For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
Psalm 139:4 continues David’s meditation on the perfect knowledge of God. The psalm begins, “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me” (v.1). The LORD knows David’s downsitting and uprising, understands his thought afar off, compasseth his path and lying down, and is acquainted with all his ways (vv.2-3). Verse 4 brings that searching knowledge to the tongue. God not only knows where David goes and what David thinks; He knows every word connected to David’s mouth.
“For.” This word connects verse 4 to what came before. God is acquainted with all David’s ways, for there is not a word in his tongue unknown to the LORD. Speech is part of a man’s way. Words do not stand outside the life. They reveal thoughts, affections, motives, fears, pride, faith, anger, love, and folly. If God knows the tongue, He knows one of the clearest streams flowing from the heart.
“There is not a word.” The statement is absolute. Not one word escapes God’s knowledge. Not a loud word, not a whispered word, not a bitter word, not a flattering word, not a careless word, not a prayerful word, not a word spoken in secret, not a word spoken in public. Men may forget words after speaking them, but God does not. Men may excuse words as small, but God knows them altogether.
This should make every tongue tremble. Jesus warned that men shall give account in the day of judgment for every idle word they shall speak (Matthew 12:36-37). If idle words are accounted for, then lying words, proud words, cruel words, unclean words, murmuring words, and slanderous words will not be ignored. Psalm 139:4 teaches that no word is lost in the air. God knows it.
“In my tongue.” David names the member of speech. The tongue forms words, but the heart supplies them. Jesus said, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). Therefore God’s knowledge of the tongue is also knowledge of the heart behind the tongue. He knows not only the sound, but the source. He knows whether words are true or false, humble or proud, faithful or deceitful, loving or malicious.
This phrase also reaches words before they are fully spoken. A word “in my tongue” may be forming, intended, prepared, or ready to come forth. Before it leaves the mouth, the LORD knows it. Men only hear speech after it is uttered; God knows it before utterance. The word that has not yet reached another man’s ear is already open before Him.
“But, lo.” This calls for wonder. David pauses over the truth. “Lo” is not filler; it marks astonishment. The knowledge of God is not ordinary knowledge enlarged. It is divine, immediate, complete, and inescapable. David is not simply saying that God hears well. He is confessing that God knows altogether what no creature could know at all.
“O LORD.” David addresses Jehovah directly. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah, the self-existent and faithful God of His people. The One who knows every word is not a weak observer, but Jehovah Himself. This makes the verse both comforting and fearful. The faithful God knows the cries of His saints, and the holy God knows the words of the wicked.
“Thou knowest it.” God’s knowledge is personal and particular. He knows the word itself. He knows its meaning, motive, measure, occasion, tone, and end. Men often mishear, misunderstand, exaggerate, forget, or twist words. God never does. He knows words exactly as they are. His judgment of speech is perfect because His knowledge of speech is perfect.
This is a comfort to the falsely accused. Men may twist the words of the righteous, report them partially, remove them from context, or assign motives never intended. But the LORD knows. He knows what was said, why it was said, how it was said, and what was not said. David, often slandered by enemies, could rest in the God who knew his tongue altogether.
It is also a comfort in prayer. Sometimes the saint’s words are weak, broken, confused, or mingled with tears. He may not express his burden well. He may be unable to speak fully. But God knows the word in the tongue before it is formed. He knows the sigh, the cry, the groan, and the plea. “LORD, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee” (Psalm 38:9).
“Altogether.” This completes the doctrine. God’s knowledge is not partial. He does not know the word roughly, outwardly, or generally. He knows it altogether. Nothing about the word is hidden from Him. Its truth, falsehood, purpose, pride, fear, faith, deceit, tenderness, cruelty, necessity, rashness, or wisdom is fully known.
This should restrain speech. If the LORD knows every word altogether, then the mouth should not be opened carelessly. A man should ask whether his words are true, necessary, gracious, timely, and pleasing to God. David prayed elsewhere, “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3). Psalm 139:4 gives strong reason for that prayer.
This verse also rebukes hypocrisy. A man may speak well before men while hiding corruption in his intent. He may use smooth words to cover envy, religious words to cover pride, gentle words to cover malice, or careful words to conceal falsehood. But the LORD knows the word altogether. No man can deceive God by polishing the sentence while corrupting the heart.
It also rebukes foolish confidence in private speech. Men often speak differently when they think few are listening. They are bolder in gossip, railing, jesting, complaining, and slander when the audience is small and trusted. But Psalm 139:4 destroys that false safety. There is always a Hearer. The LORD knows every word before, during, and after its utterance.
Yet the verse is not given to produce despair in the righteous. The God who knows all words is also the God who can cleanse the heart and govern the mouth. The next proper response is prayer: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). Since God knows the word and the meditation, both must be brought under His rule.
Jesus Christ is the perfect pattern of a mouth wholly known and wholly acceptable before God. No guile was found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22). He never spoke rashly, falsely, proudly, foolishly, or sinfully. He spoke the Father’s words with perfect faithfulness, saying, “whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak” (John 12:50). Men watched His words to entangle Him, but God knew every word altogether and was well pleased.
Psalm 139:4 therefore teaches the searching knowledge of Jehovah over every word. There is not a word in the tongue unknown to Him. Let the wicked fear, for their secret words are not secret. Let the righteous take comfort, for their prayers, groanings, and misunderstood words are known perfectly. Let every saint govern his mouth before the God who knows speech altogether, and let him pray for words that are true, holy, gracious, and acceptable in the sight of the LORD.
