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?
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