ccccxxxv.
Ps. cxxxix. 1 — 12. 0 Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my dowjL-sitting and mine up-rising ; thou understandest my thoughts afar ojf-'. Thou compassest my path, and my lying doivn, and art acquainted with all my ways : for there is not a word in my tongue, hut, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, a7id laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonder-" fulfor me; it is high^ I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit P or whither shall I flee from thy pre^ sence f" If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there ; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morni77g, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even thei-e shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall he light about me. Yea, the darkness hidetk not from thee ; but the night shineth as the day : the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
DAVID was a man bitterly persecuted and greatly calumniated. Nothing could exceed the acrimony with which Saul pursued him to take away his life. But David had the comfort of a good conscience : and he often appealed to the heart-searching God to attest his innocence of those crimes that were laid to his charge. It is probable that such were his cir- cumstances when he composed this psalm ; and that, when traduced by men, he consoled himself with the reflection, that every thought of his heart was fully known to God. The sentiments are delivered in an immediate address to the Deity himself: and they are such as ought to be deeply impressed on every mind.
Let us in our comment on this passage consider,
I. The truths here acknowledged —
David asserts in a most solemn manner the omni- presence of the Deity —
[Certain it is, that God is everywhere present. " If we should go up to heaven, he is there ; or down to the grave or the abodes of departed spirits, he is there." There is no point of, space where he is not, or where he is not as wholly and entirely present as in heaven itself. " The heaven cannot contain him." He himself puts the question to every Child of
man ;
472 PSALMS, cxxxix. 1 — 12. [435.
man ; " Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him ? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth ? saith the Lord''." It is in vain therefore for us to think of hidin- ourselves from him, since in everyplace "he besets ns both behind and before, and so layj his hand upon us," that it is not possible for us to escape. He is present with us, '^ to lead us," if we seek his guidance ; or " to hold us," if we would attempt to run from him.]
Together with the omnipresence of the Deity, the Psalmist further asserts also his omniscience —
[The eyes of God are continually upon the ways of the chil- dren of men. What men know only by searching, God knows by a single glance of his eye, and as perfectly, as if he had *' searched" with the utmost care and diligence into its minutest parts and circumstances of every transaction. Even the thoughts, yea, and every imagination of the thoughts of men's hearts, are open to him, together with the whole frame and habit of our minds. Are we retiring to rest, or lying upon our bed, or rising from thence after our night's repose ? he knows precisely in what state we are. He sees whether we are calling our ways to remem- brance, and hun^bling ourselves before him, and imploring mercy at his hands, together with grace that we may seiTC him more acceptably; or whether our minds be running out after earthly objects, and occupied about the things of time and sense. Do we go forth to our respective callings ? he sees Uy what motives we are actuated, and by what principles we are governed. What- ever fraud we may practise in our dealings with men, or whatever artifice we may use tv; promote our own interests, he is privv to if : on the other hand, wliHtever dispositions we may exercise, or actions we may perfoim, for the glory of his name, he beholds that also. We may be so unostentatious, that even our right hand may. not know what our left hand doeth : but he knoweth it, and marks it with his special favour. So likewise in the pub- lic assemblies of his people, he sees whether in our devotions we be humble, fervent, and believing; or whether we hqve a mere form of godliness, without the power of it. In a word, wherever we be, in public or in private, he knoweth infinitely more of us than the best instructed Christian in the universe can know of liimself : " Such knowledge is too wonderful for us; we cannot attain unto it." As for light or darkness, it makes no difference to him : " the night and the day to him are both alike." " All things" without exception, even the most hidden recesses of the heart, " arc miked and open bef.)re him ;" as the inujojt parts of the sacrifices, v\ hen cut down the bapk-borie, were to the priest appointed to inspect them''.]