Psalms
Chapter 139
Lord, You Search Me and You Know Me
O Lord, you know me: you have scrutinized me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; beforehand, you discern my thoughts.
You observe my activities and times of rest; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is formed in my mouth, you know what it is all about, O Lord.
From front to back you hedge me round, shielding me with your protecting hand.
Your knowledge leaves me astounded, it is too high for me to reach.
Where else could I go from your Spirit? Where could I flee from your presence?
You are there, if I ascend the heavens; you are there, if I descend to the depths.
If I ride on the wings of the dawn, and settle on the far side of the sea,
even there, your hand shall guide me, and your right hand shall hold me safely.
Shall I say, “Let darkness hide me, I prefer the night as my light?”
But darkness, for you, is not dark; and night, for you, shines as the day.
It was you who formed my inmost part and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you for these wonders you have done, and my heart praises you, for your marvelous deeds.
Even my bones were known to you when I was being formed in secret, fashioned in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw the course of my days; they were all recorded in your book, before any of them came to be.
How difficult it is to grasp your thoughts, O God! Their number cannot be counted.
If I tried to do so, they would outnumber the sands; I am never finished with you.
If only you would slay the wicked, O God, and drive away from me the violent!
They rebel false-heartedly, your foes blaspheme your name.
I hate those who hate you, O Lord, and loathe those who defy you.
I hate them deeply; they have become my foes.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts.
See if my steps are going astray, and lead me in your eternal way.
Commentaries
139
This meditation on the wisdom, knowledge, and presence of God may have begun in response to the pressure from evildoers (19-22); someone has been falsely accused, perhaps of idolatry, and he turns to God in his plea. In this setting, he writes his poem. Our thoughts may drift and soar across the world, over the dazzling array of galaxies, and we can know that God is there, wherever our mind’s eye looks—and that he is also in the depths of our soul.
The human body is so divine that it reflects the image of God. The journey of this marvelous creation of God, the human being, is tenderly nurtured by divine care (16). Isn’t it irrational for anyone to hate the Lord when all good things come from him? The ways of God are beyond our understanding, and his wisdom is boundless (cf. Rom 11:33). God draws near to us and embraces us, not to condemn, but to lead us toward his love. If we want to experience divine love and recognize the dignity of man, it would be beneficial to pray with this beautiful psalm.
In the final verse 24, the psalmist expresses a desire to be led to eternal life. Fortunately for us, Jesus assures us, ‘Whoever believes has eternal life’ (Jn 6:47) and again, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me’ (Jn 14:6).