The opening verse expresses the theme of the psalm. God knew David intimately because of His penetrating examination. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Psalm 139:1-13 - The All-Seeing God
The psalmist speaks as if there were only two beings in the universe-God and himself. In all literature there is no nobler conception of the divine attributes.
God's omniscience, Psalms 139:1-6. The downsittings of life are times of weariness, depression, failure, shortcoming, and inconsistency, when we are far short of our best. Our uprisings are our strongest, happiest, holiest moments, when we are at our best. God knows all. He cannot be surprised. He besets us before-the future is full of Him-and behind, as the wave follows closely in the wake of the bather or the rear guard the march. His hand is laid upon us, shielding and protecting. His winnowing-fan is ever detecting every grain of wheat and extracting it from the chaff.
God's omnipresence, Psalms 139:7-12. It is impossible to flee from God. However thick the foliage, it cannot separate the sinner from those eyes of love and fire. This thought is terrible to those who are not at peace with Him, but delightful to those who love. Be of good cheer, lonely one; thy night of sorrow is as the day-full of Him. [source]
Chapter Summary: Psalm 139
1David praises God for his all-seeing providence 17And for this infinite mercies 19He defies the wicked 23He prays for sincerity
What do the individual words in Psalms 139:1 mean?
For the Chief Musicianof DavidA PsalmYahwehYou have searched meand known [me]
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָצַח
Sense: to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring.
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: חָקַר
Sense: to search, search for, search out, examine, investigate.