Psalm 139

This Psalm is a favorite for many.  God’s knowledge of His people is an immense encouragement to many.  The third stanza is often quoted in pro-life settings for what it says about the unborn child.  The closing verses are often quoted in prayer and are worth memorization.

We referred to God’s knowledge of His people.  This Psalm is about God’s deep and intimate knowledge of us; but note that it is very personal.  It applies to each individual in the corporate body of Israel or the Church.  David writes this and fills it with “You” (he is speaking directly to God) and “me” (he refers to God’s knowledge of him).  So this is not simply a Hymn about God’s omniscience.  It is God’s omniscience in the context of His full and complete knowledge of the individual.  God knows the universe and eternity.  But what is amazing is that the same God knows me.

The overall thoughts are not hard to understand, in my view.  Our need is to take time to meditate on these things.

·       The fact of this knowledge God has for me, v1-6.  God knows because He has searched us (v1), as spies searched out the land before Israel crossed the Jordan (always connotes a diligent and difficult probing); and because He has winnowed (root word is pitchfork used to toss the stalks at harvest to separate them so they can dry) my path and my lying down.  Two things we might do without thinking: walk a familiar path and lay down for a rest; but God knows intimately what we take for granted.  He understands (v2) my thought, meaning He has insight, not just knowing my thought but why I have these thoughts and where they are leading me.  He is acquainted (v3) with my ways (choices), meaning he is familiar with them.  He encloses (hedges) us in, in back and in front.  Spurgeon understood the imagery to be that God walks behind observing our faults and dispensing His grace and walks in front providing our needs according to His foreknowledge on the path He has ordained for us to walk (Eph. 2:10).  Truly this knowledge God has for us is too wonderful to fully appreciate.

·       The inescapability of this knowledge, v7-12.  There is no place in the universe nor time of day (or night) when I am outside the knowledge of God.

·       The extent of this knowledge, v13-16.  Even before I left my mother’s womb, yea even before I entered my mother’s womb, God knew me!

·       The value of this knowledge, v17-18.  To a person walking in wickedness this knowledge might be and should be frightening.  But to David, to the righteous who fear God and trust Him, this knowledge is unimaginably precious.  For one thing, God’s knowledge is not just static; it’s not that He is merely reading the newspaper of my life.  From His knowledge come thoughts,  thoughts to me.  How marvelous: God knows my thoughts (v2, desires, intentions) and then He formulates His own thoughts Because of this David brings two requests to God.

·       Slay the wicked, O God, v19-22.  If God be for us (His very thoughts are for us) who can be against us (Rom. 8:31).

·       Search me, O God, v23-24.  God has already searched David (v1) and David can never escape God’s eye.  Why would he need to make this prayer?  It is David’s way of acknowledging his faith.  He is saying, O LORD, continue to search me until all wickedness is gone and I am on the everlasting path. 

The word for everlasting is olam.  God is the Everlasting God (Gen. 21:33).  For I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever (Ps. 23:6).  As with us (2 Cor. 4:16-18) so David is focused on things eternal.  God doesn’t need our permission to search us.  But when we give our permission, no, when we plead for God’s searching, then we are one with the Everlasting God.