Psalm 139 is one of the most well-known and beloved Psalms for many Christians and even for some who are not ardent followers of the Christian faith. This Psalm which was written by David explores the nature of God in relation to our very existence and even before every human being came into being.
Think about it. The idea that we were all known to God before we became a physical reality in our mother’s womb is astounding and unbelievable. It boggles the mind just contemplating it. In this Psalm, David explores the ever-present and all-knowing character of God in relation to all human beings. His basic assertion is that God knows everything about us even before we were conceived and as such there is nothing that we can hide from him. Every thought, every act is known to God even before it comes to reality. The two key words on which the entire Psalm hinge are to be found right at the beginning in the first verse of the Psalm where it says, “You have searched (ḥāqar) me Lord, and you know (yādaʽ) me. (Psalm 139:1 NIV) Knowing how these two words are used here is critical to understanding and appreciating the entire message of this Psalm.
First of all the idea of searching in this text is not as if to find something that is lost but it is to probe or examine carefully something or someone. This was often the context in which the word was used in relation to us humans and God. Another word that could be used that would convey a similar idea is the word ‘examine’ In light of this the second word conveys the concept of intimate knowledge. In fact, this Hebrew word was often used to describe sexual relations because physical knowledge of another human being in this act was seen as the most intimate relations that one could ever have with another human being. Obviously, sexual relations is not the only way in which human beings are intimate since siblings and close friends also form very close bonds which require a very deep level of knowing and understanding about each other without being sexually intimate. The Psalmist is saying here that God knows him as deeply and completely as any human being can ever be fully known. Clearly we cannot know each other so fully or completely. Only God knows us that perfectly.
From verses two (2) to five (5) the Psalmist then describes how fully God knows every human being. Later in the text at verses thirteen (13), fifteen (15) and sixteen (16), the Psalmist describes more graphically how we are known even before our conception in the womb by this all-knowing God.
Clearly the Psalmist is making three points in the Psalm.
The first point is the fact that God knows every living thing including us humans before we came into existence.This knowledge can either intimidate us or assure us. Which is it for you?
Secondly, our lives are under the deep penetrating eyes of God who knows us more intimately than anyone else can because he made us.
Thirdly, he made us, and so we are special to him. The Psalmist describes it later in the text as being, “fearfully and wonderfully made”. (Psalm 139:14 NIV)
You may recall that a similar understanding of how special we are to God is described for us in the creation account way back in Genesis chapter one where it says, “So God created mankind in His own image, …” (See Genesis 1:27a NIV) There has been much debate through the years about what the image of God means exactly, but one thing is clear which is that we are special to God.
Even as this beloved Psalm of David reminds us of who we are to God, it also asks us to respond to the fact that we are known intimately by God. We can either see this as an assurance that God is in control of every situation we face and every experience we go through in this life, or we can take this awareness of the omniscient God as an intimidating reality. All of us have reason to feel intimidated and exposed in knowing that our every thought is known to someone else even if that someone else is God. We will certainly feel exposed especially if those thoughts are unwholesome thoughts. On the other hand, the person whose life is marked by righteousness in thought and action at every moment, does not have to worry about being exposed to God’s probing. I think that the best part of it is that when we live our lives knowing that everything we think and do is known to God, then we will endeavour to think wholesome thoughts about ourselves and other people thereby acting daily in ways that shows the extent to which we are living God-centred lives and not self-centred lives. For some of us living under the probing eye of God can be reassuring and comforting because we have a firm and steadfast relationship with Jesus, but for others it may be that their thoughts and actions are so far outside of God’s desire for them that they are indecently exposed. Indecent exposure here is not so much about having on appropriate clothing or the lack thereof but having a right relationship with God and with each other. Which one of these situations relate to you most accurately? Is the life that you are living forcing you to feel that you are indecently exposed before God’s probing eye or is it that your life of sincere and committed faith makes you feel more and more assured and comforted to know that God is seeing everything that you are experiencing? It is quite possible that there are times when we yearn for the assurance that God knows what we are experiencing and understands our feelings more than we can express in words. These are the times when we experience pain and indescribable grief or extreme disappointment and at these times we often feel alone. Yet because God knows us more intimately and understands us more than we can possibly understand ourselves, we can take comfort in knowing that He is present in our sufferings and is always available to comfort and strengthen us. But there are those times when we really would prefer it if somehow God did not know our thoughts and our feelings especially about other people because they are just too shameful and sinful. Yet God knows everything about us and He knows that instinctively we humans are more prone to doing the wrong than the right things in his eyes. The Apostle Paul says it well about human nature in Romans chapter seven (7) when he says, “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do-this I keep doing.” (See Romans 7:19a NIV)
You see my friends it is instinctive of us to do the wrong things rather than the right things, the bad rather than the good, and as such many of us even in church fall prey to sinful thoughts and behaviors without thinking twice. This leaves many of us indecently exposed before God time after time and He is disgusted.
We have an obligation to examine ourselves every moment that we breathe to ensure as far as is possible that we fill our minds with those things that are pure and good and righteous towards ourselves and every other person and situation that we share this life with. It is not at all easy to do because achieving this is not possible through human strength and abilities but only through the Holy Spirit’s power working in us and through us every day and every moment of life. Let me challenge us all to think deeply about our lives up to this point and to allow the Spirit of God to lead the transformation that is needed in us so that each of us can go forward assured that the God who knows us intimately is with us through every situation and experience in this life. May God grant us His guiding presence as we seek earnestly to live sincere and faithful lives in praise to Him now and through to eternity. Amen.