Psalms 139:3

3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

Psalms 139:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 139:3

Thou compassest my path and my lying down
The Targum adds,

``to study in the law.''

His walk in the daytime, and every step he took, and his lying down at night. It denotes his perfect knowledge of all his actions, day and night; he surrounds every path of man, that they cannot escape his knowledge. Or, "thou winnowest", as some render the word F3; he distinguishes actions; he discerns and separates the good from the bad, or the goodness of an action from the evil and imperfection of it, as in winnowing the wheat is separated from the chaff. Or, "thou measurest my squaring" F4; all his dimensions, his length and breadth, as he lay down in his bed;

and art acquainted [with] all my ways;
the whole of his life and conversation, all his works and doings: God knows all the evil ways and works of his people; he takes notice of them, and chastises for them; and all their good works, and approves and accepts of them; he knows from what principles of faith and love they spring, in what manner they are performed, and with what views, aims, and ends; see ( Revelation 2:2 Revelation 2:19 ) ( Psalms 1:6 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F3 (tyrz) "ventilasti", Pagninus, Montanus; so Tigurine version and Ainsworth.
F4 (yebr) "quadraturam meam spithama mensurasti", Gussetius, p. 775. "spithama metiris", Cocceius.

Psalms 139:3 In-Context

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.
3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.
5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.