September 1, 2006  

SOUNDING OUT:
Psalm 139

  Have you ever felt misunderstood? Have you ever wrestled at understanding yourself and why you do the things you do? David in Psalms 139 takes solace in his awareness or realization that although he was often misunderstood and that he was often unaware of all the "whys" and "wherefores" surrounding his life, God knew everything about him. God's omniscience and omnipresence were not theological doctrines for debate but the foundation of his life. In verses 1-6 we find what David's personal experience has taught him.

Psalms 139:1-6:
1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

  God knows the secrets of our hearts (Psalms 44:11), and David praises Him for His providence. Much is often said about man's search for and knowledge of God. David takes comfort in God's search and knowledge of him, although he acknowledges that such information is outside of his grasp. David's wonder proceeds even farther.

Psalms 139:7-12:
7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

  Not only does God know us, He is with us wherever we go. No matter where we may turn for rest or seclusion we cannot escape God's oversight. The modern proverb “that you may run, but you can't hide" certainly applies to our relationship with God. But our realization that escape and evasion is impossible forms a basis for honesty and candor that infuses our relationship with God with vitality. Our realization of God's omniscience and omnipresence should engender great wonder.

Psalms 139:13-18:
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

  Our relationship with God continues to develop as we become more and more aware of His power and presence in our lives.

Psalms 139:19-22:
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

  Those who do not respond to the realization of God's omniscience and omnipresence with wonder turn out bloody men, wicked men whose whose aim is to draw all into their pernicious ways. We must hold to our wonder and reject any one who tries to draw us away from our amazement of the goodness and splendor of God. As the Psalm closes we find the heart of the Psalmist returning to the comfort he expressed in verse one.

Psalms 139:23,24:
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

  When we invite God to explore our hearts, our desire for the deepest intimacy with Him blossoms. At the basis of this yearning is the reward we expect for building our relationship with God. If God knows my heart and tries my thoughts surely He will reveal to me what I need to know and understand about myself. He knows me fully and absolutely, and He still desires the pleasure of my company. He is not done with us yet as Philippians 1:6 guarantees. This examination may expose "wicked ways" or "ways of pain." His response to these pains and hurts we have endured and may still harbor is to lead us away from them into the "way everlasting."

  The deepest longings of our hearts and souls are realized when we grant the omnipotent One, the Creator of the heavens and the earth access to those remote regions of our lives. The great creative power of God is not just seen in the glory of the universe. His greatest work is still being done within the hearts and lives of those who invite Him in and desire His handiwork to transform their lives. As surely as He has set the sun, moon, and stars in their courses and our world continues according to His plan, He can set the human heart on course, too. We can be rooted , grounded, and established in the truth. His creative power sees no mightier display than when His work upon the human heart transforms selfishness to love and rebellion to obedience.

  Paul's words to Timothy speak of God's power to transform lives. Indeed, Paul's sees himself as a pattern to us who believe unto life everlasting.

I Timothy 1:12-17:
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
We, too, can see the eternal purposes of God worked out in our lives. God has searched and known us. He compasses our paths. Let's invite Him to go to work on our hearts. Aren't you interested in seeing and displaying the masterpiece of your life to the world?