The Intimacy of God

Introduction

Psalm 139 KJV 1900

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 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. Thou hast beset me behind and before, And laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain unto it. 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. 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. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: Depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. For they speak against thee wickedly, And thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

(Pray)

What we learn from our passage this morning is; we have an intimately personal God, and that should lead us to a deeper desire to live for Him.

Every year there are millions of people all over the world that find out they have cancer or some other sickness and decease that threatens their life. And many times they were completely unaware of what was going on inside them.

The majority of the time, there are symptoms and a doctor can diagnose the problem and they can receive treatment. But sometimes there are no symptoms at all, and they don’t find out until it is to late.

Even with all the technology we have today, like MRI machines, and CT scans that allow us to see deep inside the body, sometimes, there is still a need for exploratory surgery.

Exploratory surgery is when a doctor needs to open you up to go in and see clearly what is going on inside of you.

In Psalm 139 David takes us on a journey of God’s exploratory surgery of His life. This is one of the most beautiful pieces of literature ever written.

This Psalm is broken down into four parts. In the first three, we are given some of the most intense Bible teaching on the attributes of God.

In Verse 1-6 we learn about the omniscience of God. That is just a fancy way of saying that He knows everything there is to know about us.

In verses 7-12 we learn about God’s omnipresence. The fact that God is always with us and there is no where we can hide from His presence.

In verses 13-18, we learn about the omnipotence of God, that He is the all powerful Creator who loves us and has an incredible plan for our lives.

But, then suddenly, David switches gears and something changes. He begins to talk about being faithful and loyal to God.

And in verses 23-24, He asks God to perform spiritual exploratory surgery on his heart, because he doesn’t want anything to come between him and his Lord.

The Bible teaches us a frightening truth all of us need to consider. We are all capable of committing some of the most heinous sin. Jeremiah 17:9 ““The heart of man wicked beyond measure; who can know it?”

That means that we are completely capable of doing things we don’t think that we would do. We don’t always recognize the sin in our own life.

It is for that reason David gave us Psalm 139. He is an example for us of how to open ourselves up to God and allow Him to perform surgery on our heart.

God’s Intimate Knowledge Vs. 1-6.

Here David is talking about what we call the omniscience of God and He is blown away by the truth that God knows everything there is to know about us.

David says, He knows when I sit down and when I get up. He knows when i go out and when I come home. He is personally acquainted with all my ways. In fact, He knows what I am going to say, even before I say it.

God knows my thoughts from afar, and the word afar here doesn’t mean distance, but it means time. In other words, God knows my thoughts long before I think them.

Like a bird in a cage, He has us surrounded and there is no escaping His perfect knowledge of who we are and what we are doing.

Jesus would tell us that God is aware of the most trivial detail about us. Matthew 10:30 ““But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

Example; There is no one in this world that knows me the way my wife knows me. We have been married for 35 years and she can tell you about all of my bad attitudes, what makes me happy and what makes me sad, even how long I am going to stay angry about any given circumstance.

She can probably predict what I will do in any given situation. Sometimes even finish a sentence before I say it.

But, after all these years there are still new things she learns about me all the time. Only God can know us so thoroughly that there is nothing new He will ever learn about you.

It is important we understand that God has a distinct purpose for knowing every detail of our life.

Vs. 5 says, “Thou hast beset me behind and before, And laid thine hand upon me.”

God’s purpose is not to control us, because He has given us free will. It is not to catch us doing something wrong, although He is aware every time we do. No, the Lord knows us so intimately because He loves us so intensely.

We are told, He “besets us behind and before.” That means, He encircles us with a hedge row of protection. The word “beset” means to confine or enclose. It is used in other places in the Bible to describe; protecting your money or fortifying a city.

David goes on to say, God had “laid His hand upon him.” That is just another way of saying, God is guarding me and taking care of me.

Exodus 33:22 God would say the same thing to Moses. “and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.”

In Psalm 139 David realizes God’s knows everything about him, and He wants to protect him, and David is overwhelmed by that.

Notice Vs. 6, “Such knowledge is to wonderful for me; it is to high, I cannot attain it.”

David is humbled by God but, He is also aware that he is accountable to God. And the same thing is true in our life.

