SERIES: GOD IS WITH US

GOD IS WITH US, Psalm 139: 7 - 12

Psalm 139:7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 

9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 

10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me; 

12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. 

Last week we explored the first six verses of Psalm 139. In this psalm David asked God to examine him thoroughly to affirm his innocence. David marvels at God’s creation, recognizing they are fearfully and wonderfully made. The psalm concludes with a plea for God to search their heart and lead them away from wickedness towards everlasting life. One of the most comforting, recurring themes in scripture is the assurance that “God is With Us”. So important is this concept that one of the Names of Jesus is Immanuel – God with Us.

So today we will explore the six verses of our text with a sermon entitled, GOD WITH US.

Psalm 139:7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 

God is in all places all the time. However, the all-presence of God is not the same as pantheism. Pantheism teaches that the creation is God. The Bible teaches that God is a Spirit who is separate and distinct from His creation. Is there any place where man can evade the Holy Spirit of God? Jeremiah 23:24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?" says the LORD; "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the LORD. It is impossible to flee from God. This thought is terrible to those who are not at peace with Him, but delightful to those who love Him. *

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 

Is there any place where David can hide from the presence of the Lord? Suppose man should ascend into heaven, would he elude God there? Of course, not; heaven is the throne of God. Jesus said in Matthew 5:34 “But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:” Heaven is a large place, replenished with an innumerable company, and yet there is no escaping God's eye there, in any corner, or in any crowd. Even if he made his bed in the place of the dead, in a disembodied state, he would find that God is there as well. *

9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 

The wings of the morning are an allusion to the rays of the morning sun that streak across the heavens from east to west at 186,000 miles per second. Even if we could travel to some remote corner of the universe at the speed of light, we would find the Lord there, waiting to guide and uphold us. God’s presence then began to take on a new meaning for David, as if the light were dawning on him. Now, he stated, the hand of the Lord would lead and comfort him. No matter how far we go, even when we can go no further, we cannot go out of God’s reach.” Remember that God arrested Jonah when he tried to flee from the presence of the Lord. *

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me; 

If a person wanted the darkness to hide him from God, he would be trusting a false refuge. Night cannot shut out the presence of the Lord. Darkness is not dark to Him. David could not be concealed from God, for darkness and light are the same to Him because of His omniscience and omnipresence. Darkness is the friend of fugitives from men; but is transparent to God. When God separated the darkness from light it was for our benefit not His. We need a period in the day that signals to our bodies a time of rest. Daniel 2:22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. *

12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. 

Darkness is not dark to Him. God is absolutely inescapable. As Pascal said, "His center is everywhere; His circumference is nowhere." Job 34:22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. *

Have you ever been called a “know-it-all”? If you have, it probably was not meant as a compliment. When someone calls you a “know-it-all,” they’re sarcastically saying, “You don’t know as much as you think you do!” But we know somebody who really does know it all: our heavenly Father. God knows everything. His knowledge is immediate, instantaneous, comprehensive, and fully retentive. God knows what He knows without any kind of painstaking research; He never had to go to school, take a test, or be informed about anything. You can never tell God something He doesn’t already know; He knows it all. In short, He is omniscient. (John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016).

In Psalm 139, David takes the theology of “omniscience” off the top shelf and brings it down to a personal level. To David, God’s omniscience is not theological or philosophical—it’s relational and personal. Notice the personal pronouns here: “Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up. You understand my thought afar off” (Psa 139:1–2). David doesn’t say, “Lord, you know all things and you’ve searched all things”; instead, he says, “You know me, you’ve searched me” (emphasis mine). What David does in this psalm is what we must do with all difficult truths we try to comprehend. We must not be content to leave these questions on a page of a book or discuss them with our friends over coffee. We have to follow David’s lead and find a way to bring them to a personal level. For example, “You understand my thoughts” (Psa 139:2) could be expressed, “God, you know what I think before I even think it.” What that means to us is this: God knows what we really believe about Him, not just what we say about Him. He knows where we stand, and He knows what our real opinions are. We Can Never Be Know-It-Alls When David says “Search me, O God, and know my heart” (Psa 139:23), it’s a prayer. He’s inviting God to know more (even though that’s not possible). He’s saying, “God, I can’t wrap my mind around this. I’ll blow a fuse trying to figure this out, so I just surrender it to you. Search me, know me, lead me, direct me.” And that’s where we ought to leave off in dealing with God’s omniscience and all His divine attributes. I like to put it this way: since God’s ability transcends my reality, it’s best for me to bow at His immensity. God is always greater than our present knowledge of Him. If God were small enough for our brains, He wouldn’t be big enough for our needs. God indeed “knows it all.” By His very nature, without having to learn anything, He already knows everything—past, present, and future. Faced with that, what else can we do but bow to Him in worship and adoration? (John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016).

