David’s words in this chapter have been treasured by many who were searching for their own worth. Whether you came from a home that had planned and prepared for you, nurtured, loved and equipped you for life in this world or whether none of that has been part of your experience, in Psalm 139 we read God’s truth about our lives — we are all KNOWN by our creator. We ARE planned and loved. We are designed with a purpose.

“God is all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere present. God knows us, God is with us, and his greatest gift is to allow us to know him.” This quote taken from my Life Application NIV Bible of this chapter. It’s about God and our relationship with Him. It’s intimate. It’s personal. It’s unique.

My outline from a previous study reads as follows:

God’s Omniscience: We cannot deceive Him (vv. 1-6)
Omniscience = all knowing. David writes “you know”. “You perceive” “You discern” Verse 5 even says “You hem me in” (literally to bind together). I envision how a baby is swaddled for comfort and protection. This might be alarming, stifling, or confining to some, but look at the way David describes it…”such knowledge is too wonderful for me.”

Side note: David is the writer of this devotional Psalm. Interestingly, you’ll notice that the whole chapter is addressed directly to God. All the while David is writing TO God He’s writing ABOUT God. Even in this prayerful Psalm, we are learning more about God than we are about ourselves or David.

God’s Omnipresence: We cannot escape Him (vv. 7-12)
Omnipresence = God is everywhere. Better stated, God is present everywhere. This is not to be confused with Pantheism. You may not have heard the word pantheism but you have undoubtedly heard people talk about experiencing god in the trees and the wind and the frogs and the furniture. God isn’t everything or in everything. God is God. He made everything and He is able to be present everywhere. He is not confined like human beings (even super-MOMS) only able to be in one place at one time. (Even though we have eyes in the “back of our heads”, ;-).)

In this section David, is telling God and telling us that everywhere that David goes, God is there. Night and day. Here and there. He is always there.
A comfort? or Confining? David is grateful for God’s comfort and protection, “Your hand will guide me…. and hold me fast”. How often do we FEEL like God isn’t there? Even David, a man’s after God’s own heart, felt like God wasn’t there with him at times. I’ve felt abandoned by God at times in my life, when I was hurt or confused, or lonely. The feelings are real, but the TRUTH is that God is ever-present. The feelings come and go, God’s word doesn’t.

God’s Omnipotence: We cannot ignore Him (vv.13-18)
Omnipotent = all powerful. There is nothing God cannot do. Jeremiah 32:17 reiterates that statement. Vs 13, “You created me.” “Your works are wonderful!” And hear this….”All the days ordained for me were written in your book BEFORE one of them came to be.” God is able to do anything. He decided to make you, and me. He already had it planned from “birth to death” long before we were even conceived in our mother’s womb.
Does that seem controlling? Maybe. David followed this truth with “how precious are your thoughts to me”. God has planned the number of your days because He is able. We get to choose our response to each day.

David wanted to know God and be known by Him. He wasn’t offended by God’s power or presence. He was encouraged and strengthened by it. He was humbled and empowered by God. David described his intimate, dependent relationship with the all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present God in such a way that draws me in. Don’t you think? I want to sit and rock in God’s lap. I am in awe of the fact that God wants to be known by me. It’s overwhelming to me, honestly.

I hope that you can take some time to explore God and express yourself to Him this week. Just the two of you.