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[ READ ] Psalm 139
Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.
13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.
19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
O men of blood, depart from me!
20 They speak against you with malicious intent;
your enemies take your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.
13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.
19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
O men of blood, depart from me!
20 They speak against you with malicious intent;
your enemies take your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
“I just love mushrooms and onions on my pizza”.
So, did I really mean that or was I being facetious? Because this is the written word and you can’t see my facial expression or hear the particular tone in my voice, you cannot really tell. This thought came to me as I read some of the verses in Psalm 139, especially verse 7:
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
One can question the actual meaning of this verse because we know from the introduction (which is part of the actual text from Scripture), this psalm was written by David. Remember David also wrote Psalm 51, where he pours out his contrition to God after being “found out” in his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the subsequent conspiracy to murder her husband Uriah. Could David actually be “complaining” that no matter where he goes, he cannot escape the gaze of the Almighty God? Maybe you can relate that sometimes being “known” by someone so well is not such a great feeling! As we read the rest of this beautiful Psalm, we see that David may not always take comfort concerning God’s omniscience and omnipresence in his own life, but it does lead him to awe, reverence, praise, worship and devotion, as we should as well!
BTW, Joan and I regularly request both mushrooms and onions as toppings for our pizza, but you would know that if you really knew us!
- Chris Adomanis
So, did I really mean that or was I being facetious? Because this is the written word and you can’t see my facial expression or hear the particular tone in my voice, you cannot really tell. This thought came to me as I read some of the verses in Psalm 139, especially verse 7:
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
One can question the actual meaning of this verse because we know from the introduction (which is part of the actual text from Scripture), this psalm was written by David. Remember David also wrote Psalm 51, where he pours out his contrition to God after being “found out” in his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the subsequent conspiracy to murder her husband Uriah. Could David actually be “complaining” that no matter where he goes, he cannot escape the gaze of the Almighty God? Maybe you can relate that sometimes being “known” by someone so well is not such a great feeling! As we read the rest of this beautiful Psalm, we see that David may not always take comfort concerning God’s omniscience and omnipresence in his own life, but it does lead him to awe, reverence, praise, worship and devotion, as we should as well!
BTW, Joan and I regularly request both mushrooms and onions as toppings for our pizza, but you would know that if you really knew us!
- Chris Adomanis
[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Define in general and “specific to you” terms what it means that God is
omniscient (verses 1-6)
omnipresent (verses 7-12)
creator (verses 13-16)
steadfast in His love (verses 17-18)
+ Verses 19-24 are David’s response to God’s greatness that he just described in verses 1-18. What does it mean and how can we properly “hate those who hate God” (verses 19-22)? What do you think David concluded about God in his request to Him found in verses 23-24? What’s your conclusion?
+ Define in general and “specific to you” terms what it means that God is
omniscient (verses 1-6)
omnipresent (verses 7-12)
creator (verses 13-16)
steadfast in His love (verses 17-18)
+ Verses 19-24 are David’s response to God’s greatness that he just described in verses 1-18. What does it mean and how can we properly “hate those who hate God” (verses 19-22)? What do you think David concluded about God in his request to Him found in verses 23-24? What’s your conclusion?
[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Are there areas in your life that you hide, not only from the people around you, but from the Omniscient, Omnipresent God? Repent and be assured that this same God has nothing but precious thoughts toward you that cannot even be counted!
Lamentations 3:22-23: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Are there areas in your life that you hide, not only from the people around you, but from the Omniscient, Omnipresent God? Repent and be assured that this same God has nothing but precious thoughts toward you that cannot even be counted!
Lamentations 3:22-23: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ I can find no better prayer than what David offered to close this wonderful Psalm, taken from the New Living Translation. But before you do, read these words of caution from two great Bible scholars concerning these verses.
“It is a serious thing to pray, because it invites painful exposures and surgery, if we truly mean it. Still it is what every wise believer should desire.” (Dr. James Boice 1938-2000)
“I call upon you to be cautious in using this prayer. It is easy to mock God, by asking him to search you whilst you have made but little effort to search yourselves, and perhaps still less to act upon the result of the scrutiny.” (Henry Melvill 1809-71).
If you are ready and willing, pray with me…
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Amen
+ I can find no better prayer than what David offered to close this wonderful Psalm, taken from the New Living Translation. But before you do, read these words of caution from two great Bible scholars concerning these verses.
“It is a serious thing to pray, because it invites painful exposures and surgery, if we truly mean it. Still it is what every wise believer should desire.” (Dr. James Boice 1938-2000)
“I call upon you to be cautious in using this prayer. It is easy to mock God, by asking him to search you whilst you have made but little effort to search yourselves, and perhaps still less to act upon the result of the scrutiny.” (Henry Melvill 1809-71).
If you are ready and willing, pray with me…
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Amen
[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
+ Who in your sphere of influence needs to hear about the all knowing, all seeing, creator who is steadfast in His love for those who call upon His Name?
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
+ Who in your sphere of influence needs to hear about the all knowing, all seeing, creator who is steadfast in His love for those who call upon His Name?
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