PSALM 139
I hope everyone is well on this snowy, icy day. As I look out the window at my desk in the man cave watching it sleet, I just cannot help reflecting at the magnificence of God Almighty. All the processes, the life, the stars, the sun, and everything He so marvelously made. As I was reflecting, I began thinking about Psalm 139, a psalm of David. I would like to share my reflections on that psalm this morning. Take your Bibles or Bible app and open it to Psalm 139.
What we think about God and our relationship to Him determines what we think about everything else including other people, the universe, God’s Word, God’s will, sin, faith, salvation, and obedience.
Wrong ideas about God will ultimately lead to wrong ideas about who we are and what we should do, and this leads to a wrong life on the wrong path toward the wrong destiny. The right knowledge of God is essential to a fulfilled life in this world. In Psalm 139, David contemplated God and wrote for us a psalm whose message can only encourage us to be in a right relationship with Him.
God knows us intimately: We cannot deceive Him (Psalm 139 : 1 - 6)
The Jewish people used the verb search to describe digging deep into a mine and investigating a legal case. For us, it means God searches us, and we cannot deceive Him. Adam and Eve tried it. Cain tried it. David tried it, and you and I try it, but God knew all about them and knows about us.
God knows us intimately. He knows our actions, our locations, our thoughts, our words, our ways, and our motives (Hebrews 4 : 13), but even more than knowing us, God knows what is best for us and does all he can to guide us that way. He puts His hand on us to steady us and direct us for our protection. We should be overwhelmed by the knowledge God has of us. He knows us perfectly, and to that David said, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.”
2. God is with us constantly: We cannot escape Him. (Psalm 139 : 7 - 12)
We cannot ever escape God. If you go to Heaven or if you go to Hell, God is still in charge. We cannot hide even in darkness. (Revelation 20 : 11 - 15) God wants to walk with us because His plan for us is the very best. Adam and Eve tried to run. Jonah tried to run. You have tried to run. I have tried to run. We try to run, but why?
We need God’s presence with us if we want to enjoy His love and fulfill His purposes. (Matthew 28 : 19 - 20)
3. God made us wonderfully: We cannot ignore Him. (Psalm 139 : 13 - 18)
This is one of the greatest passages in the entirety of written word about the miracle of conception and birth. David declared that God is present at conception and birth, and God has a special purpose for each new life. God formed us as He wants us to be, and we must accept His will no matter how someone feels about his or her genetic structure and abilities. When God creates a life, He knows what He is doing. If creates a boy, He knows what’s best, and He intends for that created life to stay a male. God knows what is best.
In the mother’s womb, the Lord weaves a human being. It is an abomination for man to try to alter what God has ordained. By the way, if God detests someone altering what He has ordained or created, what do you think He thinks about someone ending that creation prematurely by murder. My bad, I meant to say by abortion.
Verse 16 says the Lord has planned and determined our days. I think this includes length of life and the tasks He wants us to perform. Job 14 : 5 and Ephesians 2 : 10 describe this further. I believe our days and what God wants us to do are determined. What we are and what God plans for us come from God’s loving heart. (Psalm 33 : 11) God’s plans for us are the very best He has for us. (Romans 12 : 2)
If we live foolishly, we might die before the time God has ordained (ex. the rich fool who intended to eat, drink, and be merry), but God’s faithful children are immortal until their work God has ordained for them is done, and I firmly believe that.
Bro. Jerrell Dawson was immortal until he completed what God had planned for him. It does not mean that sin did not affect him. It just means that he was living until he finished what God ordained for him. We often wonder why some our loved ones who are Christians are taken from us prematurely. Can I give you some good news? It might just mean that they accomplished the purposes and tasks that God Almighty had ordained for them, and when they finished, He brought them home. AMEN!!!!
Life is not a prison. It is an exciting pilgrimage, and the Lord has prepared us for what He has prepared for us. AMEN!!!!. We are wonderfully made.
4. God judges righteously: We cannot dispute with Him. (Psalm 139 : 19 - 24)
Since we cannot deceive God, escape God, or ignore God, would it not make sense to obey God? It makes sense, but there are those who prefer to oppose God and dispute what He says.
David called these people wicked, violent, liars, blasphemers, and rebels, and he grieved because of them. The Holy Trinity grieves over sinners too. (Genesis 6 : 6, Mark 3 : 5, and Ephesians 4 : 30)
It is difficult to love rebellious sinners and still hate their sin, but we need more “holy hatred” today when blatant sin is a popular form of entertainment. When we pray, “Your Kingdom come Your will be done”, do you know what we are praying?
We are asking the Lord to judge the wicked, and we are leaving the matter in His hands. There is a fine line between condemning sin and condemning the sinner. We can condemn sin, but it is God who condemns the sinner.
David closed this wonderful psalm by asking God to search his heart, forgive him, and lead him. Will you do that on this snowy, icy, winter’s day?
We must be cautious as we examine ourselves because we do not even know our own hearts. (Jeremiah 17 : 9)
It is best to open the Word and let the Spirit search us and speak to us, for then we discover the truth. God loves you and wants the very best for you.