Affinity 8: Psalms 139

In our days of confusion, self-doubt and blurred certainties, the first eighteen verses of Psalm 139 reminds us, God knows everything about us, is always surrounding us and makes a way for us. It is comforting to note how thoroughly the Psalmist records our Creator’s mind toward us. It is as though the truth found in II Peter 4:8 held literally, “ . . . one day is with the Lord as a thousand years,” and that the length of those years were spent preparing each day for every one of us. Not only are these verses a comfort in the aspects they teach us about God, they free us to be who we have been created to be, i.e. we aren’t surprising God by our shortcomings.

“Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether” (Psalms 139:2-4).

Here we see how God permeates all of our life. He knows when we are going to stand up and when we are going to sit down. He knows when we are lying down and when we are walking, where we are walking and everything about our walk. He knows what we are going to say before we say it and knows what we don’t say. It is comforting that we don’t have to fake it with God. We can be who we are, because He knows and understands the inner workings of how we think, speak and act. Seeing how naked we are in His sight, let us lay aside all of our pretenses and be real with Him. ‘Salvation’ any other way will only lead to those dreaded words, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23).

“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee” (Psalms 139:7-12).

Here we see how God is everywhere and in all things. There is no hiding from Him. Even in Hell, God is there. He struggles with us, He holds us up and He never leaves us, no matter what we think, say or do.

“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee” (Psalms 139:13-18).

Here the Psalmist is talking about how we have been created. Notice the thorough job God does in knitting us together. He invests time in defining every one of our individual aspects. With the loving pen of our almighty author, He writes down our character, our image and our personality with great forethought and effort.