You know when I sit and when I rise;This phrase emphasizes God's omniscience, highlighting His intimate knowledge of our daily actions. In biblical times, sitting and rising were common activities that represented the entirety of a person's daily life. This reflects God's awareness of both mundane and significant moments. The idea of God knowing our actions is echoed in other scriptures, such as
Matthew 10:30, where even the hairs on our head are numbered. This knowledge is not just passive awareness but indicates God's active involvement and care in our lives. The cultural context of the ancient Near East often involved gods who were distant and uninvolved, contrasting with the personal relationship depicted here.
You understand my thoughts from afar.
This part of the verse speaks to God's ability to perceive our innermost thoughts, even from a distance. The term "afar" can imply both physical distance and the depth of our inner being. This suggests that no thought is hidden from God, aligning withHebrews 4:12-13, which describes the Word of God as discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Theologically, this underscores the concept of God's omnipresence and omniscience, attributes that are unique to the God of Israel compared to the limited deities of surrounding cultures. This understanding of God's nature is foundational to the biblical worldview, where God is both transcendent and immanent, fully aware of and engaged with His creation.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
David- The author of
Psalm 139, traditionally believed to be King David, who is expressing his awe at God's intimate knowledge of him.
2.
God- The central figure in this verse, depicted as omniscient and intimately aware of every detail of David's life.
3.
Sitting and Rising- These actions symbolize the entirety of a person's daily activities, emphasizing God's awareness of all aspects of life.
4.
Thoughts- Represents the inner life and mind of a person, which God understands completely, even from a distance.
5.
Afar- Indicates God's ability to perceive and understand from a distance, highlighting His omnipresence and omniscience.
Teaching Points
God's OmniscienceGod's knowledge of us is complete and perfect. He knows our actions and thoughts, which should lead us to live transparently before Him.
Intimacy with GodThe personal nature of God's knowledge invites us into a deeper relationship with Him. We can be honest and open in our prayers, knowing He understands us fully.
Comfort in God's PresenceKnowing that God is aware of our every move and thought can be a source of comfort, especially in times of loneliness or uncertainty.
Accountability to GodGod's awareness of our thoughts and actions calls us to live righteously and align our lives with His will, knowing that nothing is hidden from Him.
Trust in God's UnderstandingWe can trust that God understands our struggles and needs, even when we cannot articulate them ourselves. This trust should lead us to rely on His guidance and wisdom.
Lists and Questions
Top 10 Lessons from Psalm 139
What does the Bible say about mental health?
Can God perceive our thoughts?
Can God witness sin?
What is the meaning of Psalm 139:23?(2)
Down-sitting and uprising--as in
Deuteronomy 6:7, to denote the whole daily life--business 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.Macbeth3:2:
"How now, my lord? Why do you keep alone,
Of sorriest fancies your companions making?"
Afar off.--Exactly as inPsalm 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. . . .
Verse 2. -
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising. All that I do from one end of the day to the other.
Thou understandest my thought afar off;i.
e. while it is just forming - long before it is a fully developed thought.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Youאַתָּ֣ה(’at·tāh)Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859:Thou and thee, ye and youknowיָ֭דַעְתָּ(yā·ḏa‘·tā)Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3045:To knowwhen I sitשִׁבְתִּ֣י(šiḇ·tî)Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3427:To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marryand when I rise;וְקוּמִ֑י(wə·qū·mî)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6965:To arise, stand up, standYou understandבַּ֥נְתָּה(ban·tāh)Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 995:To separate mentally, understandmy thoughtsלְ֝רֵעִ֗י(lə·rê·‘î)Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 7454:Purpose, aimfrom afar.מֵרָחֽוֹק׃(mê·rā·ḥō·wq)Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7350:Remote, of place, time, precious
Links
Psalm 139:2 NIVPsalm 139:2 NLTPsalm 139:2 ESVPsalm 139:2 NASBPsalm 139:2 KJV
Psalm 139:2 BibleApps.comPsalm 139:2 Biblia ParalelaPsalm 139:2 Chinese BiblePsalm 139:2 French BiblePsalm 139:2 Catholic Bible
OT Poetry: Psalm 139:2 You know my sitting down and my (Psalm Ps Psa.) 
