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Selected Verse: Psalms 139:5 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 139:5	King James	Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Thou hast beset me behind and before - The word rendered "beset" - צור tsûr - means properly to press; to press upon; to compress. It has reference commonly to the siege of a city, or to the pressing on of troops in war; and then it comes to mean to besiege, hem in, closely surround, so that there is no way of escape. This is the idea here - that God was on every side of him; that he could not escape in any direction. He was like a garrison besieged in a city so that there was no means of escape. There is a transition here (not an unnatural one), from the idea of the Omniscience of God to that of His Omnipresence, and the remarks which follow have a main reference to the latter. And laid thine hand upon me - That is, If I try to escape in any direction I find thine band laid upon me there. Escape is impossible.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Thou hast beset me behind and before - The word rendered "beset" - צור tsûr - means properly to press; to press upon; to compress. It has reference commonly to the siege of a city, or to the pressing on of troops in war; and then it comes to mean to besiege, hem in, closely surround, so that there is no way of escape. This is the idea here - that God was on every side of him; that he could not escape in any direction. He was like a garrison besieged in a city so that there was no means of escape. There is a transition here (not an unnatural one), from the idea of the Omniscience of God to that of His Omnipresence, and the remarks which follow have a main reference to the latter.

And laid thine hand upon me - That is, If I try to escape in any direction I find thine band laid upon me there. Escape is impossible.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Beset me - With thy all - seeing providence. And laid - Thou keepest me, as it were with a strong hand, in thy sight and under thy power.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

Beset me - With thy all - seeing providence. And laid - Thou keepest me, as it were with a strong hand, in thy sight and under thy power.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Thou hast beset me behind and before - אחור וקדם צרתני achor vekodam tsartani, "The hereafter and the past, thou hast formed me." I think Bishop Horsley's emendation here is just, uniting the two verses together. "Behold thou, O Jehovah, knowest the whole, the hereafter and the past. Thou hast formed me, and laid thy hand upon me."

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

Thou hast beset me behind and before - אחור וקדם צרתני achor vekodam tsartani, "The hereafter and the past, thou hast formed me." I think Bishop Horsley's emendation here is just, uniting the two verses together. "Behold thou, O Jehovah, knowest the whole, the hereafter and the past. Thou hast formed me, and laid thy hand upon me."

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