Satisfaction in thinking upon the all-knowing Creator and Judge 

Verses 1-6 set forth the omniscience of God, and verses 7-12, His omnipresence. Knowledge of these ought to check and awe us in our daily walk. Often we live unmindful of these two divine attributes, and it would be exceedingly profitable to remember them. It would strengthen our faith and improve our sanctification, to realise that His eye and presence are always on and with us. 

But the psalm has strong Messianic content, for verses 14-16 describe the creation of His human nature in Mary’s womb. The holy thing within her truly was wonderfully, fearfully and curiously produced, without paternal involvement. Christ is the only One with no wicked way within Him.

-Pastor Jeff O’ Neil

Recommended Tune: Rhyddid

Psalm 139

¹O LORD, thou hast me search’d and known.
²Thou know’st my sitting down,
And rising up; yea, all my thoughts
Afar to thee are known.

³My footsteps, and my lying down,
Thou compassest always;
Thou also most entirely art
Acquaint with all my ways.

⁴For in my tongue, before I speak,
Not any word can be,
But altogether, lo, O LORD,
It is well known to thee.

⁵Behind, before, thou hast beset,
And laid on me thine hand.
⁶Such knowledge is too strange for me,
Too high to understand.

⁷From thy Sp’rit whither shall I go?
Or from thy presence fly?
⁸Ascend I heav’n, lo, thou art there;
There, if in hell I lie.

⁹Take I the morning wings, and dwell
In utmost parts of sea;
¹⁰Ev’n there, Lord, shall thy hand me lead,
Thy right hand hold shall me.

¹¹If I do say that darkness shall
Me cover from thy sight,
Then surely shall the very night
About me be as light.

¹²Yea, darkness hideth not from thee,
But night doth shine as day:
To thee the darkness and the light
Are both alike alway.

¹³For thou possessed hast my reins,
And thou hast cover’d me,
When I within my mother’s womb
Inclosed was by thee.

¹⁴Thee will I praise; for fearfully
And strangely made I am;
Thy works are marv’llous, and right well
My soul doth know the same.

¹⁵My substance was not hid from thee,
When as in secret I
Was made; and in earth’s lowest parts
Was wrought most curiously.

¹⁶Thine eyes my substance did behold,
Yet being unperfect;
And in the volume of thy book
My members all were writ;

Which after in continuance
Were fashion’d ev’ry one,
When as they yet all shapeless were,
And of them there was none.

¹⁷How precious also are thy thoughts,
O gracious God, to me!
And in their sum how passing great
And numberless they be!

¹⁸If I should count them, than the sand
They more in number be:
What time soever I awake,
I ever am with thee.

¹⁹Thou, Lord, wilt sure the wicked slay:
Hence from me bloody men.
²⁰Thy foes against thee loudly speak,
And take thy name in vain.

²¹Do not I hate all those, O LORD,
That hatred bear to thee?
With those that up against thee rise
Can I but grieved be?

²²With perfect hatred them I hate,
My foes I them do hold.
²³Search me, O God, and know my heart,
Try me, my thoughts unfold:

²⁴And see if any wicked way
There be at all in me;
And in thine everlasting way
To me a leader be.