It is quite easy to find oneself in that situation, for since we live in a competitive society where people view each other as rivals and combatants, where style has replaced substance, where people are regarded as means to an end, rather than being considered as ends in themselves and so they are used, stepped on and stepped over. 

People constantly feel insignificant and unsure of themselves and they continue to ask themselves, “ Who am I?”  The more they consider life and their experiences is the more intensely they question who they really. This inevitably leads to trouble, as they try to compensate for the deficiencies that they think they have and present to the world what they consider to be an acceptable image.  

The 139th Psalm describes a man grappling with these problems.  It is a prayer containing elements of an individual complaint, a protest of innocence of charges evidently brought against him and his seeking for God to vindicate him.  

The writer is thinking about himself and his relationship to God and so we are taught about God’s intimacy with us. 

This Psalm is a compelling description of how God looks at man and how He considers his relationship to man.  This is the biblical view and it stands in opposition to how the world looks at human beings.  This is a most marvellous Psalm. 

It can be considered to be a love letter from God to tell us that we are precious in His sight and that he cares for us. We might not know Him, or even know much about him as we should, but he certainly knows us. 

In a powerful way it describes how close God is to us and how close he wants to be to us. Let us remember that God is not simply the ‘Exalted One in Heaven’, sitting on a throne before a massive sea of Angels, the King who reigns over us and all of creation. God is not satisfied simply to reign over us, but has created us in such a way as he did, because He desires to have a personal relationship with us on the deepest level. 

When believers begin to understand this and the proper meaning of Psalm 139, we will find that much of our identity problems and our struggles begin to lessen. 

We should try to understand who we are and who God is and continue to learn of God, because He is the true reality.  A study of His nature and work will change us if we belong to Him.   

One writer labels it as one of the most notable of the sacred hymns, for it proclaims the omniscience and omnipotence of God, indicates that men should hate evil, as well as those who constantly fight against God and their teachings; for God will certainly deal with them and their abominable and rebellious deeds.  We should count the enemies of God as our enemies and deal with them appropriately, making sure that we never behave like them.  

We began this quarter’s study acknowledging that ‘God made us special’, followed by last week’s lesson ‘God created wonderful things’.  This week we consider one of the most familiar Psalms, 139. It is a Psalm filled with awe and the wonderment of God. 

The Psalmist declares beautifully the omniscience of God (v.1-6), the omnipresence of God (v.7-12) and the omnipotence of God. (v.13-18). The result of David’s meditation on these marvellous attributes of God is his obeisance, that is to bow or prostrate oneself in respect and reverence. 

David understood that God knew him intimately in the minutest detail; God’s knowledge of him was complete and perfect, absolutely nothing was or could ever be hid from the one who searches the heart.

THE TEXT

Psalm 139 1-3

Verse 1.   Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and known me.” 

When we want to know who or what we really are, we should be asking the only One who really knows. How well does God know us! Here is the answer.  He is the ultimate psychiatrist.  So we learn immediately that we should be talking to him first and trusting only Him for answers about ourselves.  His plumb-ine exists, and that is the only thing that He will measure us against.  

Jehovah is not merely a title for God , but it is Yahweh, the covenant name by which God revealed himself to the ancient Hebrews (Exo_6:2, Exo_6:3). This name was later represented by the Tetragrammaton , which is transliterated into English as Jehovah.  

This Covenant name was held by the later Jews to be so sacred that it was never pronounced, except by the high priest on the great Day of Atonement, when he entered into the most holy place. Whenever this name occurred in the sacred books they pronounced it, as they still do, “Adonai” (i.e., Lord) 

Jehovah from the Hebrew substantive verb, the word denotes the Permanent Being, as the primary sense of the substantive verb in all languages, is to be fixed, to stand, to remain or abide. This is a name peculiarly appropriate to the eternal Spirit, the unchangeable God, who describes himself thus, I am that I am. Exo 3. 

David’s use of the sacred name indicates a solemn mode of worship, acknowledging God’s absolute supremacy and infinite knowledge of himself – “You have searched me and known me.”  The idea is that God has insight.  He knows the personal and hidden motives behind our thoughts.   

David’s statement is one of comparison; from a human perspective it is as if one’s knowledge resulted from a most thorough investigation.

