Psalms 139:3
Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
Original Language Analysis
אָרְחִ֣י
my path
H734
אָרְחִ֣י
my path
Strong's:
H734
Word #:
1 of 6
a well-trodden road (literally or figuratively); also a caravan
זֵרִ֑יתָ
Thou compassest
H2219
זֵרִ֑יתָ
Thou compassest
Strong's:
H2219
Word #:
3 of 6
to toss about; by implication, to diffuse, winnow
וְֽכָל
H3605
וְֽכָל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
4 of 6
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
Cross References
Job 31:4Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?Jeremiah 23:24Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.Psalms 139:18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.Ecclesiastes 12:14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.Isaiah 29:15Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?2 Samuel 11:27And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
Historical Context
In David's era, paths were dangerous—bandits, wild animals, harsh terrain. The imagery of God 'compassing' or encircling one's path evoked both protection and examination. Similarly, lying down in ancient tents offered little privacy. David uses these realities to illustrate that nothing in human life escapes divine awareness.
Questions for Reflection
- If God is 'winnowing' your path, what chaff (worthless pursuits or sins) might He be separating from the wheat?
- What do you do in private ('lying down') that you wouldn't do if you were fully conscious of God's presence?
- How familiar (<em>sakan</em>) is God with your habitual 'ways'—and what do those patterns reveal about your heart?
Analysis & Commentary
Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways—The verb zarah (זָרָה, 'compassest') means to winnow or sift grain, examining every kernel. God sifts our path (journey, course of life) and our lying down (rest, private life). The phrase art acquainted comes from sakan (סָכַן), meaning to be familiar through careful observation, like a neighbor who knows your habits.
God's knowledge isn't abstract but detailed and specific. He knows not just that we travel but every step of the journey; not just that we rest but the quality of our sleep and the thoughts that keep us awake. Every way (derek, דֶּרֶךְ)—our habits, choices, patterns of behavior—stands open before Him. This is total transparency before absolute holiness.