3. God is wherever I could be. "If I ascend to heaven", etc. "If I descend to Sheol", etc. If I travel with the sunbeams to the most distant part of the earth, or heavens, or the sea, I shall be in thy hand. No mention is here made of annihilation, as though that were possible; which would be the only escape from the Divine Presence; for he is not the God of the dead, of the annihilated, in the Sadducean meaning of the word, but of the living. Man is always somewhere, and God is always everywhere.— G.R.
Verse 8. The glory of heaven and the terror of hell: "Thou."
Verses 9-10.
1. The greatest security and encouragement to a sinner supposed.
a) The place—the remotest part of the sea; by which you are to understand the most obscure nook in the creation.
b) His swift and speedy flight after the commission of sin, to this supposed refuge and sanctuary: "If I take the wings of the morning."
2. This supposed security and encouragement is utterly destroyed (Ps 139:10).
— See Flavel's "Seaman's Preservative in Foreign Countries."
Verses 11-12. Darkness and light are both alike to God.
1. Naturally. "I form the light, and I create the darkness."
2. Providentially. Providential dispensations that are dark to us are light to him. We change with respect to him, not he to us.
3. Spiritually. "Let him that walketh in darkness", etc. "Yea, though I walk", etc. He went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide them by day, and a pillar of fire to guide them by night. It was the same God in the day cloud and in the night light.— G.R.
Verse 14. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. This is true of man in his fourfold state.
1. In his primitive integrity.
2. In his deplorable depravity.
3. In his regeneration.
4. In his fixed state in hell or heaven.
— W.W.
Verses 17-18. The Psalm dilates upon the omniscience of God. In no mournful manner, but the reverse.
1. God's thoughts of us.
a) How certain.
b) How numerous.
c) How condescending.
d) How tender.
e) How wise.
f) How practical.
g) How constant.
2. Our thoughts upon his thoughts.
a) How late and yet how due to the subject.
b) How delightful.
d) How consoling.
e) How strengthening to faith.
f) How arousing to love.
3. Our thoughts upon God himself.
a) They place us near God.
b) They keep us near God.
c) They restore us to him. We are with God when we awake from sleep, from lethargy, from death.
Verses 17-18.
1. The saint precious to God. He thinks of him tenderly; in countless ways; perpetually.
2. God precious to the saints. Noting God's loving kindnesses, numbering them, newly awakening to them.
3. The mingling of these loves: "I am still with thee."— W.B.H.
Verse 18. When I awake I am still with thee.
1. Awaking is sometimes, yea, most commonly, taken in the natural signification, for the recovery from bodily sleep.
2. Morally, for recovery from sin.
3. Mystically; "when I shall awake", that is, from the sleep of death.— T. Horton.
Verse 18. A Christian on Earth still in Heaven (an Appendix to "A Christian on the Mount; or, A Treatise concerning Meditation"), by Thomas Watson, 1660.
Verse 18. I am still with thee.
1. By way of meditation.
2. In respect to communion.
3. In regard of action, and the businesses which are done by us.— T. Horton.
Verse 19.
1. The doctrine of punishment the necessary outcome of omniscience.
2. Inevitable judgment an argument for separation from sinners.— W.B.H.
Verse 20. Two scandalous offences against God.
1. To speak slanderously of him.
2. To speak irreverently of him. These are committed only by his enemies.
Verses 21-22.
1. Such hatred one need not be ashamed of.
2. Such hatred one should be able to define: "grieved."
3. Such hatred one must labour to keep right. "Perfect hatred" is a form of hate consistent with all the virtues.
Verses 23-24. The language,
1. Of self examination.
a) As in the sight of God.
b) With a desire for the help of God: Ps 139:23. Look me through, and through, and tell me what thou thinkest of me.
2. Of self renunciation: "See if", etc. (Ps 139:24); any sin unpardoned, any evil disposition unsubdued, any evil habit unrestrained, that I may renounce it.
3. Of self dedication: "Lead me", etc.: a submission entirely to divine guidance in the future.— G.R.
Verse 24.
1. The evil way. Naturally in us; may be of different kinds; must be removed; removal needs Divine help.
2. The everlasting way. There is but one, we need leading in it. It is the good old way, it does not come to an end, it leads to blessedness without end.
Verse 24. ( last clause ).—See "Spurgeon's Sermons," No. 903: "The Way Everlasting."