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
Psalm 139:4 continues David’s meditation on the perfect knowledge of God. The psalm begins, “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me” (v.1). The LORD knows David’s downsitting and uprising, understands his thought afar off, compasseth his path and lying down, and is acquainted with all his ways (vv.2-3). Verse 4 brings that searching knowledge to the tongue. God not only knows where David goes and what David thinks; He knows every word connected to David’s mouth.
“For.” This word connects verse 4 to what came before. God is acquainted with all David’s ways, for there is not a word in his tongue unknown to the LORD. Speech is part of a man’s way. Words do not stand outside the life. They reveal thoughts, affections, motives, fears, pride, faith, anger, love, and folly. If God knows the tongue, He knows one of the clearest streams flowing from the heart.
“There is not a word.” The statement is absolute. Not one word escapes God’s knowledge. Not a loud word, not a whispered word, not a bitter word, not a flattering word, not a careless word, not a prayerful word, not a word spoken in secret, not a word spoken in public. Men may forget words after speaking them, but God does not. Men may excuse words as small, but God knows them altogether.
This should make every tongue tremble. Jesus warned that men shall give account in the day of judgment for every idle word they shall speak (Matthew 12:36-37). If idle words are accounted for, then lying words, proud words, cruel words, unclean words, murmuring words, and slanderous words will not be ignored. Psalm 139:4 teaches that no word is lost in the air. God knows it.
“In my tongue.” David names the member of speech. The tongue forms words, but the heart supplies them. Jesus said, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). Therefore God’s knowledge of the tongue is also knowledge of the heart behind the tongue. He knows not only the sound, but the source. He knows whether words are true or false, humble or proud, faithful or deceitful, loving or malicious.
This phrase also reaches words before they are fully spoken. A word “in my tongue” may be forming, intended, prepared, or ready to come forth. Before it leaves the mouth, the LORD knows it. Men only hear speech after it is uttered; God knows it before utterance. The word that has not yet reached another man’s ear is already open before Him.
“But, lo.” This calls for wonder. David pauses over the truth. “Lo” is not filler; it marks astonishment. The knowledge of God is not ordinary knowledge enlarged. It is divine, immediate, complete, and inescapable. David is not simply saying that God hears well. He is confessing that God knows altogether what no creature could know at all.
“O LORD.” David addresses Jehovah directly. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah, the self-existent and faithful God of His people. The One who knows every word is not a weak observer, but Jehovah Himself. This makes the verse both comforting and fearful. The faithful God knows the cries of His saints, and the holy God knows the words of the wicked.
“Thou knowest it.” God’s knowledge is personal and particular. He knows the word itself. He knows its meaning, motive, measure, occasion, tone, and end. Men often mishear, misunderstand, exaggerate, forget, or twist words. God never does. He knows words exactly as they are. His judgment of speech is perfect because His knowledge of speech is perfect.
This is a comfort to the falsely accused. Men may twist the words of the righteous, report them partially, remove them from context, or assign motives never intended. But the LORD knows. He knows what was said, why it was said, how it was said, and what was not said. David, often slandered by enemies, could rest in the God who knew his tongue altogether.
It is also a comfort in prayer. Sometimes the saint’s words are weak, broken, confused, or mingled with tears. He may not express his burden well. He may be unable to speak fully. But God knows the word in the tongue before it is formed. He knows the sigh, the cry, the groan, and the plea. “LORD, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee” (Psalm 38:9).
“Altogether.” This completes the doctrine. God’s knowledge is not partial. He does not know the word roughly, outwardly, or generally. He knows it altogether. Nothing about the word is hidden from Him. Its truth, falsehood, purpose, pride, fear, faith, deceit, tenderness, cruelty, necessity, rashness, or wisdom is fully known.
This should restrain speech. If the LORD knows every word altogether, then the mouth should not be opened carelessly. A man should ask whether his words are true, necessary, gracious, timely, and pleasing to God. David prayed elsewhere, “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3). Psalm 139:4 gives strong reason for that prayer.
This verse also rebukes hypocrisy. A man may speak well before men while hiding corruption in his intent. He may use smooth words to cover envy, religious words to cover pride, gentle words to cover malice, or careful words to conceal falsehood. But the LORD knows the word altogether. No man can deceive God by polishing the sentence while corrupting the heart.
It also rebukes foolish confidence in private speech. Men often speak differently when they think few are listening. They are bolder in gossip, railing, jesting, complaining, and slander when the audience is small and trusted. But Psalm 139:4 destroys that false safety. There is always a Hearer. The LORD knows every word before, during, and after its utterance.
Yet the verse is not given to produce despair in the righteous. The God who knows all words is also the God who can cleanse the heart and govern the mouth. The next proper response is prayer: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). Since God knows the word and the meditation, both must be brought under His rule.
Jesus Christ is the perfect pattern of a mouth wholly known and wholly acceptable before God. No guile was found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22). He never spoke rashly, falsely, proudly, foolishly, or sinfully. He spoke the Father’s words with perfect faithfulness, saying, “whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak” (John 12:50). Men watched His words to entangle Him, but God knew every word altogether and was well pleased.
Psalm 139:4 therefore teaches the searching knowledge of Jehovah over every word. There is not a word in the tongue unknown to Him. Let the wicked fear, for their secret words are not secret. Let the righteous take comfort, for their prayers, groanings, and misunderstood words are known perfectly. Let every saint govern his mouth before the God who knows speech altogether, and let him pray for words that are true, holy, gracious, and acceptable in the sight of the LORD.