One of the sweetest things about children is their need to know that their parent is close by. If you go to the park, or sometimes even just to another room, you will often find your child checking to make sure they know exactly where you are. They need to know you can see them. They become uneasy if they can't see you. As soon as they know where you are they relax knowing they are safe.
Psalm 139: Experiencing God's All-Knowing Love
In Psalm 139 the psalmist speaks of God in similar ways. In Psalm 139: 1-6 he tells us that God knows everything about us. Not just us as a member of the human race, but us as an individual on an intimate level. What does God know about us?
He knows the most boring and mundane things about us. He knows when we get up and when we sit down, he knows all of our ways, the things we do, and the words on our tongue. Are we praising Him? He knows. Are we cursing in frustration? He knows that too.
God’s Protection and Guidance
Verse 5 says that "You hedge me behind and before". This means He protects us and when something happens it is because He has allowed it to happen. His hand is always guiding us, whether we realize it or not. Even when we feel weak, we can trust that He is near to strengthen us. All of this is too much for the psalmist to grasp. Although we should learn as much as possible about God, absolute understanding of who He is, is impossible.
God is Always Present
In verses 7-12, the psalmist explains not only does God know everything about us, no matter where we are or what we are doing God is near to us. I remember as a young person reminding myself many times, that if I was doing good or doing bad, God was there. If we really believed this in our heart of hearts it would give us pause when we choose to do bad.
He continues and tells us spiritual darkness can't hide from God because the "night shines like the day". Nothing we do is concealed from God. Everything, good or bad, is seen by Him.
God as Creator and Sustainer
In verses 13-16, we discover that not only does God know everything about us and is always present with us, He also is the One who formed us. While we were still in our mother's womb, God Himself cared for us and knew us intimately. Before we were born we mattered to God. He purposefully created each of us.
David says, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Even though David knew little of the science we call biology, he knew that the human body was a masterpiece of God's design. The more we learn about the workings of the human body the more amazing it is. All of this points to a creator God, not just accident.
In verse 16, the psalmist tells us that God knows everything about us, from the womb to the grave— everything we ever will do. The length of our lives, the impact we will have on others, for good or bad, He sees. This should fill us with humility. Proverbs 27:1 says we shouldn't boast about tomorrow because we don't know what tomorrow will bring. Each day we live is a blessing.
Our Response to God’s Greatness
How do we respond to the greatness of God? In verses 17-18, the psalmist rejoices. "How precious...", he begins. How precious, indeed, is the creator of the universe, who knows and cares so deeply for each one of us. Do we want to know Him better? Dive deep into His words and He will reveal Himself to us, His will for us, and how we should bless Him all of our days.
In this world we are often impressed when someone of power or influence notices us. We tell others when we meet such people. "I remember when I met the President" or "I remember when I went to a party with ______." How much more should it mean to us that God's thoughts towards us are so many they are like grains of sand, immeasurable, according to David.
Divine Justice and Transformation
David's focus shifts in verses 19-22. Because He is so overwhelmed with love and adoration for God, he calls on God for swift justice for those who "speak against you wickedly." Many times we don't understand how those who do evil things or speak against God are not punished, but often God's patience is greater than ours. Paul committed many evil acts against Christians until He met Jesus. From then on he was a transformed man who became a great missionary for our Lord.
The Call to Self-Examination
To end this beautiful psalm, David cries out in verses 23-24, and with humility asks God to "Search me, O God, and know my heart." The prophet Jeremiah says this about the heart, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" David knew only God could truly understand His heart. God knew him even better than he knew himself. We shouldn't ask God to search us if we haven't first searched ourselves. Have we examined our heart? Have we acted upon what we found out about ourselves?
Guarding Our Thoughts and Anxieties
David called on God to "know my anxieties". Why? Because these things are often proof that we have not placed our trust in God. Some translations say, "know my thoughts." Our thoughts can become fully formed into sin if we are not careful. Our Lord says in Matthew 15:19, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." God needs to be in control of our actions and our thoughts.
The world is busy today stoking our fear and anxiety. But Peter says to "cast your cares on Him for He cares for us"(1 Peter 5:7). Do we really believe that? Even the Lord's return, which should be a joyful time, has seemingly been turned into a source of worry for many. Let God show you the things that are causing you anxiety. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can truly give our cares to God.
Uncovering Hidden Sin
David knew that we don't always recognize the wickedness that lies within our hearts. He knew that we often deceive ourselves and think we are much better than we actually are. Humbly, he requested God to "see if there is any wicked way in me." David wanted God to expose any secret sin that he should repent of. We also should see the truth of Psalm 139 by experiencing God's all-knowing love, living each day with the knowledge that nothing is hidden from Him.
The Courage to Embrace the Truth
David's prayer takes courage. God may show some things about ourselves that we would rather not know. He may expose things that we have been doing that we have tried to deny. Our Father may show us that we have to take off our mask and face the truth about ourselves. We have to remember to thank Jesus that He is faithful and just to forgive us when we ask (1 John 1:9)!
The Invitation to Follow God’s Way
Finally, David asks God to, "lead me in the way everlasting." Contrary to the way of the wicked which leads to everlasting destruction, David asks God to lead him down His path. This is the way to eternal life with the God who David knew, knew everything about Him, was always with Him, and cared for Him more than He could comprehend. Paths that don't lead to God are dangerous paths.
When we love God like David did, we will be like that little child, always wanting to keep their eyes on their parent. When our eyes are on our Father God, then we can rest and feel at ease, knowing it is He that cares for us. It is He who is in charge of us and will lead us on right paths.
Do we want to be led in the way everlasting; the way of holiness that only the Holy Spirit offers us? Like Paul, we want to be able to say that we have kept the faith and that a crown of righteousness has been laid up for us (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
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