However let us remember that for God knowledge is complete, being a part of his nature.  Jehovah knows all things naturally and without any effort.  We however learn in small steps and in little pieces, one thing after another over time. 

Searching ordinarily implies a measure of ignorance which is removed by observation; of course this is not the case with the Lord.  His knowledge of all things is complete, He is the Eternal God who does not change; thus to learn something would imply a time when God did not know. 

Actually, the Hebrew word which is translated ‘searched’ is the word meaning “to dig”. So we are told that God has ‘dug’ into us and therefore knows us. 

This ultimate psychiatrist has explored the inner depths of our soul and mind, and so his knowledge is not just analytical knowledge, but a knowledge that he has from a close as possible intimacy and a special relationship with us.  His behaviour is of one with special intimacy with his creation. 

Jehovah knows the secret things of the heart, even those things we do not know about ourselves (Jer.17:9).   

God’s knowledge of us is infallible, infinite and intimate.  There never was a time in which we were unknown to God, and there never will be a moment in which we shall be beyond his observation. 

In addition to this the idea of eternal election surfaces, in that those who are known of God are the elect as opposed to those who are not.

 “I am the good shepherd; and I know mine own, and mine own know me…” (Jn 10:14).  “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matt 7:23).  

Other scriptures that pertain to this point are Mat_25:12; Joh_10:14, Joh_10:27-30; 2Ti_2:19;  Mat_25:41; Psa_5:5, Psa_6:8; Luk_13:25, Luk_13:27; Rev_22:15.

Verse 2.   The psalmist continues to explore and elaborate on the depth of God knowledge of him.  “Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising…”    

There is no movement of which God is unaware, physical or mental.  God is exalted and so he understands our thoughts from afar off.  Note that it is not just ‘knowing’, this is ‘understanding’ our thoughts.  

God is thus placed in an extreme position totally opposite and light years away from the limited understanding of man.  We are now dealing with the majestic superiority of God’s knowledge.  He's always present and he knows everything.   

Man knows very little and can know very little about human beings. 

‘Downsitting’ comes from the root ‘to sit down’ and may refer to ones need to rest due to weariness of body or soul.  It may also refer to being settled or comfortable in a particular place or circumstance.  In Psalm 1 it refers to ones ability to be comfortable in sin (Ps 1:1).   

We can consider that when one is passive as compared to when one is in an active phase of life God knows all our thoughts.  So when we sit down and get into the mood for thinking, even before the thoughts reach up to the surface, God knows how we think, the process and what we are going to think and actually do think about. 

We can be certain that the Lord knows every situation and circumstance that physically drains our body and drives our soul to despair. He knows whether we are comfortable in our sin or driven to the scripture to find rest and refresh our spirit. 

The implication of this is that God never misjudges us.  He can never interpret us wrongly.  He understands us perfectly, and so when this is blended with God's impartial mind we understand why God does what he was.

Verse 3.  “Thou compassest my path and my lying down”

 In keeping with the theme of the omniscience of God, David sees himself completely surrounded, encircled by the knowledge of God.  We exist within the sphere of God’s omniscience, there is no knowledge or existence outside of what God knows. 

Wherever our path leads or whatever action we take God sees.  If we sleep and confine our actions to our mind, even there God sees.  Thus when God judges it is with complete knowledge of every action and every motive.  God is the one who searches the deep things of the heart.  God knows our habits and our choices.   

 The meaning of this word ‘compasseth also has the connotation of shifting, winnowing.  With unerring precision God is able to remove the chaff from our wheat, because He knows all our ways, nothing is hid from God nor is there anything that we may do surprising to Him, whether openly or in secret. God is acquainted with all our ways.

Verse 4-6.

Verse 7.   David now brings the omnipresence of God into view, which is a natural progression from the omnipotence of God.  David asks a series of questions to emphasize this point, notice also how he makes every question personal.  “Where can I go from your Spirit or flee from your presence?” 

David is not asking these questions because he wants to escape from God, but wants to reveal the fact that no one can escape the all-pervading observation of Jehovah, because He is everywhere (Jer_23:23, Jer_23:24; Jon_1:3, Jon_1:10).  If we like Jonah purposely plan to avoid God, we will find we can not.  Or if for the terror of judgment we try to flee in haste, as the unrepentant who call on the rocks to hide them from face of God – we will find there is no hiding place from His presence. 

