You understand my thoughts from afar.
This part of the verse speaks to God's ability to perceive our innermost thoughts, even from a distance. The term "afar" can imply both physical distance and the depth of our inner being. This suggests that no thought is hidden from God, aligning with Hebrews 4:12-13, which describes the Word of God as discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Theologically, this underscores the concept of God's omnipresence and omniscience, attributes that are unique to the God of Israel compared to the limited deities of surrounding cultures. This understanding of God's nature is foundational to the biblical worldview, where God is both transcendent and immanent, fully aware of and engaged with His creation.

“You know when I sit and when I rise;”

• God is fully aware of the most ordinary movements we make—whether we lower ourselves into a chair or stand to our feet. Nothing slips past His eye (cf. Psalm 121:3; Proverbs 5:21).

• This awareness is personal. “You know” echoes the intimate language of Psalm 23:1 and John 10:14, where the Lord is portrayed as Shepherd who knows each sheep by name.

• The phrase covers the entire cycle of daily activity, hinting that every moment is under His loving gaze—as Jesus affirmed when He said, “Even the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30).

• God’s knowledge is continuous; He does not need updates or reminders (Isaiah 40:28). When you sit down exhausted or when you leap up energized, He is already present and attentive.

• Since He is this attentive, we can rest from performance-driven anxiety (Matthew 6:8) and walk in honest transparency (Psalm 62:8).

“You understand my thoughts from afar.”

• God does not merely observe behavior; He reads motives and reflections before they crystalize into words (1 Chronicles 28:9; Hebrews 4:13).

• “From afar” stresses that distance—whether spatial, emotional, or spiritual—never blocks His perception (Jeremiah 23:23-24). Even when we feel far from Him, He is near, discerning every inner dialogue (Psalm 34:18).

• His understanding is complete, not partial. He “tests the hearts” (Jeremiah 17:10) and sees the unspoken fears, desires, and doubts we barely recognize ourselves.

• Because He comprehends us so deeply, confession becomes a liberating act rather than a risky exposure (1 John 1:9). We are revealing nothing He does not already know, and we meet grace, not surprise.

• Christ demonstrated this divine insight when “He knew what was in a man” (John 2:25) and yet offered life and invitation (Matthew 11:28-30).

Psalm 139:2 assures us that the Lord’s knowledge is both exhaustive and affectionate. He tracks every movement and discerns every thought, unimpeded by distance or complexity. This truth anchors us in comfort—no circumstance escapes His notice—and calls us to wholehearted honesty, knowing we are fully known and fully loved.

Thought.--An Aramaic form found nowhere else, but, from one possible derivation ("companion"), meaning the thoughts which are inseparable companions, most intimate thoughts.

Comp. Macbeth 3:2:

"How now, my lord? Why do you keep alone,

Of sorriest fancies your companions making?"

Afar off.--Exactly as in Psalm 138:6. Jehovah notes and recognises the proud from afar off, so here though He has His home in heaven He knows what are the thoughts and feelings amid which a man habitually lives. (Comp. Job 22:12-13.) The Hebrew expression literally means, thou hast intelligence as to my thought from afar, an Aramaic expression. . . .