The Meaning of Psalms 139:4 Explained

Psalms 139:4

KJV: For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

YLT: For there is not a word in my tongue, Lo, O Jehovah, Thou hast known it all!

Darby: For there is not yet a word on my tongue, but lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether.

ASV: For there is not a word in my tongue, But, lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For [there is] not a word  in my tongue,  [but], lo, O LORD,  thou knowest  it altogether. 

What does Psalms 139:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 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: Psalms 139

1  David praises God for his all-seeing providence
17  And for this infinite mercies
19  He defies the wicked
23  He prays for sincerity

What do the individual words in Psalms 139:4 mean?

For [there is] not a word on my tongue [But] behold Yahweh You know it altogether
כִּ֤י אֵ֣ין מִ֭לָּה בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֑י הֵ֥ן יְ֝הוָ֗ה יָדַ֥עְתָּ כֻלָּֽהּ

אֵ֣ין  [there  is]  not 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
מִ֭לָּה  a  word 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלָּה  
Sense: word, speech, utterance.
בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֑י  on  my  tongue 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: לָשֹׁון  
Sense: tongue.
הֵ֥ן  [But]  behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
יְ֝הוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יָדַ֥עְתָּ  You  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כֻלָּֽהּ  it  altogether 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.