Knowing that God knows everything about everything, I must ask the same question that Peter asked in, 2Peter 3:11.… what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, HOLY GHOST TAKE US HOME!!!

Answers to Study Lesson Questions 12/17/2025

Sunday December 14, 2025 

GOD WITH US. Psalm 139:7 - 12

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I. Getting to Know “Yourself”

How does knowing that God knows everything influence the way you should live, according to the sermon? 2Peter 3:11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives

Explain the following verses from Sunday’s sermon.

     Psalm 139: 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? God is in all places at the same time.

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. There is no escaping God's eye there, in any corner, or in any crowd. Even if he made his bed in the place of the dead, in a disembodied state, he would find that God is there as well. *

9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. The wings of the morning are an allusion to the rays of the morning sun that streak across the heavens from east to west at 186,000 miles per second. Even if we could travel to some remote corner of the universe at the speed of light, we would find the Lord there, waiting to guide and uphold us.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me; Night cannot shut out the presence of the Lord.

12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. Darkness is not dark to Him. God is absolutely inescapable.

Observation Question-

How does David describe God’s ability to see in both darkness and light?

Darkness is not dark to Him. David could not be concealed from God, for darkness and light are the same to Him because of His omniscience and omnipresence.

Interpretation Question-

Why might the idea of God’s inescapable presence be comforting to some people but unsettling to others?

Darkness is the friend of fugitives from men; but is transparent to God. Some people do things in the dark, hoping no one will see them. But God does.

Application Question –

The difference between God’s omnipresence and pantheism is that God is not the same as His creation but chooses to be with us. How does this truth shape the way you worship or pray?

I have comfort in knowing that God is always with me.

AMMO

Jeremiah 23:24Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?" says the LORD; "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the LORD.

Daniel 2:22He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

Job 34:22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;

2Peter 3:11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of personsought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

Summary In this sermon, we explored Psalm 139:7-12, focusing on the profound truth that God is always with us. David’s words remind us that there is nowhere we can go to escape God’s presence—whether in the heights of heaven, the depths of the grave, or the farthest reaches of the sea, God is there. We considered the difference between God’s omnipresence and pantheism, affirming that God is distinct from His creation yet intimately involved in every part of it. The sermon also highlighted how God’s omniscience is not just a theological concept but a deeply personal reality: God knows us completely, even our thoughts and motives. Ultimately, we are called to respond to God’s inescapable presence and perfect knowledge with humility, surrender, and worship, allowing Him to search our hearts and lead us in His ways. Key Takeaways - God’s Presence Is Inescapable, Yet Personal No matter where we go—whether to the highest heights or the deepest depths—God is already there. This truth can be unsettling for those running from Him, but for those who love Him, it is a source of deep comfort. God’s presence is not just a cosmic reality; it is a personal promise that He will never leave or forsake us.

- God’s Omnipresence Is Not Pantheism While God fills heaven and earth, He is not the same as His creation. He is a Spirit, distinct and holy, who chooses to be present with us. This distinction invites us to worship Him as the Creator, not the creation, and to seek relationship with the One who holds all things together. - Light and Darkness Are Alike to God We often think of darkness as a place to hide, but to God, darkness and light are the same. There is no shadow or secret that can conceal us from His gaze. This means we can bring our fears, failures, and hidden struggles into His light, knowing He already sees and understands. - God’s Knowledge Is Immediate and Intimate God’s omniscience is not distant or abstract; it is immediate and personal. He knows our thoughts before we think them, our words before we speak them, and our motives before we act. This invites us to honesty and vulnerability before God, trusting that He knows us fully and loves us still. - The Right Response Is Surrender and Worship When faced with the immensity of God’s presence and knowledge, our best response is not to try to figure it all out, but to bow in humility and worship. Like David, we can invite God to search our hearts, lead us, and transform us. God’s greatness is beyond our understanding, but His love is always within our reach.