Read Psalm 139
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Go Deeper
David celebrates and finds comfort in knowing we have a God who knows us and is with us. The overall message is a reminder of God’s character and why we can praise Him.
“You have searched my thoughts and know me” (v. 1) clearly states God understands us on a deep level. He knows our thoughts, actions, past and future. He knows the good and the bad. He knows our shame and our success. There are no secrets between us and God. There is not a detail too small. Matthew 10:30 tells us He even knows how many hairs we have on our head! His omniscience combined with love lets us know there is a level of intimacy in our relationship with Christ. His love comes from a place of deep, personal caring that goes beyond any love we have on this earth. How beautiful is our God who fully understands everything about us and loves us anyway.
His amazing love for us is so much more than knowing us, though. He is also omnipresent. His ever-presence means He is never far from us and nothing can ever separate us from Him. Romans 8:38-39 offers a similar message, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” It is comforting to know that in every moment God is with us. Since He has always been with us, He has known us since before we were born and has always had a plan for our future (v. 16).
What are we supposed to do in response? David tells us in verse 14. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful.” We are called to worship God and celebrate Him. We praise Him for loving us, knowing us and being with us. Whether it is through worship, prayer, or sharing God with others, we have been invited to celebrate God and ask, “search me, God, and know my heart.”
Questions
- In verse 14, a better translation would be that we are “fearfully set apart.” What does this mean for us? How does this change the message of the verse for you?
- How does God’s omniscience (all-knowing) and omnipresence (all-present) make you feel?
- What stood out to you most in this chapter?
Quote
“It’s not just that God knows everything- he knows me. It’s not just that God is everywhere- He is everywhere with me. It’s not just that God created everything–He created me.”
David Guzik
3 responses to “Psalm 139”
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
This verse is definitely one of my top 10!
What a fascinating and insightful combination of words, “wonderfully” and “fearfully”! We are all handmade by the hands of our loving Heavenly Father!
This passage is one that would be amazing to go verse by verse so that you could retain the amazingness of God from each verse. BUT GOD wants us to know so very well about Him. A commentary stated “The main point of Psalm 139 is that God’s knowledge of us is not merely intellectual; it is relational.” Nicely put because it is so true. The Word of God is truth, wisdom, knowledge and God will give us the understanding to be able to have that relationship with Him from this knowledge, not just head knowledge but heart relationship knowledge.
When we sit down
rise up
walk down a path
lie down
before I speak
You are before me
behind me
protect me
all is beyond comprehension
God is everywhere
He knew me before my mother’s womb
I am fearfully and wonderfully made
My innermost being knows how wonderful Your works are
You know me start to finish and all in between
You think about me more than there are grains of sands
And You want a relationship with ME
God thank You for this knowledge. Thank You, God for truly searching me and I know that I know that You know my heart. Lead me to and in the way everlasting, getting rid of any grievous way in me. God thank You for how well You know and still love me with that Hesed love. Even before I think the thought You know. You are always with me in all I do. Thank You for the minutes of this day that I can show others who You are by my actions towards them and all others around me. Help me when I have those difficult moments to turn my thoughts back to You. God continue to help me be a blessing to You in all I say and do that is what my ultimate goals is, Your glory and honor be known by You, for You and only to You in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!
Oh, the richness of this psalm of David! May we fully realize that not only are we created by God, but we are kept by his right hand. “How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast are the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand” (v17-18). The lyrics of “He Will Hold Me Fast” by Keith & Kristyn Getty resonated with Psalm 139:
https://youtu.be/3OOphIgGkjM?is=yJmNW2KdWnbeNJc-