Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 139:2
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
2. Thou knowest ] Thou is emphatic. It is God alone Who possesses this absolute knowledge of His creatures.
my downsitting and mine uprising ] My whole life, at rest or in activity. Cp. Psa 127:2; Deu 6:7.
thought ] The word used here and in Psa 139:17 is an Aramaism, found here only in the O.T.
afar off ] Cp. Psa 138:6; Jer 23:23. The P.B.V. long before is also a possible rendering. Neither space nor time exist for God.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Thou knowest my downsitting … – In the various circumstances of life, thou knowest me. Thou knowest me in one place as well as in another. I cannot so change my position that thou will not see me, and that thou wilt not be perfectly acquainted with all that I say, and all that I do. In every posture, in every movement, in every occupation, thou hast a full knowledge of me. I cannot go out of thy sight; I cannot put myself into such a position that thou wilt not see me.
Thou understandest my thought – Hebrew, As to my thought. That is, Thou seest what my plans are; what I design to do; what I am thinking about. A most solemn reflection! How unwilling would bad people be – would even good people be – to have those round about them know always what they are thinking about.
Afar off – Not when the thought is far off; but thou, being far off, seest us as clearly as if thou wert near. I cannot go to such a distance from thee that thou wilt not see perfectly all that I am thinking about.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. My downsitting and mine uprising] Even these inconsiderable and casual things are under thy continual notice. I cannot so much as take a seat, or leave it, without being marked by thee.
Thou understandest my thought] lerei, “my cogitation.” This word is Chaldee, see Da 2:29-30.
Afar off.] While the figment is forming that shall produce them.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Known me, i.e. known me exactly, as men do those things which they diligently search out.
My downsitting and mine uprising; all my postures and motions, my actions and my cessations from action.
My thought; all my secret counsels and designs.
Afar off; before they are perfectly formed in my mind. Thou knowest what my thoughts will be in such and such circumstances long before I know it, yea, from all eternity.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising,…. Here the psalmist proceeds to observe the particular circumstances and actions of his life, which were known to God; as his “downsitting”, either to take rest, as weary persons do. Schultens a explains it of the quiet rest in sleep; this the Lord knew when he betook himself to it, and to whose care he committed himself and family; under whose protection he laid himself down, and on whom he depended for safety, Ps 4:8. Or, since lying down to sleep is afterwards mentioned, this may respect sitting down at table to eat and drink; when the Lord knows whether men use the creatures aright, or abuse them; whether they receive their food with thankfulness, and eat and drink to the glory of God: or else this downsitting was to read the word of God, and meditate upon it; so the Targum paraphrases it,
“my sitting down to study the law.”
When men do this, the Lord knows whether in reading they understand what they read, or read attentively and with affection; whether it is to their comfort and edification, and for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness; whether their meditation on it is sweet, and is attended with profit and pleasure. “Uprising” may respect either rising from bed, when the Lord knows whether the heart is still with him, Ps 139:18; what sense is had of the divine protection and sustentation, and what thankfulness there is for the mercies of the night past; and whether the voice of prayer and praise is directed to him in the morning, as it should be, Ps 3:5; or else rising from the table, when the Lord knows whether a man’s table has been his snare, and with what thankfulness he rises from it for the favours he has received. The Targum interprets this of rising up to go to war; which David did, in the name and strength, and by the direction, of the Lord;
thou understandest my thought afar off; God knows not only his own thoughts, but the thoughts of men, which none but themselves know; by this Christ appears to be truly God, the omniscient God, being a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, Mt 9:3 Heb 4:12. God knows what thoughts his people have of him, and of his lovingkindness in Christ; what thoughts they have of Christ himself, his person, offices, and grace; what thoughts they have of themselves, their state, and condition: he knows all their vain thoughts, and complains of them, and which also they hate; and all their good thoughts, for they come from him. And he knows them “afar off”, or “of old” b, even before they are; so Aben Ezra interprets it, a long time past, and compares it with Jer 31:3; where the same word is rendered “of old”: God knows the thoughts of his people, as well as his own, from all eternity; see Isa 25:1; as he knew what they would say and do, so what they would think; he knows thoughts that are past long ago, and forgotten by men, or were unobserved when thought; how else should he bring them into judgment? or though he is afar off in the highest heavens, yet he sees into the hearts of men, and is privy to all their thoughts.
a Animadv. Philol. p. 181. b “q. d. dum illa longe abest”, Piscator; “longe ante quam incidat in animum meum”, Gejerus, & Campensis in Ibid.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Down-sitting and uprisingas in Deu. 6:7, to denote the whole daily lifebusiness and rest.
Thought.An Aramaic form found nowhere else, but, from one possible derivation (companion), meaning the thoughts which are inseparable companions, most intimate thoughts.
Comp. Macbeth 3:2:
How now, my lord? Why do you keep alone,
Of sorriest fancies your companions making?
Afar off.Exactly as in Psa. 138:6. Jehovah notes and recognises the proud from afar off, so here though He has His home in heaven He knows what are the thoughts and feelings amid which a man habitually lives. (Comp. Job. 22:12-13.) The Hebrew expression literally means, thou hast intelligence as to my thought from afar, an Aramaic expression.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Downsitting and uprising That is, my hours of rest and of activity, my most retired and most familiar life.