Some have suggested that the spirit in this context refers to the Holy Spirit, who indeed posses the attributes of omniscience and omnipresence and omnipotence; however others believe that it is a general reference to God as spirit, which is his essential nature (Jn 4:24). 

One write comments:-

Rather God himself is meant, who is a Spirit, Joh_4:24 not a body, or consisting of corporeal parts, which are only ascribed to him in a figurative sense; and who has something analogous to spirit, being simple and uncompounded, invisible, incorruptible, immaterial, and immortal; but is different from all other spirits, being uncreated, eternal, infinite, and immense; so that there is no going from him, as to be out of his sight; nor to any place out of his reach, nor from his wrath and justice, nor so as to escape his righteous judgment.

Verse 8.   Whether in heaven or hell there is no escaping the presence of God; of course his presence is expressed in vastly different ways in these places.  For the righteous there is an overwhelming sense of comfort and security; but for the wicked the foreboding realization that not even death can hide them from the wrath of God has come too late. 

The wicked and unrighteous man should learn quickly from the fate of Lucifer.  For he frequented heavenly places, yet his ways were completely transparent to God, and for his treason Lucifer was cast down to the earth.  Though principalities, powers, world-rulers of darkness, and the spiritual hosts of wickedness continue to operate in the heavenly places, they are under the scrutiny of the ever watchful eye of God.  Their relative freedom is allowed only to serve the purpose of God, which He has ordained in His infinite wisdom.  (Eze_28:12-17; Amo_9:2-4; Oba_1:4 ;  Job_26:6, Job_34:21, Job_34:22; Pro_15:11) 

“Though they dig into Sheol, thence shall my hand take them; and though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down.   And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and it shall bite them.  And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.” Amos 9:2-4  

“There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.” Job 34:22   

“Sheol and Abaddon are before Jehovah: How much more then the hearts of the children of men!” Pro 15:11   

The secret place of religious activity will not conceal our true motives; neither will a hellish life of captivity and brutality atone for our bitterness and hatred toward God.  Lucifer a superior being to mere mortal man can not escape, neither can the wicked and unrepentant man. 

The righteous man however, will glean great words of comfort, for he knows that it is God’s grace that has lifted him toward heavenly realms, where he will eventually enjoy the presence of God in an infinitely superior way; but he can also be secure even in the midst of the most severe spiritual oppression and satanic attack.  Though my bed be made in hell, the land of the dead; though outnumbered by the wicked, yet Jehovah surrounds me with his presence and His Holy Spirit dwells within me.  Wherever I go God is there before me, wherever I am He is always with me and will never leave me. 

“And he said, I called by reason of mine affliction unto Jehovah, And he answered me; Out of the belly of Sheol cried I, And thou heardest my voice.” Jon 2:2 

Clearly then Sheol is in God's sphere of sovereignty.  It is important that we understand that. 

Verse 9.   “The wings of the morning…” it is commonly accepted that this phrase refers to the speed at which light reaches the earth.  Sunrise ends the darkness of night and it does so at the speed of light.  Thus if it were possible for us to move at the most phenomenal speed such that we could reach the furthest parts of the ocean, realms still uncharted; we would find on arrival that the Lord is present there. Geography does not enable escape.

Verse 10.   In fact no matter where we go or how far we may venture, it is God’s own power that enables us; God leads, covers, sustains, and preserves us, not only when we are his friend but when we are fugitives from Him. 

Jonah found himself calling out to God from the belly of a great fish; it was the hand of God that prepared the fish and the hand of God that brought Jonah to Nineveh.  Jonah’s saga demonstrates the omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence of God. 

“His right hand shall hold me…” if one thinks to run from God, his hand will surely restrain and detain us; but if one acts in obedience, the mighty right hand of God will uphold us, dispensing the mercy, wisdom and power that we need. 

Not only is God’s omnipotent power employed to sustain us, but his right hand with which he hold us will also be used to overturn those who seek to destroy us.  To the believer the hand of God is a place of comfort, but to the wicked it is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of God.

Verse 11.   There is no telling to what length man will go to conceal his evil deeds; by the cover of darkness he hopes that his deeds will go undetected.  They peek-a-boo with God, as if God will not see them because they cover their own eyes; they reason like a child who says I can not see you therefore you can not see me. 

