Search me, O God, and know my heart
He had searched him, and knew his heart thoroughly;
try me, and know my thoughts;
he had tried him, and knew every thought in him, ( Psalms 139:1
Psalms
139:2 ) . This therefore is not said for the sake of God;
who, though he is the trier of hearts, and the searcher of the
reins, is indeed a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart at once, and knows immediately what is in man; and needs no
testimony of him, nor to make use of any means in order to know
him and what is within him: but David said this for his own sake,
that God would search and make known to him what was in his
heart, and try him by his word, as gold is tried in the fire; or
by anything difficult and self-denying, as he tried Abraham; or
by any afflictive providence; or in any way he thought fit to
make him acquainted thoroughly with himself. His sense is this,
that if he knew his own heart and thoughts, and the inward frame
and disposition of his soul, it was as he had expressed it; that
he was grieved with sinners, and hated those that hated the Lord,
even with a perfect hatred, and reckoned them as his enemies; but
if it was otherwise, he desired to be searched and tried
thoroughly, that it might be discovered: and he might say this
also on account of others, who charged him falsely with things he
was not conscious of; that never entered into his thoughts, and
his heart knew nothing of, and could not accuse him with; and
therefore he appeals to the heart searching God, that he would so
lay open things that his integrity and innocence might appear to
all; see ( Genesis 22:1
Genesis
22:12 ) ( Deuteronomy
8:2 ) ( 2
Chronicles 32:31 ) .