Keraia
Psalm 139

Psalm 139:20

You Have Searched Me and Known Me · Psalm 139:1–24
Read Psalm 139

Translations

Modern
…who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Traditional
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
Literal
…who speak against You for wickedness; Your enemies are lifted up to vanity.
Latin
…quia dicitis in cogitatione: Accipient in vanitate civitates tuas.

Original

Hebrew
English
…who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain.

Notes

Psalms 139:19–24

The psalmist’s sense of awe leads him to consider the wicked and to reflect on himself. The Lord, as the examiner of all people, judges the wicked for their destructive acts and speech. So, the psalmist prays that he will not be among them.

Psalms 139:1–24

In this wisdom psalm, the psalmist opens every part of his life to God. He invites God to examine his thoughts, actions, and words. Even though life is difficult, he wants to grow in wisdom so that he does not share in the judgment of the wicked (Psalm 141:5; 142:3; 143:8, 10; 144:3–4).

The psalmist also knows that he cannot escape from the Lord. His stress fades as he remembers that God has cared for him with love, even before he was born (Psalm 139:13–18). He ends by asking God to keep examining him and to guide him on the path of wisdom (Psalm 139:23–24).

Psalms 138:1–145:21

In this final group of psalms of David, psalms of praise and wisdom (Psalms 138–139, 145) form a frame around five psalms of lament (Psalms 140–144).

Glossary

Foreknowledge Imprecatory Psalms Music Psalms, Book of

Topics

Blasphemy: General Scriptures Concerning God: Knowledge of God: Not to be Profaned God: Profaned Sin: Repugnant to Righteous People