God sees as clearly in the dark as he does in the light, God created the light and is not dependent on it as his creatures are.  The light and dark are both alike to God. 

Thus the wicked can not conceal his evil ways; and if Satan surrounds a saint with darkness, God sees and will aid his people in the midst of oppression.  For the believer by reason of the darkness imposed on him by Satan, he may loose sight of God, but Jehovah never loses sight of us; we may turn from his path, but he always sees our path. 

“Can any hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him? saith Jehovah. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith Jehovah.” Jer 23:24   

“Woe unto them that hide deep their counsel from Jehovah, and whose works are in the dark, and that say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?” Isa 29:15 

Verse 12.   This verse emphatically sums up what has already been stated; there is absolutely nothing that Jehovah does not already know, it is impossible to hide our deeds or our thoughts from God.  The darkness or the inner recesses of ones thoughts may be hid from man, but to God He sees all things as plain as day.

“The darkness hideth not from thee;” it veils nothing, it is not the medium of concealment in any degree whatever. It hides from men, but not from God. “But the night shineth as the day'” it is but another form of day, it shines, revealing all; it “shineth as the day,” - quite as clearly and distinctly manifesting all that is done. “The darkness and the light are both alike to thee.” 

Jehovah knows our thoughts before we even receive them; if we could fly at the speed of light to the farthest place that we could conceivably imagine Jehovah is already there.  We can not escape God.

Verse 13.   David describes the intimacy with which God knew and cared about him, even before he was born.  He talks of Jehovah as the one who possesses his reins.   

The word rendered ‘possess’ means to erect, set upright or to create (Gen_14:19, Gen_14:22); secondly it means to purchase or to own. 

The word “reins” signifies the kidneys, which by the Hebrews were supposed to be the seat of the desires and longings; but perhaps it indicates here the most hidden and vital portion of the man. 

Thus Jehovah is not only the indweller and observer of our innermost parts, but he is also the creator and owner of our most secret passions.  Jehovah knows us because he created us from his own blueprint. 

“Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb…”  The word rendered ‘covered’ really means to intertwine, to weave or knit together.  The literal translation is ‘God has woven me in the womb’.  Another aspect of covering, is protection.  Long before a child is born and introduced to the light of this world, they grow in the darkness of their mother’s womb.  Yet the Lord covers them, protects and cares for them in this dark environment where no other has access.  Like a buried treasure Jehovah guards the unborn. 

Through modern medical technologies we can now explore these regions, man attempts as it were to seize control from God.  Scientists are able to select eye colour and manipulate gender and perform certain types of surgery while in the womb; but the inner most parts, the mind, passion, will and personality of every creature remain the sole domain of Jehovah.  Man does not know the secret things of his own heart and what wickedness lies within, but Jehovah knows it all (Jer 17:9-10).

Verse 14.   David is not content to privately admire the work of God’s hands, but will publicly acknowledge how marvellous and wonderful his creator is; thus he says ‘I will praise thee’. 

When David considered his own being, the human anatomy and how the numerous delicate organs, bones, muscle, tendons, veins and arteries and nervous system are so intricately assembled to form a living breathing creature as himself; he is in absolute awe. 

The word used or rendered ‘wonderful’ means “fearful things;” things suited to produce fear or reverence. The word rendered “wonderfully made” means properly to distinguish; to separate. The literal translation of this - as near as can be given - would be, “I am distinguished by fearful things;” that is, by things in my creation which are suited to inspire awe. I am distinguished among thy works by things which tend to exalt my ideas of God, and to fill my soul with reverent and devout feelings. The idea is, that he was “distinguished” among the works of creation, or so “separated” from other things in his endowments as to work in the mind a sense of awe. 

If one takes even a cursory look or an elementary class in the human anatomy, to study its structure, formation and function one can not intelligently look at the creature and reject the creator.  Such awe naturally sparks a search for its divine origin.  A longing for the truth of who I am, should lead us to Jehovah. 

Among creation man is distinct, made in the image and likeness of God; he is not an inanimate object, a plant or a brutish beast – but one created a little lower than the angels, with the capacity to worship.  There is no doubt in David’s mind that Jehovah is the Creator, and thus his praise is a celebration of his place in creation and of an awesome creator. 

God has created complex forces in the body which are essential to life, but man has absolutely no control over these.  Yet they continue to work in an amazing way, so that life continues uninterrupted.  All men are dependent on these forces which God has personally designed and put in place. 

