Psalm 139

 Psalm 139

Psalms 139:1-24 (NASB20) 1 For the music director. A Psalm of David. 

LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I get up; You understand my thought from far away. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, LORD, You know it all. 5 You have encircled me behind and in front, And placed Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot comprehend it. 

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 up 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 take hold of me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” 12 Even darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You. 

• 13 For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfullymade; 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 formed in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my formless substance; And in Your book were written All the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. 

17 How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, theywould outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You. 

19 If only You would put the wicked to death, God; Leave me, you men of bloodshed. 20 For they speak againstYou wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate those who hate You, 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. 

 

23Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there is any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

Our God is an awesome God. He is everywhere and knows everything, yet he cares for the most insignificant details of our lives. He formed us in our mothers womb and wrote the details of our lives in His book before we were even conceived. It’s hard to add much to this psalm as it completely describes how much the Lord loves us and has a plan for our lives. 

But then we also have enemies that seek to lead us astray. That’s why it is necessary for the psalmist to end with a plea to “search me” and “lead me” so that he will live according to the plan the the Lord has, the “everlasting way”.

This brings to mind a book I have been reading recently, “Emotional Healing Made Simple”, by Praying Medic. Even though the Lord has a plan for our life, we often get side tracked or led astray, and the result is the “hurtful way”. But even then, the Lord has a plan to heal those hurts also. 

• 23Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there is any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

This actually outlines the way to get healed from those hurtful emotions. You can ask the Lord to search your heart, revealing those hurts, and then Jesus can heal them. If you have any hurtful ways hidden in your heart, I urge you to pray for the Lord to heal them. The God that created the universe cares for every detail in your life and He can lead you in the way everlasting if you but ask and follow Him.