Psalm 139:1-6

1 Dem Vorsänger. Von David, ein Psalm. Jehova! Du hast mich erforscht und erkannt.

2 Du kennst mein Sitzen und mein Aufstehen, du verstehst meine Gedanken von ferne.

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!

Psalm 139:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. This psalm was written by David, when he lay under the reproach and calumnies of men, who laid false things to his charge; things he was not conscious of either in the time of Saul's persecution of him, or when his son Absalom rebelled against him: and herein he appeals to the heart searching and rein trying God for his innocence; and, when settled on his throne, delivered it to the master of music, to make use of it on proper occasions. According to the Syriac title of the psalm, the occasion of it was Shimei, the son of Gera, reproaching and cursing him as a bloody man, 2 Samuel 16:5. Theodoret takes it to be a prophecy of Josiah, and supposes that he is represented as speaking throughout the psalm. Aben Ezra observes, that this is the most glorious and excellent psalm in all the book: a very excellent one it is: but whether the most excellent, it is hard to say. It treats of some of the most glorious of the divine perfections; omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. Arama says, the argument of it is God's particular knowledge of men, and his providence over their affairs.