God crafted a perfectly unified whole, so that there would be purposeful activity and so David could say that God has weaved or knitted everything beautifully together. David is awestruck at God's magnificence.  

Notice that not only has God put together an amazing design, but the mind of God was such, that He caused exactly what he wanted, the pieces dovetailing or fitting together perfectly.  God determined something and it was put together as he wanted.  This was God's determination. 

Note the implications this has for all kind of events. 

God designed,

He determined,

He intricately created,

He watched over development just as he did even from the womb

                        He observed every event in every life even before they occurred

He wrote down every event of every day even before they took place.  He noted in his book.

Here we see the basis of biblical prophecy.  God knows and when he is ready everything falls into place, just as he has said it would, for it fits into his design. 

David was very amazed that God had such a plan for his life and had certain precious or beautiful ideas about him, caring for him.  God's plan for him, so many things, God’s thoughts so impossibly great, that David had no words to express them. 

Since God was so great, so holy, so pure, yet so kind to men, David felt obliged to call for God to simply and quickly dispose of iniquity, get rid of his enemies and bring about his totally righteous reign. 

If God so clearly cared for men in this world of sin, how much more would he do for those who had trusted in him, once he had executed his judgment!

Some like to say that they believe so much in love, that they are prepared to encourage and to live with religious hypocrites. David was disgusted at these people and be echoed sharp words against them just as Jesus did. 

It would be good if people of God recognized sin for what it is and not be so cozy with it.  This kind of hatred that David exhibited is really a virtue.  It is not that he did not coexist with the wicked, for many of those around him at the court, were not quite right.  But he constantly shows them the right way.

One writer tells us that we should not love any wicked man with complacency, for that is a crime.  Men are not to be hated for their own sake, or for evil done to us. But we have an obligation to indignantly reject one who is against all goodness and righteousness. 

The Apostle in 1 Corinthians 16:22 says: “ If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema.”

See also Galatians 1:9. 

David hated wickedness as much as he loved goodness and for him it was personal.  We must contend with those who contend with God, and not try to interpret God command to love, as allowing men to do wickedness with no sense of indignation on our part.

Psalm 139:23-24

                       Verse 23.   David did not want to be counted with those who were traitors to God, and he wanted God to search him thoroughly and tell him if there was any straying on his part. The loss of intimacy with God is a no-no, and he was willing to have God turn a spotlight on him.  He wanted to submit to God freely, so that God would lead him away from any possible sin or deviation.  He wanted no fugitive thoughts to disturb his relationship with God.

Verse 24.  David wanted whatever the Lord revealed by the search to be purged, taken away,  for it was not only an offence to God but it is an offence to him. 

He wanted the spirit of God to reveal the secret desires of his heart, and convict him of his sin. 

David hated the wicked and their ways, and so he hated every wicked way in himself.  He wanted to be lead in God's glorious way forever, for that way led us to eternal life. 

David's heart was that of a imperfect but a changed man.  He had genuine faith and this produced a wealth of emotion when anything concerning God was touched. 

At the same time while being filled with awe and reverence, David knew that God would see some of the unpleasant things that lurked in the dark recesses of his heart.  He knew that he experienced some of the same emotions and human weaknesses that were in the hearts of those who hated God.  So he pleaded with God to remove all that would separate him from Jehovah. He wanted God to keep him on the narrow path

CONCLUSION

For the elect who are the known of God, His omniscience does not engender fear as it would in the mind of an unbeliever; but respect, reverence and love.  The omniscience of God is ultimately an immense comfort to the believer. 

The omnipresence of God serves also to encourage us to holy living, knowing that God is ever present and a comfort knowing that God is ever with us, no matter the circumstance, trouble or trial.  God’s omnipotence ensures that He is able to deliver us out of all our trouble.   

Let us never forget that there is no activity in the mind or physical motion, motive or deed of which God is not aware.  God sees all things and knows all things, because he created all things. 

We must be holy for He is holy and never act in such a manner that the unbeliever may falsely conclude that our God could not possibly be watching or know all things. 

The unrighteous by their intellect or by any other means can not escape the all seeing eye of God.  He knows their wicked ways and they will not escape his judgement.

“Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.” (2 Tim 2:19)