Psalm 139 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Psalm 139 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment


1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

(139:2-3, 7) According to these verses, God knows and sees everything. But several other verses deny this.
Does God know everything?
Does God know what is in everyone's heart?

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

"If I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there." (God is in hell.)
It seems clear to me that the definition of omnipresent is indeed present everywhere. But in the Old Testament the word sheol mostly, if not exclusively, means grave. So as John Gill explains:

though rather this is to be understood of the grave, in which sense the word is often used; and so Kimchi, Aben Ezra, and Arama, interpret it of the lowest parts of the earth, as opposed to heaven; the grave is a bed to the saints, where they lie down and rest, and sleep till the resurrection morn, Job 14:12; and here the Lord is watching over and keeping their dust, and will raise it up again at the last day.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

(139:19-22) The psalmist excels at hating. He hates people with a "perfect hatred" and asks God to kill them.
The psalmist does not speak of people in general as the author of the SAB makes it appear. What should ones attitude be towards sin, towards evil, and in particular to murder (verse 19) and blasphemy (verse 20)? Should that not be utterly rejected? And what should our attitude be towards those that love these things? What is the attitude of the author of the SAB towards killers? Ambivalence? Or does he utterly reject those that murder?

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.