Afar off Literally, From afar. From thy remotest heaven thou knowest me as if I were before thee. See Psa 138:6
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
I would not make a chasm in the reading of these verses, because the latter of them, according to my view, throw a light upon the former. It may, no doubt, be truly said by David, and by every man like David, that the Lord that made us, knows whereof we are made, and that nothing can escape his all-pervading eye. He knoweth our down-sitting, and our uprising, and understandeth our thoughts afar off; everywhere, and in all places, he is present, and seeth an d knoweth all things. But though such thoughts might, and would be propel to be kept alive in our remembrance, if there were no other, nor higher reasons, than what such solemn considerations are calculated to inspire, to induce the corresponding effect upon the mind of man; yet, I venture to believe, a far more glorious subject is proposed to our consideration; and surely it is our wisdom, as well as our happiness, to make inquiry concerning it. If we suppose (as many other parts of scripture, and particularly the psalms, lead us to suppose) that a greater than David is here, shall not the true believer in Jesus find comfort and delight, if the least glimpse be seen in these expressions of Him, whom truly to know is life eternal? Joh 17:2 . Supposing then that we contemplate the whole of this Psalm as spoken by David, typically considered, as David’s Lord, let us consider how the several expressions are applicable to him, from the authority of scripture. The speaker, be he whom he may, here saith, that the Lord covered him in his mother’s womb; and he adds, I am fearfully, and wonderfully made. All this, it may be said, is generally and universally true, considered only as referring to the formation of the human frame, and the same, it may be said, is equally true of all God’s works in creation. But the terms fearfully and wonderfully made, certainly imply somewhat of a more than ordinary work in the act of creation. Now if we refer to the individual body of Christ, and take in the other passages of scripture in confirmation, we find a suited correspondence to such particular and striking expressions. The apostle Paul, commenting upon the prophecy of David concerning Christ, as set forth in Psa 40 saith, Wherefore, when he cometh into the world he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me, Heb 10:5 . And how this body was prepared, the angel, who announced to Mary the miraculous conception, explained, when he said, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, Luk 1:35 . Here was a body prepared, that might duly be said to be fearfully and wonderfully made. For this was not only a new thing (being contrary to the common mode of generation, and without the intervention of a human father) but is yet farther, fearful and wonderful, in that it was without the act of the mother also, she being altogether passive in it. For it is not said that Christ was begotten of a woman, but made of a woman; and as such Christ is elsewhere called the man from heaven, 1Co 15:47 . The Holy Ghost then being the great agent in this formation of Christ’s body, it may be truly and properly said, that Christ was fearfully and wonderfully made. Christ was indeed made secret, and curiously wrought in the dark place of the virgin’s womb, called the lowest parts of the earth. And moreover, that expression is exactly corresponding to this, wherein it is said, Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect, and in thy book all thy members were written. The members of Christ’s mystical body are said to be . written in the Lamb’s book of life, Phi 4:3 ; Rev 21:27 ; this cannot be said with strict propriety of the mere formation of any man, nor any set of men, who by the divine volition are called into existence in a moment, as when God said, Let there be light, and there was light, Gen 1:3 . Hence when God would make man, he said, Let us make man, Gen 1:26 . But we never read of a book, where the members of each were written before their creation. Put all these things together, and I conceive, that without violence to the words, we may infer that what is said in this Psalm, is said with peculiar reference to Christ.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 139:2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Ver. 2. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising ] All my postures, gestures, practices, sive sedeam, sive surgam, whether I sit, stand, walk, lie; thou searchest and knowest all. Some search, but know not; thou dost both; thine eyes behold, thine eyelids try, the children of men, Psa 11:4 . See Trapp on “ Psa 11:4 “
Thou understandest my thought
Afar off
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
downsitting . . . uprising. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species), App-6, put for all movements.
thoughts inward thought. Occurs only here and in Psa 139:17.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
knowest: Psa 56:8, Gen 16:13, 2Ki 6:12, 2Ki 19:27, Pro 15:3, Isa 37:28, Zec 4:10
understandest: Psa 94:11, Mat 9:4, Luk 9:47, Joh 2:24, Joh 2:25, 1Co 4:5
afar off: Eze 38:10, Eze 38:11, Eze 38:17
Reciprocal: Exo 14:3 – Pharaoh Deu 31:21 – I know 1Sa 16:7 – on the heart 2Sa 12:9 – to do evil 1Ch 28:9 – the Lord 2Ch 32:31 – to try him Job 10:7 – Thou knowest Job 22:14 – General Job 42:2 – no Psa 1:6 – knoweth Psa 19:12 – secret Psa 31:6 – hated Psa 40:9 – thou knowest Psa 119:151 – near Psa 138:6 – afar off Psa 142:3 – then thou Jer 17:10 – the Lord Jer 23:25 – heard Lam 3:63 – their sitting Eze 11:5 – for Eze 20:32 – that which Amo 4:13 – and declareth Mat 12:25 – Jesus Mar 2:8 – Why Luk 5:22 – perceived Luk 16:15 – God Joh 1:48 – when Joh 6:64 – For Act 15:8 – which 1Co 8:3 – is 2Co 10:5 – every thought 1Th 2:4 – but God Heb 4:12 – and is
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
139:2 Thou knowest my {a} downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
(a) He confesses that neither our actions, thoughts or any part of our life can be hid from God, though he seems to be far off.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The psalmist employed a figure of speech (merism) to express completeness (Psa 139:2). In merisms, the opposites named represent everything in between them. God knew every move David made. Furthermore, He understood his motives as well as his actions. "Afar" probably refers to time rather than space. The "Thou" or "You" is emphatic in the Hebrew text. God also knew David’s daily activities (Psa 139:3). This is another merism with going out and lying down representing a whole day’s activities. Psa 139:4 presents the greatest proof of God’s omniscience. Before David spoke, the Lord knew what he was about to say.