Psalms 139:17,18 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

How precious also, &c. “From the wonders of God's forming hand, the psalmist proceeds to those of his all-directing providence, which afford additional proofs of the divine omniscience and omnipresence.” Are thy thoughts unto me Thy counsels, or contrivances, in my behalf, which are admirable and amiable in my eyes, and replete with kindness. Thou didst not only form me at first, but ever since my conception and birth thy thoughts have been employed for my good, preserving, providing for, and blessing me. How great is the sum of them! Thy gracious counsels, designs, and providential dispensations toward me are numberless. If I should count them Hebrew, אספרם, rather, shall I count them? that is, shall I attempt to count them? They are more in number than the sand I might as well undertake to number the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with thee Thy wonderful counsels and works on my behalf come constantly into my mind, not only in the day-time, but even in the night-season, whenever I awake. “The thoughts and counsels of Jehovah,” says Dr. Horne, “concerning David, his appointment to the throne, his troubles, and his preservation in the midst of them, were precious and delightful subjects of meditation and praise, never to be exhausted of the rich matter they contained. With these in his mind he lay down at night, and when he awoke in the morning his thoughts naturally recurred to the pleasing theme. He began where he had left off, and found himself, in heart and soul, still present with God, still ruminating on him and his works.”