Psalms 139:1 Meaning and Explanation
“O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Before we say a word about ourselves, God has already searched us through and known us completely.
The Context of Psalms 139:1
This is the opening line of Psalm 139, David's great meditation on being fully known by God. The whole psalm unfolds from this first sentence, exploring how God knows his sitting and rising, his words before he speaks them, his form in the womb. Everything that follows is simply this verse opened out.
What Does Psalms 139:1 Mean?
David opens with something personal rather than a general fact about God: thou hast searched me. The word for searched is the language of digging, of exploring a place thoroughly, leaving no corner unexamined. God has done this to him, and the result is that He has known him. This is the kind of knowing that goes past information to acquaintance, the way we know a beloved face. Nothing in David is hidden, the parts he is proud of and the parts he would rather bury, and he begins his prayer by simply naming that.
To be known that completely could be terrifying, except for who is doing the knowing. Jesus knew people all the way down: He knew the woman at the well had had five husbands, and yet He stayed and offered her living water (John 4:17 to 18). He looked at Nathanael and Peter and saw straight through them, and loved them still. The God who searches us in this verse is the same Christ who knows the worst and draws near anyway. To be fully known by Him is to be fully loved.
Psalms 139:1 in the Original Language
chaqar (חָקַר), 'searched' -- to explore, examine, and probe thoroughly, as one searches out the depths of a thing.
How to Apply Psalms 139:1 Today
Many of us fear that if we were truly known, we would not be loved. This verse meets that fear at its root. God has already searched us completely and knows everything, and in Jesus He has shown that He draws near to the fully known and loves them still.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 139:1
What does Psalms 139:1 mean?
Before we say a word about ourselves, God has already searched us through and known us completely.
What is the context of Psalms 139:1?
This is the opening line of Psalm 139, David's great meditation on being fully known by God. The whole psalm unfolds from this first sentence, exploring how God knows his sitting and rising, his words before he speaks them, his form in the womb. Everything that follows is simply this verse opened out.
How can I apply Psalms 139:1 today?
Many of us fear that if we were truly known, we would not be loved. This verse meets that fear at its root. God has already searched us completely and knows everything, and in Jesus He has shown that He draws near to the fully known and loves them still.