We need to live with an understanding that God knows us and He knows everything about us. Right down to the smallest details, and that should convict us, but it should also comfort us.

For example, knowing God is aware of every word, thought, and deed should be a great motivator to do the right thing.

Every time we tell a lie or think some impure thought there should be conviction in our heart, because we are accountable to God.

It is a lot easier to lie, steal, and cheat when we think we can get away with it. But, when we know someone is watching, more than likely we will do the right thing.

Well, even though no other human being can see you, be aware that God always can, and He doesn’t miss a thing. Proverbs 15:3 “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Watching the evil and the good.”

I am reminded of the story of Achan in the 7th chapter of Joshua. He thought know one would know if he stole the silver and gold from Jericho, and no one saw him do it, but God saw and it cost Achan his life.

On the other hand, God’s knowledge should also comfort us. Because nothing happens in our life that doesn’t come across His desk first.

He is aware of every circumstance and situation we get into. He knows about every threat in our life, and He is guarding us and protecting us all the time.

We can rest peacefully and walk fearlessly through this world, knowing that the eyes of God are always on us.

Psalm 139 teaches us; we have an intimately personal God, and that should cause us to want to live for Him.

God’s Intimate Presence Vs. 7-12.

After teaching us about God’s complete knowledge, David begins to consider God’s omnipresence.

No matter where we go, we cannot escape or hide from the presence of God. He is always with us and He is there to help us.

Notice verse 7-9, David begins with two rhetorical questions and the answer is so obvious he doesn’t even bother to give an answer.

“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? and the answer is no where. Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?” And the answer is no where. There is no where we can go that God is not there.

Then, in very poetic language, David goes on to put this into practical terms for us.

Notice Vs. 8 He says, if he could ascend into the heavens, God would be there. If he could descend into hell, God would be there.

It is important we understand, In the Hebrew language this is called merism. When you mention two opposite extremes like this, it includes everything in between.

So, what David is saying is, that God is in every spot from the highest of the heavens to the deepest of hell. In other words, everywhere from as far north as you can go, to as far south. Notice Vs. 9, “If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;” This is another figure of speech. The wings of the morning means, “if i could fly as fast and as far as I can to the East. To the setting of the sun, God would be there.

And the sea is a reference to the Mediterranean sea, which sits on the West coast of Israel.

So, the point David is making is clear. God is present everywhere, from the north to the south and from the east to the west, and all points in between.

What is interesting to me is most scholars think David felt confined by God’s presence, but I don’t see that at all. In fact, the rest these verse prove David was grateful for the Lord’s presence.

Look at Vs. 10 David refers to the gracious hand of God again, just like in Vs. 5.

He says, “Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me.”

What David is telling us is: the Lord is with us at all times to lead, guide and support us. The hand of God is a symbol of His strength and power. His hand is protecting us throughout our life.

Vs. 11 & 12 He teach us that God’s presence lights the way through the darkness. In other words, It doesn’t matter how dark the world is, or our situation, God can see right through it.. We are not hidden from Him. He lights the way out of the darkness. And darkness always represents evil and sin in the Bible.

The point is we are never on our own. God is always with us. He will never leave us and never forsake us, and He is protecting us from threats we can’t even see.

Think about the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were thrown in the fiery furnace for standing on their faith.

But, even in the flames there was a fourth figure walking with them. It was the presence of God. That story is meant to teach us, no matter what we face in this world we are never alone. The presence of God is with us in our most difficult moments.

Just like God’s knowledge of everything about us should motivate us to do the right thing, His presence should do that as well.

That is even more true for us today than it was for the saints of God in the Old Testament because God’s Spirit lives within us.

1 Cor. 3:16, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

What a sobering thought it is. When we are wrestling with sin or giving into our temptations, we are dragging the Holy Spirit down with us. God is not just a witness of our degeneration, but we make Him a partner of it. When we defile ourselves we are defiling God.

We have an intimately personal God, and that should lead us to a deeper desire to live for Him.

God’s Intimate Power Vs. 13-18

When a baby is born into this world it is probably the most amazing phenomenon on earth. It is truly a miracle and David realized that.

He realized God was in control of every detail of his life from conception to birth.

And when we realize that, it should cause us to be grateful, because that explains why He knows us so well, and why He is always with us.

