139:1 This opening verse expresses the theme of the psalm. God knew David intimately because of His penetrating examination.
139:2-4 The psalmist employed a figure of speech (merism) to express completeness (v. 2). In a merism, the opposites named represent everything in between them. God knew every move David made. Furthermore he understood his motives as well as his actions. "Afar"probably refers to time rather than space. The "Thou"or "You"is emphatic in the Hebrew text.
God also knew David's daily activities (v. 3). This is another merism with going out and lying down representing a whole day's activities.
Verse 4 presents the greatest proof of God's omniscience. Before David spoke, the Lord knew what he was about to say.
139:5-6 David responded to his own reflection by expressing the thought that God was confining him. This is often our initial reaction to God's omniscience. The writer also felt out of control in the presence of such vast knowledge. "Wonderful"is at the beginning of the sentence in the Hebrew text, which is the emphatic position. This word means extraordinary or surpassing (cf. 9:1). Yahweh's omniscience is too amazing for humans to comprehend.
