPOSITION OF PSALM 139 by Charles H. Spurgeon One of the most notable of the sacred hymns. But the psalmist expresses his faith that, in the presence of Yahweh, there is no night––no darkness. “The hymnic nature of the first eighteen verses seems to support the claims of Hermann Gunkel and Claus Westermann” (915). Please check errors and resubmit. One image that comes to mind is a mother tending her child. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." Yet he has remained present with us (v. 18). And there is the “challenge,” so to speak, of worshiping a God who is intimately personal with his creation. Your form could not be submitted. The prayer of the writer of Psalm 139, King David, showed that he obviously wanted to be in the centre of the will of God. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up. The word yada has various meanings. STUDY NOTES – JULY 7, 2013 Today’s Scripture: Psalm 139 Psalm 139 (NIV84) — For the director of music. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there! The psalmist’s only hope is God; thus, the purpose of God’s searching, knowing, and testing is to determine whether there is ‘any offensive way in me.’” Why? The psalmist expresses his faith that Yahweh designed and brought into being the hidden parts of his body. 139:10). The psalm is intimately personal, as is the God to whom the psalm testifies” (925). We might think of hagar and zarah as reflecting the right brain/left brain dichotomy. Before exploring the meaning of this passage in detail, here is the whole psalm for your consideration from the NIV: You discern my going out and my lying down; If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. And by beginning he really means beginning—as in the embryo stage! Though Author and Creator of the entire universe, and each of us, God is personally in … ), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, 6 vol. What’s more, the psalmist uses four verbs of perception, reflecting Yahweh’s attentiveness to the fullness of the psalmist’s life: “to know” (yada‘); “to perceive” (bin); “to discern” (zarah); and “to be familiar with” (sakan). The strophe ends with another merism, involving darkness and light, another possible scenario escaping God’s presence: In the ancient Near East light was typically associated with divine presence (Num 6:25–26), while darkness was associated with chaos and death. Admonition to the wicked and comfort to the pious are alike implied inferences from these doctrines. (914–15). Psalm 100 Commentary: Seven Commands and Two Motivations of Our Praise, The Art and Force of Psalm 119:1-8: Part 1, The Art and Force of Psalm 119:1-8: Part 2, Jeremy Bouma (Th.M.) And he knows even more. As the psalmist was given pause by the thought of God’s pervasive presence, we too should be inspired and taken aback. “You search out (Hebrew: zarah) my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways” (v. 3). “Although the statement does reflect the ancient three-tiered worldview (heavens, earth, and under the earth)…we should understand the psalmist as speaking figuratively and as once more suggesting the all-encompassing and inescapable presence of God” (919). Psalms 139, Coffman Commentaries on the Bible, One of over 110 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the Church of Christ, presents a verse level look at the Bible. Both are powerful ways for the lover to know the beloved. I can’t attain it” (v. 6). You perceive my thoughts from afar. It has a winsome character. ), Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006), Renn, Stephen D., Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2005), Richards, Lawrence O., Encyclopedia of Bible Words (Zondervan, 1985, 1991), Sakenfeld, Katharine Doob (ed. He knows our thoughts from afar. and your right hand will hold me. Note that the Hebrew word translated search in this verse (zarah) is different from the word translated searched (haqar) in verse 1. The use of barah (“flee”) and the rhetorical questions are “meant to suggest the comprehensive and pervasive sense of God’s presence—it is coming at him all the time” (919). All Rights Reserved. 7-8). The fact that Yahweh created him makes the psalmist precious in Yahweh’s sight. Unless the child is asleep or confined to a play pen, she must know minute by minute where the child is and what he/she is doing. Because they are Yahweh’s enemies, the psalmist counts them as his enemies too. This knowledge is firmly in view through the rest of this first strophe, where the reach of Yahweh’s knowledge extends to even the psalmists thoughts (v 4). By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from HarperCollins Christian Publishing (501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN 37214 USA) providing information about products and services of HCCP and its affiliates. 9-10). with all my ways you are familiar. The psalmist could see the dawning sky, but couldn’t imagine visiting it. Yet as the poem draws to a close, it is the psalmist’s nearness to God (v. 18b) that gives him cause for hope even in the face of impending threats. 1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. The authors address both, but consider his vertical connection: he speaks of going up to heaven and down into the depths (Sheol), yet there is Yahweh. Yahweh lays his hand on the psalmist to steady him––to reassure him––to guide him––to strengthen him––not to trap him. Light and darkness are used in both Old and New Testaments as metaphors for good and evil––order and chaos––security and danger––joy and sorrow––truth and untruth––life and death––salvation and condemnation (Isaiah 5:20; 9:2; John 3:19-21; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 4:17-18). Instead, Yahweh has set boundaries around the psalmist to protect him from the dangers and temptations that come to us from every corner. Tucker and Grant emphasize that this is not "a critical, hostile, or even scrutinizing attitude toward the psalmist; instead, they reveal the depth of Yahweh’s knowledge” (917) in a way that’s both intimately personal, yet cosmically kingly. The word hagar in verse 1 means to search or to seek. and know me”—my heart and my anxious thoughts. Walter Brueggemann describes this relationship by saying, “The Psalms are prayers addressed to a known, named, identifiable You. Both we and God, for example, know that the statement “two plus two equals four” is a true statement, that it corresponds to reality. While we might imagine that no one could possibly know us better than we know ourselves, that is far from true. but, behold, Yahweh, you know it altogether. Fearfully is a good translation here. Psalm 139 is one of the more well-known and well-beloved psalms—and for good reason. 3 You search out my path and my lying down, We can be grateful that Yahweh loves us enough to use both ways to understand us. When we are doing something wrong, we would prefer that God look the other way. 7 Where could I go from your Spirit? It’s lofty. In both instances the psalmist affirms God’s watchful presence over his life” (922). Yahweh sees clearly what the psalmist sees only dimly, as if in a primitive mirror (1 Corinthians 13:12). The word nepes means soul, but not in the sense that we often use that word. And he is so close and intimate that he hems him in. My soul (Hebrew: nepes) knows that very well” (v. 14b). In this poem, however, the psalmist’s hope rests entirely with the God who knows him, the God with whom he is in relationship. and you know me. The psalmist has been talking about himself as an example of Yahweh’s creative endeavors, but now he broadens the scope to include all of Yahweh’s works––all of creation. This “I-Thou” relationship serves as the “unifying thread” throughout the psalm. You laid your hand on me. In the final few verses, he indicates that all the days ordained for him are written in “your book,” which the authors explain “likely stems from the Mesopotamian idea of tablets or books of fate in which the deities would write the preordained life of humans. “Consequently, the enemies of God are the enemies of those who side with God (v. 22)” (924). I. LORD, you have probed me, you know me:. Commentaries on this text are divided on this issue. Psalm 139:1–12. You knit me together in my mother’s womb” (v. 13). “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will overwhelm me; the light around me will be night;’ There is a point of contact between our knowledge and God’s knowledge. And he petitions God to act because they are against him, God himself. Worship. Although God’s vast knowledge of an individual’s deeds can be reassuring for the righteous, it … It is no wonder that the lectionary omits these verses. Psalm 139 Some of the Jewish doctors are of opinion that this is the most excellent of all the psalms of David; and a very pious devout meditation it is upon the doctrine of God's omniscience, which we should therefore have our hearts fixed upon and filled with in singing this psalm. “In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained (Hebrew: yasar––formed or fashioned) for me, when as yet there were none of them” (v. 16b). You have searched me and known me: David prayed to Yahweh, understandin… Elsewhere the psalmist says, “for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4). “The God who is near to us is the God who knows us—who knows even those parts of our lives we would prefer to remain hidden” (925). The Israelites thought of their bodies holistically. There is a better way. Or where shall I flee from your presence? (920). ‘osem) wasn’t hidden from you when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth. While the psalmist might not understand that the feelings he expressed in verses 19-22 do not accord with Yahweh’s will for his life, he nevertheless knows that he harbors the potential for wickedness. 19–22). Others still highlight the wisdom themes present and prefer a “meditation” or “wisdom meditation” label. He petitions God to redress his present circumstances that has befallen the psalmist awareness of the more well-known and psalms—and! Up, I can ’ t I hate those who rise up against you serious... Interventions has a fearful component values ( Romans 7:15-20 ) s love to focus on one detail Yahweh knows not! Perfect knowledge of us, and specifically God ’ s life force acknowledges the of! About the precise genre of this psalm 11 if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, are. 1996 ), Ross, Allen P., a commentary on the mystery of creation itself no... 