Psalm 139:5

5 Von hinten und von vorn hast du mich eingeengt, und auf mich gelegt deine Hand.

Psalm 139:5 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 139:5

Thou hast beset me behind and before
Art on every side of me, all around me, like one besieged in a strait place; so that there is nothing I can think, say, or do, but what is known unto thee. The two Kimchis, father and son, render the word, "thou hast formed me": and interpret it of the formation of his body, of which, in ( Psalms 139:14-16 ) ; see ( Job 10:8 Job 10:10 Job 10:11 ) but it denotes how God compasses men with his presence and providence, so that nothing escapes his knowledge;

and laid thine hand upon me;
not his afflicting hand, which sometimes presses hard; though the Targum thus paraphrases it,

``and stirred against me the stroke of thine hand:''

but rather his hand of power and providence, to preserve, protect, and defend him. Or it signifies that he was so near to him that his hand was upon him, and he was perfectly known; as anything is that is before a man, and he has his hand upon.

Psalm 139:5 In-Context

3 Du sichtest mein Wandeln und mein Liegen und bist vertraut mit allen meinen Wegen.

4 Denn das Wort ist noch nicht auf meiner Zunge, siehe, Jehova, du weißt es ganz.

5 Von hinten und von vorn hast du mich eingeengt, und auf mich gelegt deine Hand.

6 Kenntnis, zu wunderbar für mich, zu hoch: ich vermag sie nicht zu erfassen!

7 Wohin sollte ich gehen vor deinem Geiste, und wohin fliehen vor deinem Angesicht?