Because, He created us and He has a plan for our lives.

Notice Vs. 13, “For thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.”

There are three key words here I want you to see. The word “Possessed” means purchased or acquired and it is usually mentioned in connection to God’s creation of the heavens and earth.

Here it refers to the creation of human life and it means the whole process is controlled by God.

The word “reins” speaks of the internal organs, but it also speaks of the mind, will, and emotions, our inner most being. The depths of our soul.

And the word “covered” usually refers to hiding something or shielding it. It speaks of God placing the baby in it’s mothers womb while the baby develops.

When you put these words together you can really understand what David is saying. God established the entire process of birth from beginning to end. We are all the miraculous work of the hand of God.

He has created a highly complex machine we call the human body.

What is even more amazing is; we are greater than any machine ever could be. We are a living soul. We have the ability think, feel, and to choose our own path.

Think about how a sculptor can take a block of stone and turn it into a masterpiece. But only God can take that stone and bring it to life. He not only creates a body but He creates a soul and He fills it with potential and purpose.

Notice God’s purpose in creating you. Psalm 139:17–18 “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake I am still with you.”

David realized how important he was to God, and that caused him to love God more and to praise Him with all of his heart.

And truly that is God’s purpose for our life. We are to praise Him, love Him and be loved by Him.

Look at the conclusion of Vs. 18 that “when I wake up I am still with you.”

That teaches us; God’s purpose in creating us is to be with Him. Every morning of every day, we have a new opportunity to live for God..

God has a plan for our life, and that is what sets us apart from every other creature. We were made in His image. We were made to have a relationship with Him.

Think about what that means; That means all the things you don’t like about yourself have been uniquely designed for you by God.

Some people want to be taller, or thinner, or better (Fisherman). But, we have been hand crafted for God’s purpose.

We have an intimately personal God, and that should lead us to a deeper desire to live for Him.

God’s Intimate Results Vs. 19-24

The only conclusion you can come to when you realize you cannot escape the living God, is to commit your life to Him.

That’s what we see from David here. This shows us two characteristics of holiness.

Holiness means being separated from the wicked. Vs. 19-22

Psalm 139:19–22 “O that You would slay the wicked, O God; Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. For they speak against You wickedly, And 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 the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies.”

Does the thought of hating the enemies of God strike you as odd? Because it didn’t seem to bother David. We have a very soft and sappy idea of what love is today.

We think it is wrong for us as Christians to hate anything, and truly Jesus teaches to love our enemies. But we can’t love God properly and be complacent about sin.

There is a fine line between loving the sinner and hating their sin.

Holiness means living apart from the wicked while at the same time, trying to reach out to them with the gospel.

In John 8 there is a woman caught in adultery, and her accusers chase her to Jesus and they are getting ready to stone her, when Jesus says, “let him who is without sin cast the first stone.

One by one her accusers walked away. Jesus looked up and said, “woman where are those who condemn you, neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”

Jesus teaches us that love and truth can coexist. We can show compassion without compromising our values.

Holiness means being separated from the wicked.

2. (Characteristic) We see that holiness means living openly before God Vs. 23-24.

Psalm 139:23–24 NASB95

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

Notice that no sooner does David get this hatred out of his mouth that he realizes that he is a sinner too.

He asks God to expose him, To put a spotlight on his thoughts. He says, “Search me, try me, know my anxious thoughts.”

The point is; all sin begins in our mind, and if we want to live a holy life we have to get the dirt our of our mind. Our thought life has to be holy.

Also, notice the constant surrender to God. in Vs. 24 he says, “lead me in the everlasting way.” We have to allow God to lead us. When the Word of God shows us something is wrong, we have to be willing to change, and become doers of the Word and not just hearers only.

Conclusion

We don’t typically think of God as being intimately involved in every aspect of our life. (corner, nook, and cranny) If we think of God as being distant or unaware of our situation and the sin in our life, we will not have a desire to live obediently and faithfully to Him.

But if we think of God as actively involved in every moment and every detail, it will produce a greater awareness of holiness, righteousness, and sin.

This Psalm should inspire us to be aware of the presence of God and His knowledge of us, and should lead to a greater desire to live for Him.