Psalm 139:1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Some people like to bury their heads in the sand and ignore reality. They find it too depressing and so they just avoid looking at things as they truly are. Many people have decided that drugs and alcohol are needed for them to be able to cope with life. Ignoring reality does not change reality. It is important to have a proper foundation in order to be able to face reality and have a real hope.
Knowing God is of critical importance to be able to live with hope.
Psalm 139 is credited to king David. David wrote many of the Psalms. We first learn of him as a shepherd, looking after his father’s sheep. We also learn that his older brother Eliab did not think very highly of him. His father trusted him and gave him responsibility over his sheep and we learn that he was a good shepherd.
We also know that David knew how to play the harp quite well. King Saul was a rebellious king and he was troubled in his spirit because he chose not to build his life upon the true God. Some of those close to him suggested that he find someone who could play skillfully on the harp to calm his troubled spirit. David’s name was mentioned, and the king called for him to play for him in times of his distress. He would have been wiser to turn to God and seek His forgiveness and walk with Him. Godly music has its place. It is there to be used to praise God. David was not in the wrong here, but we know from the account that king Saul needed more than good music to calm his troubled soul. David was a faithful servant to king Saul.
Later we learn that David was also a man who did not fear the vile threats of Goliath, the Philistine giant. David showed again the importance of building a life upon the true God. His older brothers were in the army, but they were fearful of Goliath. King Saul was also fearful of Goliath. He did not have his hope in God. He believed that Goliath was greater than any man in his army. He did not trust God to provide a man who could take this man out. Israel needed more than just a man to lead them. They needed God to lead them. That was and still is their only hope of victory.
David heard the vile boastfulness of Goliath and he believed God to use him to take that vile man out of the way. God blessed David in many ways and he learned the importance of choosing to follow the true God more and more throughout his life.
In our Psalm, David acknowledged that the LORD had searched him and known him. The LORD is the self-existent, eternal God who acts independently from His Creation. He is greater than all of His Creation. He lacks nothing and does not need man to look after Him. He does not seek counsel from man, but He offers wise counsel to man.
David was blessed in understanding that the LORD had searched him and that He knew him. God knows all people. He knows His children in a special way. He knows exactly how to meet all of our needs. It is a blessing to know Him and to trust in Him.
In verse 2 David acknowledged that the LORD knew when he sat down and when he got up. God cared about these rather insignificant things. Every detail of His child is important to Him. It is important to have an intimate relationship with the true God. The reason David could be a good shepherd and a good musician and a good king was because he knew that the LORD knew all about him.
The LORD knew his thoughts afar off. Before David voiced his thoughts, God knew all about them. That too is important and significant. We need God, Who can check our thoughts before we formulate them too far and before we act on them. We know that David did not always listen to God as he should have, and he also suffered the consequences of those times of sin.
David did not bemoan God’s knowledge of him. He was directed by God to write about these things and he appreciated God’s care for him. God used the prophet Nathan to confront David at a time when he was trying to bury not just his thoughts but his actions as well. God knew all about what had transpired. David was not hiding a thing from God. David did not get angry with Nathan for exposing him. He turned to God in repentance and desired His forgiveness.
In verse 3 we see that David could rest in the LORD because he knew the LORD was always there for him. He was able to protect his father’s sheep from the bear and the lion because he knew God was with him. He knew he could face Goliath because the LORD was there with him. The LORD never placed anything before David that He would not guide him through. The times when David failed were due to his unwillingness to follow the LORD’s leading.
There was not a thing that David could hide from the LORD. For me, I like some privacy. I mentioned in a recent devotional that I would not be a part of Facebook or some other social networking scheme. I believe it is important for a person to have some privacy. There are some things that need to remain in the family and do not need to be broadcast over the world. I am also thankful that I am fully known to the LORD and that I do not need to fear that He will expose me to others in a way that is unjust. He will expose me if I rebel against Him and choose to sin against Him. He will also guide me and show me the blessings of walking humbly and faithfully with Him.
In verse 4 David revealed that there was not a word in his tongue that the LORD did not know all about. Sometimes people misunderstand us. They may think we said something we did not say. Or they read things into the things we say. The governments are trying to be the thought police for us. They want to try to control what we say and they think they have the capacity to read into our thoughts and words what they want to. They believe that their assumptions are not mere assumptions. They think they know us better than we know ourselves. They are wrong.
However, the LORD knows us. The Bible tells us that God has everything we have done written in books. Those who are lost will witness Jesus opening the books and showing them things they would rather not remember. Those who are saved, like David, will also have their lives examined; however, their names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. They will meet the Lord in heaven. Through faith in God, His people are forgiven when they confess their sin to Him. He removes our transgressions from us when we know Him and come to Him in humility and repentance.
In verse 5 we read of further blessings of the LORD for His child. The word translated as “beset” means “to confine, secure”. David was safe from those things behind him as well as those things that were before him. He did not need to worry about the past or the present or the future. His past sins were forgiven because he trusted in the LORD. He did not take this lightly. He did not try to live carelessly because God would forgive him anyway. He knew there were consequences to careless living. He also knew that God was there ready to guide him in the present. He also trusted God to guide him into a good future. The LORD’s hand was upon him. What could go wrong? The only time David had regrets was when he disregarded that hand. That hand did not force him to do right. It was there to guide him and show him the blessings of doing right. We know that he harboured sin in his heart far too long when he lusted after Bathsheba. He suffered during that time as he assumed he could feed his lust and enjoy it. He thought he could have a man murdered to cover for his sin. God dealt justly with him for his sin. He suffered for his sin as did the nation. David learned some things the hard way, but he was thankful that God’s hand was there upon him.
In verse 6 we read that the LORD’s knowledge of him was more than he could comprehend. He had a very high view of the LORD. Every true child of God needs that high view. God can do things that are impossible for us. He will never leave His child to flounder around on his own. He will chasten His child when needed, but He does so to help His child to see the necessity of following Him. It is important to know the true God and to serve Him faithfully.
As we face the challenges of life and as we look at the things that are happening around us and across the world, we do not need to become anxious. We do not need to ignore reality just to get by. We need to know how to look at reality and how to live above the wickedness that is permeating our society. We need to understand that our children and grandchildren will not face the same opportunities we have had. Life will be more challenging for them if the Lord does not come back soon. However, the same God that watched over David, is able to watch over us and also over our children and grandchildren. What is needed is for each one to know the true God. Without that knowledge, life is extremely difficult. It will not go well for the wicked, but it will go well for the saved.
Trust God and walk with Him. Get to know Him more and more. He will never lead His child astray. He will also make His way clear to each of His children. We just need to know Him and trust Him to lead us aright.
Pastor Bartel
