Posts Tagged ‘intimate’

Psalm 139 proclaims God’s intimate knowledge of David, the author, and by implication – God’s intimate knowledge of each of His people. The first five verses lay out the facts of God’s involvement in the details of our daily walk and our every thought.

 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.

 Depending on your view of God, this could be very intimidating or extremely comforting. Without real relational trust, God’s involvement would be unwelcome and intrusive; but David didn’t perceive God in that way. Verse 6 reveals an attitude of awe and trust.

 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

 Commentary by Tony, Scripture quotes from the NIV.

In David’s awe of God, his LORD, he begins to contemplate the possibility of finding a place outside the watchful protection of God’s hand of guidance.

 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

 David continues to contemplate God’s involvement and knowledge of all of his days – from before conception to “all the days ordained” for him.

 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 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, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Commentary by Tony, Scripture quotes from the NIV.

John 21:25 states that, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” While John speaks of the actions of the LORD, David declares the vastness of the LORD’s thoughts. Even if God had never done one thing His thoughts are “too lofty to attain.” David’s LORD and John’s LORD are the same immeasurable God.

 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

Commentary by Tony, Scripture quotes from the NIV.

I always wonder what the director of music and the congregation of singers thought when the songs of David veered off into angry words against his enemies. Can they relate? Did they also become distracted with life’s anxious cares while trying to lift up praise to their Creator/Designer? I know that I can relate to distraction. My mind is not always trained and focused properly; my thoughts might even stray during times of praise and worship. Verses 19-22 seem a bit out of place; they don’t match the tone of David’s high praise for his LORD. But David knows God well; he knows that “Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.” And so, David doesn’t try to cover up or hide his distraction. The man after God’s own heart demonstrates transparency.

 If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.

 Commentary by Tony, Scripture quotes from the NIV.

And then David’s heart and mind become refocused, and the music calms and peace returns. David, who began the song with the proclamation that, “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me,” cries out to God to search and know and test. He confesses his anxious thoughts, and petitions God to lead him in the way. May our prayers also be filled with transparency, confession, and petition for God’s leading. Amen.

 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

 Commentary by Tony, Scripture quotes from the NIV.