Psalm 139 is the 139th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me". In Latin, it is known as "Domine probasti me et cognovisti me". The psalm is a hymn psalm. Attributed to David, it is known for its affirmation of God's omnipresence. Alexander Kirkpatrick states that "the consciousness of the intimate personal relation between God and man which is characteristic of the whole Psalter reaches its climax here". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible, and in the Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 138. The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It has often been set to music.

Background and themes

According to the Midrash Shocher Tov, Psalm 139 was written by Adam. Verses 5 and 16, for example, allude to the formation of the First Man. Abramowitz explains that the themes of the psalm relate to Adam, while David wrote the actual words. Psalm 139 is part of the final Davidic collection of psalms, comprising Psalms 138 through 145, which are attributed to David in the first verse. Verse 16 is the only place in the Tanakh where the word, from the same root as the term golem, appears. In describing the creation of Adam hour by hour, the Talmud states that in the second hour the dust from the earth was gathered into a golem (unformed mass) (Sanhedrin 38b). A Midrash on Genesis 5:1 also describes Adam's creation as a golem of immense size, stretching from one end of the earth to the other. This is reflected in verse 16, in which Adam says to God, "Your eyes saw my golem". The psalm addresses God, or, in Jewish tradition, YHWH, and the speaker calls out and establishes a salutation and an understanding of what they know God to be. The psalmist goes on to marvel at the omnipresence of God even in the most secret of places, and praise God for his vast knowledge of the future. Finally, the psalmist concludes by asking God to "slay the wicked" and stands against them, assuring God of their fervor, asking to be tested and led in the correct path. The psalmist praises God; terms of supreme authority, and being able to witness everything on heaven, earth and in the underworld. Through this psalm, the psalmist insists on God being the only true God and challenges anyone to question their faith.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

King James Version

Use

Judaism

Catholic Church

Since the Middle Ages, this psalm was recited or sung during the Vespers office on Thursday, according to the Rule of St. Benedict, established in 530. Because of its length, it was divided into two, and from "dixi: Tenebrae Forsitan conculcabunt me" (verse 11) was executed as a division. The Vespers on Thursday thus had only three psalms instead of four. In the current Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 139 is recited at Vespers, but also on Wednesdays of the fourth week of the main four weekly cycle of liturgical prayers. In the liturgy of the Mass, it is played or sung for the Feast of St. John the Baptist.

Other

Psalm 139:13 has been used by both the pro-life and LGBT movements as a blessing and a source of support for their activities. The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention sponsors the Psalm 139 Project, which aims to place ultrasound machines in crisis pregnancy centers as a means of convincing pregnant women not to abort their unborn child.

Psalm 139 in music

The hymn "Ob ich sitze oder stehe" (Whether I sit or stand), of the genre Neues Geistliches Lied, by Eugen Eckert is based on Psalm 139.

Classical music

Heinrich Schütz composed a metred paraphrase of Psalm 139 in German, "Herr, du erforschst mein Sinne", SWV 244, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628.

Jazz

Contemporary Christian music

In literature

Verses 9-10 feature in the short story Ved det yderste Hav (The uttermost parts of the sea) by Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen.