Psalm 139 Second
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Main Point
Main Point
God's knowledge, presence and power are always intimately acquainted with the sufferings of His people.
God's knowledge, presence and power are always intimately acquainted with the sufferings of His people.
This Psalm is a psalm about an all knowing, ever present and all powerful God.
More specifically, it is about a God who’s knowledge, presence and power towards the believer is expressed in a way that shows His favor and discipline.
Which reveals His love and faithfulness to His own people.
The reality of God knowing all things, being omnipresent, meaning that God is ever present and God having incomprehensible power should make the unbeliever terrified.
There a miracles in this Psalm.
There a miracles in this Psalm.
1: The Psalmist would be guided by the Holy Spirit to write an inspired word from God!
1: The Psalmist would be guided by the Holy Spirit to write an inspired word from God!
Bible Fellowship Church Article on The Holy Scriptures states:
“Inspiration is a special act of the Holy Spirit by which He guided the writers of the Scriptures so that their words would convey the thoughts He wished conveyed, would bear a proper relationship to the thoughts of the other inspired books, and would be kept free from error of fact, doctrine, and judgment.”
1: The Omniscience of God (1-6)
1: The Omniscience of God (1-6)
The fact that God would be favorable to David here is a miracle.
The writer was guided to write this Psalm that has no error about who God is.
2: The Psalmist could worship the Lord favorably.
2: The Psalmist could worship the Lord favorably.
David would acknowledge God’s attributes in such a way that this writing inspired by the Holy Spirit would be given to the choir master. So that the choir master could lead God’s people in corporate worship!
3: The Psalmist could lament before the presence of God!
3: The Psalmist could lament before the presence of God!
59 Chapters are themed as Psalms of lament.
Praise 41
Hymn 17
Royal 10
They are full with petitions, prayers, laments over persecution and pleas for the Lord’s salvation.
Wisdom 9
In this particular Psalm we see
Thanksgiving 8
Blasphemy, Killing, Death and Evil. All worth lamenting over.
Trust 6
The miracle is that someone who has committed these acts himself was able to be heard from the Lord.
So much that he would be used to pen an inspired text straight from the third person of the Trinity!
God not only heard the psalmist, He used Him favorably to give us this Psalm today.
There are miracles in this Psalm.
But the greatest of them is the revelation given to us about God and how he is intimately acquainted with the sufferings of His people.
1: The Omniscience of God (1-6)
1: The Omniscience of God (1-6)
a. God has searched and known David
1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
God has searched and known David
God has searched and known David
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
Here we see where David recognizes that God has known and searched him already.
The Lord knowing and testing the heart is a common theme in the book of Psalms.
2 Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.
9 O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.
But the Psalmist not only acknowledges that God knows him. He goes through a list of how this knowledge of him looks like.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.
God knew when he sat down and when he rose up.
God knew when he sat down and when he rose up.
Question: when was the last time you thought deeply about your sitting down?
Question: When was the last time you arose from sleep and wondered how much of a miracle it was to do so?
Notice that the psalmist doesn’t choose something that would be considered significant like a war won. A battle fought. Anything we would deem significant.
A battle fought.
God scrutinizes his path and his lying down.
God scrutinizes his path and his lying down.
God not only sees and knows everything. His knowledge of things seems to count everything as significant.
Its as if God sees everything as a single event in detail.
His knowledge of the psalmist is so specific that He would know every detail of his sitting down and rising up!
God understood his thought from afar.
God understood his thought from afar.
Not only does God know everything but He understands everything.
God’s omniscience is not only about knowing everything but its his absolute understanding of everything.
Which means that He completely understood the thought of the psalmist. Even his wrongs as an example.
5 O God, it is You who knows my folly, And my wrongs are not hidden from You.
Psalm 69
So even the wrongs are not hidden from God. And He understands them and has scrutinized them.
Question: What does this say about God?
Answer in the next part of verse 3.
God is intimately acquainted with all of his ways.
God is intimately acquainted with all of his ways.
God is so acquainted with David that (verse 4)
c. God understands from afar his thoughts
4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
Question: Do you remember when Jesus was teaching about prayer when He said in
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
8 “So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
d. God is intimately acquainted with all of his ways
God knows what you need before you ask and He knows what you are going to say before you say it.
This is how intimate He is with us!
e. God knows his words before he speaks them
So intimate that He encircles us as the Holman states in verse 5.
5 You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me.
Which means that God is before and behind him. God is present and close.
Question: What is the reaction of the psalmist to God’s intimate knowledge of him?
e. God knows his words before he speaks them
f. God enclosed him from behind and before and laid his hand on him
Is it fear?
Is it a feeling of condemnation since God knows perfectly his sin and the wrongs of his own heart?
Is it the feeling of worthlessness because of how tainted motives are with sin?
No. His response is verse 6!
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
It is the same response Paul had when understanding the mystery of the gospel in
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
God’s knowledge is not meant only to be acknowledged but enjoyed.
Because though He knows everything in perfect detail, He is favorable, merciful, patient, and abounding in steadfast love towards us!
God not only knows David but He is with David.
Which leads us into the Omnipresence of God.
2: The Omnipresence of God (7-12)
2: The Omnipresence of God (7-12)
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” 12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.
2: The Omnipresence of God (7-12)
2: The Omnipresence of God (7-12)
God cannot be absent from David.
God cannot be absent from David.
Notice the two questions.
First: Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Psalm 139:
Second: Where can I flee from Your presence?
Both questions are actually making the point that it is impossible for anyone to go from God and to flee from God in a way where He is not there.
The psalmist is not talking about wanting to leave His presence but he is admitting that this is impossible.
When he was talking about His presence he literally meant “before His face.”
This is not meant to only be a comforting reality but it is also a warning.
His presence would have literally meant before His face.
No one can flee from the Lord. Which should comfort and convict the believer.
Not only does God have knowledge of everything, but His presence, His face is everywhere.
The psalmist goes into details about this in the verses following.
If he would ascend to heaven, God is there.
If he would ascend to heaven, God is there.
This is obvious of course because this is where God is.
But even when He is in heaven, He is also everywhere else.
Even if He made his bed in Sheol, behold, He is there
Even if He made his bed in Sheol, behold, He is there
Sheol was known as the grave. Which was the place of the dead.
It was also considered unclean. But God would also be there.
The psalmist continues in verses 9-10.
The psalmist continues in verses 9-10.
9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
Even when the sun rose which started east to then go to the remotest part of the sea, which was west. Not only would God be there, He would lead Him.
And He would lay hold of Him with His right hand.
Which speaks of the Lord sustaining him. Making him strong. It is a favorable. positive term towards the writer.
This is exactly what is happening right now with His church!
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
The psalmist is just revealing what has always been.
That God is not only present but is here sustaining us no matter where we go!
God is with the psalmist even when the darkness is overwhelming (verses 11-12)
God is with the psalmist even when the darkness is overwhelming (verses 11-12)
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” 12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,”
12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.
The psalmist here concludes that there is no such thing as not being able to see with God.
God clearly and absolutely sees all and knows all.
God knows with inexhaustible knowledge when he sat down and when he rose up.
God knows with inexhaustible knowledge his path and his lying down.
God knows with inexhaustible knowledge his thoughts.
God knows with inexhaustible knowledge all of his ways and yet remains intimately acquainted with him.
Where could the psalmist go from His presence? Or Heaven?
The grave?
You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” 12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.
The remotest part of the sea?
No. God is there. And not only is He there, He sustains Him with His right hand.
The conclusion here is that even when darkness covers everything and no man can see. God sees with absolute clarity and inexhaustible knowledge!
It is the character of God that there is no darkness at all!
5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” 12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.
Thus the reason that darkness is as light to Him.
Everything is exposed. Even our faults and yet He remains faithful to sustain!
And yet He remains faithful to sustain!
b. If David ascended to heaven God would be there
c. If David made his bed in Sheol God would be there
d. If David dwelled in the remotest part of the sea God would be there leading and holding him by His hand
e. If David was overwhelmed by darkness God would see the darkness as bright as day
3: The Omnipotence of God (13-18)
3: The Omnipotence of God (13-18)
God created and sustains Him.
God created and sustains Him.
13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.
God formed his inward parts and He had woven him in his mother’s womb.
God formed his inward parts and He had woven him in his mother’s womb.
Which is where no one could see.
b. He give thanks because he was fearfully and wonderfully made
c. David acknowledges God's works as wonderful
d. His frame was not hidden from God
e. God skillfully created him in secret
Not only could no one see him in his mother’s womb but no one could have ever hoped to see his inward parts.
f. God ordained the days for him as yet there was not one of them
But God could and God was responsible for putting him together.
g. David worships God because of His thoughts towards him
Again, showing that God was there and He was working and sustaining.
David would go on the give thanks because of this in verse 14.
David would go on the give thanks because of this in verse 14.
h. God's thoughts are innumerable
14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.
Many have used this verse to feel special about themselves.
14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.
But the reason for this being said was thanksgiving.
It was a recognition of the wonderful work of God.
Yes we are fearfully and wonderfully made. But do not leave it at the work. The work is meant to give thanks to the Creator.
His frame was not hidden from Him, When he was being made in secret.
His frame was not hidden from Him, When he was being made in secret.
This could literally read, “my skeleton was not hidden from You.”
God skillfully wrought him in the depths of the earth.
God skillfully wrought him in the depths of the earth.
Most commentators noted that this was figurative of the mother’s womb.
Being skillfully wrought.
A Handbook on the Book of Psalms Psalm 139:15
TEV has rearranged the material in this verse for greater ease of understanding. “Carefully put together” (RSV intricately wrought) translates a verb that is used only eight other times, in Exodus, of the decorated embroidery of the various items in the Tent of the Lord’s Presence.
“Carefully put together” (RSV intricately wrought) translates a verb that is used only eight other times, in Exodus, of the decorated embroidery of the various items in the Tent of the Lord’s Presence.
This highlights the detail of God’s design in the womb.
That is why we should note the great evil of abortion.
I am not saying this offend anyone involved in an abortion before.
But to just say that we are pro life would not be enough.
Not being for abortion is to be pro God!
Like homosexual unions. This is not an attack on traditional marriage. It is an attack on God.
David is highlighting the wonder of God!
It was God who skillfully put him together which demands thanksgiving and worship!
His eyes have seen his unformed substance.
His eyes have seen his unformed substance.
Unformed substance in the Hebrew uses a term only used once in the Old Testament.
It literally means “embryo.” Which again highlights God’s amazing knowledge of him.
In His book were all written the days that were ordained for him, when as yet there was not one of them.
In His book were all written the days that were ordained for him, when as yet there was not one of them.
The psalmist goes from God knowing him and working in him in the most minute detail to knowing the amount of days that the psalmist would live.
The amount of days that David had to live were predetermined by God.
Question: What was David’s response?
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.
David responded with worship!
And he goes from God being with him to him being with God!
The psalmist loves the Lord. So much that he begins to feel the ache in his heart towards those who would speak evil of God!
4: David's plea to slay the wicked and need for God to search Him (19-24)
4: David's plea to slay the wicked and need for God to search Him (19-24)
Psalm 139:
b. He brings forth the enemies speaking against God
c. He brings forth how they take His name in vain
19 O that You would slay the wicked, O God; Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. 20 For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
d. He admits his hatred for his enemies
e. He loathes his enemies because they rise against God
f. He hates them to the utmost and they have become his own enemies
5: David's need for God to search him (23-24)
5: David's need for God to search him (23-24)
Verse 19a O that You would slay the wicked, O God.
Verse 19a O that You would slay the wicked, O God.
a. He pleads to God to search him and to know his heart
b. He pleads to God to try him and to know his anxious thoughts
David transitions into praying what is called an imprecatory prayer.
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Imprecation, Imprecatory Psalms
IMPRECATION, IMPRECATORY PSALMS Act of invoking a curse. In the Imprecatory Psalms the author calls for God to bring misfortune and disaster upon the enemies (Pss. 5; 11; 17; 35; 55; 59; 69; 109; 137; 140). These psalms are an embarrassment to many Christians who see them in tension with Jesus’ teaching on love of enemies (Matt. 5:43–48). It is important to recall the theological principles that underlie such psalms. These include: (1) the principle that vengeance belongs to God (Deut. 32:35; Ps. 94:1) that excludes personal retaliation and necessitates appeal to God to punish the wicked (cp. Rom. 12:19); (2) the principle that God’s righteousness demands judgment on the wicked (Pss. 5:6; 11:5–6); (3) the principle that God’s covenant love for the people of God necessitates intervention on their part (Pss. 5:7; 59:10, 16–17); and (4) the principle of prayer that believers trust God with all their thoughts and desires. See Blessing and Cursing.
An imprecatory prayer is the act of invoking a curse.
It is often in the Psalms where the psalmist pleads with God for the misfortune and disaster of his enemies.
Many Christians often struggle with this since Jesus tells us to love our enemies.
But in Matthew chapter 5 Jesus is speaking of a hatred that could lead into retaliation and revenge for personal reasons.
Here it is talking about God implementing justice because of their taking His name in vain. So this is not talking about personal vengeance but the divine right to bring about judgement.
We have to remember that vengeance belongs to the Lord.
God’s righteousness demands justice.
God’s intervention in the Old Testament often meant judgement against the wicked for bringing harm to God’s people.
Imprecatory prayers were done in the context of brutality and killing by the enemies of God’s people.
Verse 19b Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.
Verse 19b Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.
David was asking for God to slay men who were men killing the people of God.
c. He does this to see if there is any hurtful ways in him
The motive for his imprecatory prayer is found in verse 20.
Verse 20 For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Verse 20 For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Which is a direct violation of the third commandment ().
Then David turns to how he feels in verses 21-22
Verse 21 -22 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.
Verse 21 -22 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.
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised A. Human Hatred
The person who fears God hates not so much because these wicked ones threaten the well-being and existence of those whom they hate, but because they threaten the very foundation of all human order, which God has established at His creation in the beginning of time. The enemies and evildoers have placed themselves into a sphere apart from God and joined in a covenant with forces that have purposed the disruption and destruction of the divinely established order (cf. Ps. 22:13–17; 57:5; 73:6–9). The psalmist asks, therefore: “Do I not hate them that hate thee, O Lord? And do I not loathe them that rise up against thee?” (139:21). There is thus a hatred that is natural for the God-fearing one (Ex. 18:21; Ps. 97:10; 119:104, 128, 163; Prov. 8:13; 13:5; 28:16; Isa. 33:15). But this hatred is not a personal, malicious hatred which seeks the death of the enemy (cf. Prov. 24:17f.). Punishment of the enemies is to come from God and not from those whom the enemies hate. In the Song of Moses (Dt. 32) the hate of the enemies remains until the day of vengeance and requital (v 35) when Yahweh will repay His foes and requite those who hate Him (v 41). Because of their sin and rebellion, the just man hates those who hate his God; nevertheless, the righteous man maintains an attitude of nonretaliation. He refrains from usurping what is God’s prerogative. He hates evil and loves good (Am. 5:15), while the wicked man hates good and loves evil (Mic. 3:2). The prophetic message shows that the act of decision between hate and love over against good and evil is not a matter based on the emotions of the human heart. To the contrary, it is a decisive choice of the will, for it is a choice for life or death.
The ISB Encyclopedia
“Punishment of the enemies is to come from God and not from those whom the enemies hate. In the Song of Moses () the hate of the enemies remains until the day of vengeance and requital (v 35) when Yahweh will repay His foes and requite those who hate Him (v 41). Because of their sin and rebellion, the just man hates those who hate his God; nevertheless, the righteous man maintains an attitude of nonretaliation. He refrains from usurping what is God’s prerogative. He hates evil and loves good (), while the wicked man hates good and loves evil (). The prophetic message shows that the act of decision between hate and love over against good and evil is not a matter based on the emotions of the human heart. To the contrary, it is a decisive choice of the will, for it is a choice for life or death.”
The psalmist is asking for God’s justice, not because of personal harm done to Him, but because of their desire to kill and for taking the Lord’s name in vain.
There is debate of whether the believer can pray this today.
But there shouldn’t be because our starting point when thinking of and praying for God’s justice starts at the cross.
Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. 20 For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain.
d. He wants to be led in the way everlasting
Jesus is the starting point when thinking of and praying for God’s judgement.
When thinking of God’s judgement remember that He is holy and we all are deserving of wrath.
Remember, that when you say you long for the Lord to come that it isn’t just a rescue but it is the Lamb coming a Lion.
So in saying for instance, Maranatha Lord come, you are also asking for the judgement to come with that.
So along with David here, when thinking of hating the things that God hates. Like the hatred over the wicked we should ask what he asks for in closing.
Verses 23 -24 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.
Verses 23 -24 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.
What is the everlasting way?
3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.