The Glory of God’s Presence

need intro.

Psalm 139:1–2 (ESV)

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.

Psalm 139:3–4 (ESV)

You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

Psalm 139:5–6 (ESV)

You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

Psalm 139:7–8 (ESV)

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

Psalm 139:9–10 (ESV)

If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

there is a truth that if we can get riveted into your soul, embedded into your psyche, and blended into your spirit, it will change your life. And, that is a doctrine that the theologians call the omnipresence of God. I just want to call it the nearness of God: “The Glory of His Presence.”

I want you to think of three things with me this morning.

I. The Places of His Presence

First of all, I want you to think of the places of His presence.

A. God Is Everywhere

Has it ever dawned on you that God never has to go anywhere? God is everywhere. It’s impossible for us to be in two places at one time, but not God. God fills Heaven and Earth.

Sometimes we get the idea that God is at church. But, what did Paul say in Acts chapter 17? “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands” (Acts 17:24).

Now, surely He’s here. But He’s not just here. He’s out there also, isn’t He?

There is no place that God is not. Now, let’s look at the Scripture here. Psalm 139:1 says, you search me Do you see the word searched? The word searched means, “pierced through.” That is, God sees right through you. You ever said “I see right thru him…” Now, that can be thrilling or that can be threatening. I want to tell you, He sees through you today.

*He sees every movement.

Psalm 139:2–3 ESV

You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

Put this thought in your heart and in your mind. When you went to bed last night, He saw it. When you got up this morning, He saw it. When you came to church this day, He saw it. As you sit there, He sees it.

I heard of a preacher whose name is Peter Lord. He’s a little eccentric. But, you never know what Peter’s going to do. He’s preached here, and some of you have heard him. One time Peter was preaching on the subject of how the presence of God is everywhere. And, do you know what he did? He got up in the attic of his church, got a microphone up there, and made a little hole in the ceiling. Sunday morning after the choir sang, and they’d sung and everything, he said, “Hello, folks. This is your pastor.” Well, they looked around. They didn’t know where he was. There was no one in the pulpit. He said, “Well, I know you can’t see me, but I can see you.” He said, “Ms. Jones,” he said, “I see you scratching your ear.” She put her hand down. He said, “Mr. Smith, I see you fumbling with your watch.” They were all looking around. They didn’t know where he was. But, from his vantage point, he could see every movement they made. And, he reminded them that the Almighty sees everything.

*He knows every motive.

“you discern my thoughts from afar” Not only does He see what you do; He knows what you’re thinking. He knows what you’re thinking this very moment; He’s reading your thoughts. In Matthew chapter 12, the Bible says of the Lord Jesus, He “knew their thoughts” (Matthew 12:25). There’s no way anybody else can know your thoughts. God knows our thoughts. He knows our motives.

*He hears every word.

“before a word is on my tongue…you know it.” Every word that you speak, God knows. the Bible says, “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). Every word, every word—He knows every word we say.

“Many things are opened by mistake, but none as frequently as the mouth.” look at verse 5, “you have hemmed me in” The word hemmed has the idea of being besieged, like a city that is surrounded by an army; there’s no way to escape. They used to in the old time lay siege upon a city, and the soldiers would just surround the city. They are hemmed in, God is all around you.

Now, look as he goes on to develop this.

B. Death Cannot Hide Us from God

Psalm 139:7–8 ESV

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

Death cannot hide you from God. If you die, you’re going to go to Heaven or Hell. And, if you die outside the Lord Jesus Christ, you’ve been running from God, when you open your eyes in the judgment, the first face you’ll see is His. You are going to meet the Lord face to face.

C. Distance Cannot Hide Us from God

And then, he says, distance cannot hide us from God.

“if i dwell in the uttermost parts….”

he said, “If I were to go as far as it goes, to the uttermost part of the sea, on the wings of the morning,”—not on the 747—“just take the wings of the morning and go, wherever it is I get, I’ll meet God there; He’ll be there.”

You know, it says, “Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:10). Do you know what the word hold means? It literally means, “to snatch.” Ole Jonah ran from God, didn’t he? He took a ship, sailed away from God, from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Tarshish. The Bible says he was asleep there in the belly of that ship, underneath the deck of that ship, and there the hand of God snatched ole Jonah up. There’s no way, that you can hide from God. Distance will not separate you from God.

D. Darkness Cannot Hide Us from God

Look, if you will, in verses 11 and 12:

Psalm 139:11–12 ESV

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

God sees and God knows in the dark. Jesus said, in John 3:19, “Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” They won’t come to the light. But, whether you come to the light or not, God sees you in the dark.

Have you ever noticed how people disobey and how they do different things in darkness than they would do in the light?

“in broad daylight?!”

Have you ever been in a theater or somewhere when the lights go out, or in an auditorium when the lights go out, and the little boys start misbehaving? You know why big cities fear blackouts? Crime! They were in darkness.

I want to tell you, if you’re having a dark and lonely night, God sees you too, and He’s there to take care of you. Thank God for that. I say it’s a thrilling or a threatening thought. It just all depends on your relationship with God.

Those are the places of His presence.

II. The Power of His Presence

Now, I want to talk to you secondly about the power of His presence. What does this mean to you? I’ve told you that if you’d get this thought burning in your heart, it will transform your life.

Let me mention four things that the power of His presence will do for you.

A. When You Are Discouraged, His Presence Will See You Through

Number one: When I am discouraged, His presence sees me through. Do you ever get discouraged? Nod your head. Psalm 139:11-2

Psalm 139:11–12 ESV

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

He is saying, that when we are in darkness, it is not darkness to God. So many people, precious and good people, are in darkness right now. I’m talking to people who are so discouraged and are about to give up. You’re about to throw in the towel. You’re about to say, “It’s no use. Nobody cares. Nobody can help me.” I want to tell you that God cares. I don’t know what people do if they don’t know the Lord. I don’t know how they make it. The truth of the matter is they don’t make it.