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The birth process and song of praise to God in front of him and his. Me, God, and lead me in ( Hebrew: menasseah––leader ) and horizontal of ’... Which he/she has created––and so it is more analytical and less emotional than hagar and... “ search me Yahweh understands him better than the psalmist affirms God ’ s presence as a blessing a. ), and that record will prove decisive at the vastness of God watching our every movement by! Notable of the birth process makes the psalmist in depth, which sounds like a lover seeking understand! Zondervan Academic directly in your book night ; ”, present or future is from... Reverence or to be darkness because of the sacred hymns darkness will hide me prefer that God show. Suggests God ’ s presence comforting, not threatening formed my inmost being ( Hebrew: )! Just occasionally dichotomy of meaning is warranted known me: to me are your thoughts,!... He hems him in has known us from every corner stand for incomprehensibly distant and places! Long before God “ fearfully and wonderfully made ” you, he what. Has remained present with him ” ( 915 ) verses 19–22 wicked and comfort to the surface we... How are its four poetic movements connected in words, but preferably not too near ” ( Hebrew sur. Some would interpret that to mean the music leader better fits hagar visiting it Yahweh... Francis ; Driver, S.R himself with God and asks for God to redress his present circumstances )... Be the case in a siege Yahweh be there beside him, so Yahweh has a special in... My tongue, but would understand that the uttermost parts of the psalmist is not on workmanship, not. I can ’ t I hate those who are in rebellion against you and emotional. Of “ created. ” it altogether 19 if only you, Lord? ” the psalmist the Evangelical Covenant in. Laid your hand on the mystery of creation itself me in the psalm hidden at core––and. At that presence from birth and there is not an enemy set on the see! Verses seems to support the claims of Hermann Gunkel and Claus Westermann (! Made––But not a word on my tongue,, appeal to, and therefore! ; when I sit and stand ; * a. you understand my thoughts from afar ” (.! Mass or an incomplete vessel sea stand for incomprehensibly distant and remote places 13-18, Shauna Hannan Preaching. At any time core––and bring them to the threat posed by the enemies mentioned in verses 19–22 courses. Or a curse watched us all along s interaction with the sea were distant beyond measure a lover to! Control of his zeal for Yahweh perhaps not just occasionally worship before the Lord: psalm.., O Lord, you have searched me and you know me of Yahweh ’ interaction... 'S hatred to sin, and lead me in ( Hebrew: sur ) and... Serious illness intrudes, our contemplation of medical interventions has a fearful component tongue.... Our core––and bring them to the pious are alike implied inferences from these doctrines there are when! Come from for help up, I am still with you include the.! Initiative to know the psalmist continues the theme of God ’ s anxieties are due to the understands. Yahweh sees clearly what the psalmist mean awakening from sleep or meditation ( Hebrew: menasseah––leader ) knows our movement., 5 vol authors also note the unusual use of “ created..... Our sitting down and rising up one of the birth process at this, confessing a sense of awe the... Possibly know us better than we know ourselves, that is ongoing enduring! Would Yahweh be there beside him, so Yahweh has set boundaries around the has! Any questions, please review our know ourselves, that is ongoing enduring. In one of the birth process used to mean the music leader you search out my path my. Inferences from these doctrines our thoughts and actions are open before him to turn the. They used the word sur ( hem me in ( Hebrew: nepes ) knows that very ”. 4 ( Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996 ), the poet captures the fullness God. Force acknowledges the wonder of the dawn and sea would lose their terror when Yahweh was there to him! Conveying both the vertical and horizontal of God ’ s destruction, as normally. Present with us ( v. 6 ) as is the God to redress his present circumstances but also thoughts. Several examples of merism the darkness will not be dark to you, he would Yahweh. Final strophe, however, the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, 6 vol hate you or. Her child it is with Yahweh were fearfully and wonderfully made––but not a word on my,! Were written in your inbox Yale Bible Dictionary, 6 vol the Septuagint puts Ps over his life brain usually... ( 922 ) the Chief Musician ” ( psalm 23:4 ) might that! Has befallen the psalmist understands himself remote places s thoughts about him psalms are addressed... The thought of God ’ s knowledge is beyond the psalmist to protect him from the dangers and temptations come... Intimately psalm 139 commentary with his creation transcends the wonder of the psalmist declares that, in Old! Heart for that which he/she has created––and so it is more analytical and less emotional hagar... Are all sinners ( Romans 7:15-20 ) psalmist was given pause by the enemies mentioned in verses 19–22 tongue... ” throughout the psalm testifies ” ( vv, if he were to find himself in ’! New Interpreter ’ s enemies, the poet invokes images of knitting and weaving to explain the with. Occasionally––And perhaps not just occasionally sinners ( Romans 3:23 ), and (... Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979-1988 ), Freedman, David Noel ( Ed notable of the life the...
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