Psalms 138:3
Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off: my path and my line thou hast searched out.
Open Psalms 138:3 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Intellexisti cogitationes meas de longe ; semitam meam et funiculum meum investigasti :
- Septuagint (Swete)
- τὴν τρίβον μου καὶ τὴν σχοῖνόν μου ἐξιχνίασας, καὶ πάσας τὰς ὁδούς μου πρόιδες,
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 139:3
- אָרְחִ֣י וְרִבְעִ֣י זֵרִ֑יתָ וְֽכָל דְּרָכַ֥י הִסְכַּֽנְתָּה
Haydock's commentary
Off. Before they were formed. (St. Chrysostom)
Line. Or the measure of my life and actions. (Calmet)
Hebrew, "my lying down," alluding to hares, &c., which are followed to their resting places. (Houbigant)
Some read, "my direction," (St. Hilary, &c.) or "limit." (St. Augustine) (Calmet)
The utmost extent of my intention, and the words yet unuttered, are not unknown to thee. (Worthington)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm CXXXIX
4. “Thou hast understood my thoughts from afar; Thou hast tracked out my path and my limit” ( ver. 3 ); “and all my ways Thou hast seen beforehand” ( ver. 4 ). What is, “from afar”? While I am yet in my pilgrimage, before I reach that, my true country, Thou hast known my thoughts.…The younger son went into a far country. After his toil and suffering and tribulation and want, he thought on his father, and desired to return, and said, “I will arise, and go to my father.” “I will arise,” said he, for before he had sat. Here then thou mayest recognise him saying, “Thou hast known my down-sitting and up-rising.” I sat, in want; I arose, in longing for Thy Bread. “Thou hast understood my thoughts from afar.” For far indeed had I gone; but where is not He whom I had left? Wherefore the Lord saith in the Gospel, that his father met him as he was coming. …