But, you see, you just have to recognize that God is present when you’re in darkness, when it doesn’t make sense, and when you can’t understand anything. While you can’t see through that darkness, He can—when everybody else fails you. Let me show you another Psalm

Psalm 116:6–8 ESV

The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling;

May I tell you that mankind only has three problems, and they’re all right there in that one verse: sin, sorrow, and death. Sin is falling. Sorrow is tears. And, death, of course, is death. Those are the three problems that mankind has, and only the presence of Jehovah God is the answer to any of those three problems. then in the next section…

Psalm 116:9–11 ESV

I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. I believed, even when I spoke: “I am greatly afflicted”; I said in my alarm, “All mankind are liars.”

Not when I go to Heaven: now. I will walk before the Lord. That is, His presence is going to be so real to me. “I came to a place where there was nobody I could depend upon. I came to the place there was nothing that I could count upon. I was made low. And then, I said, I’ll walk before God in the land of the living. His presence will cheer me. And, God has delivered my soul from death, my mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.”

His presence will see me thru!!

B. When You Are Lonely, His Presence Will Cheer You Up

look further down in vs. 17

Psalm 139:17–18 ESV

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.

Do you ever get lonely? Sure you do. There are many things that bring loneliness. Death brings loneliness. Division brings loneliness. Sometimes even success can bring loneliness. We’ve often heard it said, “It’s lonely at the top.” here are many things that cause people to be lonely.

And, you see, He has time for me like there was no one else, and that should cheer me up.

Psalm 16:11 ESV

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

C. When You Are Worried, His Presence Will Calm You Down

Now we’ve already covered worry recently, so we don’t have to say much, right? Now, David, at this time, he had some enemies. I want you to see what happens here.

Psalm 139:19–22 ESV

Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.

Listen. There were some people who hated David and did not fear God. He called them bloody men. That is, they wanted to kill him. He had something to worry about. Now, when he says, “I hate them,” it doesn’t use the emotional language that we use by hate. What the word hate means here is, “to choose against.” That is, I take a position against these men. And, who was David against? David said, “I’m against those who are against God.” But, David went on to say, “Thank God, God is against those who are against me.”

You see, when God’s enemies become my enemies, my enemies become God’s enemies.

When you were a little boy and going to school, was there ever somebody who used to pick on you? Everybody probably had a bully around at some point.

But if we have someone strong around, we don’t worry. See, that’s what David is saying. David is saying, “Look. He is with me. His presence calms me down. His enemies are my enemies. But, my enemies are his enemies. And, I don’t have to worry if God is with me in this trouble. And, just thank God that He just calms me down.”

D. When You Are Tempted, His Presence Will Help You Out

Psalm 139:23–24 ESV

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

He knew that God already knew his heart, but he’s saying, “God, You show me my heart, You show me my thoughts; search me, and try me. You see, I want to be led in the right way.” David knew temptation just like you do. But, he’s saying, “Oh, God, You look into me.”

Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to do wrong when you know somebody’s watching? You’re a whole lot more apt to eat all the banana pudding if you’re there by yourself. Isn’t that right? But, when somebody is watching, it just has a restraint. “bacon aisle at walmart- under surveillance” And, this is what David is saying: “God, You search me. You know my heart. You look into me. Lord, You’re right here, not only on the outside, but on the inside.”

We can’t sneak off and do something, even tho we do, it makes us think no one is watching, but someone is. This is why accountability is such a good thing. But his presence should help us out when we are tempted.

III. The Practice of His Presence

Now, one last thing, How can you make this real in your life? How can you somehow just get it out of the realm of theory, and how can this really just transform your life? Very briefly, there are three ways.

A. Consciously Think About His Presence

You need to stop several times a day and just have an oasis of thought and get quiet. Did you know the Bible says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)? Now, David got alone, and he got to thinking about it.

Psalm 139:6 ESV

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

David is thinking about the fact that God is everywhere. What you need to do is meditate on it, meditate on it, and meditate on it. Read this Psalm over and over again. Have a quiet time with God. Look into the face of God. Tell yourself that God is present.

B. Carry On a Constant Conversation with God

If you’ll notice in this Psalm, it is really a conversation with God: He’s talking to God. He’s not talking about God. He’s carrying on a conversation with God. Don’t just go into your closet and pray. Yes, get down on your knees and pray. But, my dear friend, the Bible also says, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). And, pray about everything. Talk to God about everything. Not out loud—people will think you’ve got a screw loose, but just fellowship with God everywhere. And, if you’re by yourself, you can talk out loud. Fellowship with Him just as you would with a friend. Take a drive with Him. Take a walk with Him. Have conversation with Him. Share with Him your fears. Share with Him your joys. Talk with the Lord in conversational prayer.

C. Develop a Spirit of Praise

The third thing is to develop a spirit of praise. Look, if you will again, one more time here in this Psalm. He says here that he is praising the Lord. Psalm 139:14

Psalm 139:14 ESV

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

The Bible says that God inhabits the praises of His people. So when you praise Him, God reveals Himself to you. Now, He’s always present, but He manifests Himself when we praise. If you’re praying and having difficulty praying, begin to praise.

I’m telling you, friend, when you’re discouraged, His presence will see you through. When you’re lonely, His presence will cheer you up. When you’re worried, His presence will calm you down. And, when you’re tempted, His presence will help you out.