13 For Thou—Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou dost cover me in my mother's belly. 14 I confess Thee, because that 'with' wonders I have been distinguished. Wonderful 'are' Thy works, And my soul is knowing 'it' well. 15 My substance was not hid from Thee, When I was made in secret, Curiously wrought in the lower part of earth. 16 Mine unformed substance Thine eyes saw, And on Thy book all of them are written, The days they were formed—And not one among them.
17 And to me how precious have been Thy thoughts, O God, how great hath been their sum! 18 I recount them! than the sand they are more, I have waked, and I am still with Thee. 19 Dost Thou slay, O God, the wicked? Then, men of blood, turn aside from me! 20 Who exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity 'are' Thine enemies. 21 Do not I hate, Jehovah, those hating Thee? And with Thy withstanders grieve myself? 22 'With' perfect hatred I have hated them, Enemies they have become to me. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts, 24 And see if a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a way age-during!
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 139:13-26
Commentary on Psalm 139:7-16
(Read Psalm 139:7-16)
We cannot see God, but he can see us. The psalmist did not desire to go from the Lord. Whither can I go? In the most distant corners of the world, in heaven, or in hell, I cannot go out of thy reach. No veil can hide us from God; not the thickest darkness. No disguise can save any person or action from being seen in the true light by him. Secret haunts of sin are as open before God as the most open villanies. On the other hand, the believer cannot be removed from the supporting, comforting presence of his Almighty Friend. Should the persecutor take his life, his soul will the sooner ascend to heaven. The grave cannot separate his body from the love of his Saviour, who will raise it a glorious body. No outward circumstances can separate him from his Lord. While in the path of duty, he may be happy in any situation, by the exercise of faith, hope, and prayer.
Commentary on Psalm 139:17-24
(Read Psalm 139:17-24)
God's counsels concerning us and our welfare are deep, such as cannot be known. We cannot think how many mercies we have received from him. It would help to keep us in the fear of the Lord all the day long, if, when we wake in the morning, our first thoughts were of him: and how shall we admire and bless our God for his precious salvation, when we awake in the world of glory! Surely we ought not to use our members and senses, which are so curiously fashioned, as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. But our immortal and rational souls are a still more noble work and gift of God. Yet if it were not for his precious thoughts of love to us, our reason and our living for ever would, through our sins, prove the occasion of our eternal misery. How should we then delight to meditate on God's love to sinners in Jesus Christ, the sum of which exceeds all reckoning! Sin is hated, and sinners lamented, by all who fear the Lord. Yet while we shun them we should pray for them; with God their conversion and salvation are possible. As the Lord knows us thoroughly, and we are strangers to ourselves, we should earnestly desire and pray to be searched and proved by his word and Spirit. if there be any wicked way in me, let me see it; and do thou root it out of me. The way of godliness is pleasing to God, and profitable to us; and will end in everlasting life. It is the good old way. All the saints desire to be kept and led in this way, that they may not miss it, turn out of it, or tire in it.