God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man
For the Chief Musician (overseer). A Psalm (a poem set to notes, melody) of David (beloved).
1. O LORD (Jehovah, the existing one), You have searched(examined) me and known(understand) me.
2. You know my sitting down (dwelling) and my rising up (establishing something); You understand (know) my thought (purpose) afar off.
3. You comprehend (disperse) my path (way of living) and my lying down, And are acquainted (familiar) with all my ways (moral character).
4. For there is not a word (utterance) on my tongue (language), But behold, O LORD (Jehovah), You know it altogether (everything).
5. You have hedged (fortify) me behind and before, And laid Your hand (power) upon (over) me.
6. Such knowledge (wisdom) is too wonderful (incomprehensible) for me; It is high (inaccessible), I cannot attain it.
7. Where can I go (depart) from Your Spirit (breath)? Or where can I flee (bolt) from Your presence (countenance)?
8. If I ascend into heaven (abode of God), You are there; If I make my bed in hell (place of no return), behold, You are there.
9. If I take the wings (corner of garment) of the morning, And dwell (abide) in the uttermost parts
(latter time) of the sea.
10. Even there Your hand (power) shall lead (guide) me, And Your right hand (direction) shall hold (possess) me.
11. If I say, “Surely the darkness (ignorance) shall fall (overwhelm) on me,” Even the night (adversity) shall be light (luminary) about me.
12. Indeed, the darkness (ignorance) shall not hide (be hidden) from You, But the night (adversity) shines as the day; The darkness (misery) and the light (illumination) are both alike to You.
13. For you formed (created) my inward parts (seat of emotion); You covered (joined) me in my mother’s womb.
14. I will praise (give thanks) You, for I am fearfully (stand in awe) and wonderfully (distinct) made; Marvelous (extraordinary) are Your works (deeds), And that my soul (inner being of man) knows very well.
15. My frame was not hidden (concealed) from You, When I was made in secret (hiding), And skillfully wrought (woven) in the lowest parts of the earth (ground).
16. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book (scroll) they all were written, The days fashioned (pre-ordained) for me, When as yet there were none of them.
17. How precious (highly valued) also are Your thoughts (purpose) to me, O God! How great (numerous) is the sum (total) of them!
18. If I should count (number) them, they would be more in number (exceedingly) than in sand; When I awake (arouse), I am still with You.
19. Oh, that You would slay (put to death) the wicked (one who has departed from the correct path or way), O God! Depart (be removed) from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
20. For they speak against You wickedly (mischievous); Your enemies (foe) take Your name (character) in vain.
21. Do I hate (detest) them, O LORD (Jehovah), who hate (detest) you? And do I not loathe (grieve) those who rise up against You?
22. I hate (detest) them with perfect (completeness) hatred; I count them my enemies (adversary).
23. Search (examine) me, O God, and know my heart (mind); Try (test) me and know (discern) my anxieties.
24. And see (observe) if there is any wicked (idol) way (moral character) in me, And lead (guide) me in the way everlasting (forever).
In Psalm 139, David is letting us see how the Father is all-present and all-knowing.
In Psalm 139, David is letting us see how the Father is all-present and all-knowing. Let us look deeper into this psalm. Behind the English meaning of the words, I have added the Hebrew meaning [1] in parenthesis. To get a correct understanding of Scripture, we need to look at its original text, which is Hebrew. In Hebrew understanding, every word speaks of character and function. You will see it makes a difference in the interpretation of the Word.
At the beginning of this psalm, David is acknowledging that the LORD is the creator of mankind. We have to be alive before we can be examined and understood, therefore He made each one of us. Genesis 2:7, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. He breathed his Spirit into us which is His character.”
David realizes we are unique. He finds comfort in knowing that the LORD knows us much more than we even know ourselves. The way we live, and what we are thinking, even our desires, hurts, disappointments, times of loneliness, and grief. Nothing surprises Him or makes Him love us less. While we are establishing our thoughts, the LORD already perceives our ideas before they are spoken. David also knew there is no place that he could flee to or try to run away and hide from the Lord. Even to heaven or hell. We cannot escape His presence, ever. Where is heaven? Is it up in the sky somewhere? Heaven is the place where God dwells. If He dwells in our mind, then our mind is heaven. Where is hell? It is a place of no return and that can be in your mind as well. If we do not understand the scriptures with a deeper understanding and we stay that way and we die, spiritually we are in a place of no return. That is why David examined himself all the time.
If we do not understand the scriptures with a deeper understanding and we stay that way and we die, spiritually we are in a place of no return. That is why David examined himself all the time.
If it were not for the LORD where would we be? David knew He stood guard all around him, like a fortified city protecting him with His mighty power. He realized what the Lord was doing for him and what He wanted to do within him. David was overwhelmed at times as he saw how the Lord loved him and created him. He had a deep reverence for the LORD. David’s desire was to know him more intimately, through a deeper understanding of the Scriptures.
David knows that the LORD has a language and it is hidden and he wants to reveal it to us. It is knowing the secrets and mysteries of the kingdom. He knows that what we speak must come into alignment with God’s understanding. Not a literal “dead letter” understanding but a spiritual one, which means you see the revelations, get a divine truth, then you come into a deeper understanding of the Word. If we do not know the mysteries, then we are considered to be in darkness. We are ignorant without the light and truth which is Jesus. Once light and truth expose the darkness, which is ignorance, it has no place to hide. It shines forth bright; it illuminates everything so it can be seen.
David understood that while he was being created in his mother’s womb, the LORD was putting all his body parts in order, along with forming his emotions. The inner being is David’s soul. The LORD even recorded his days before He created David. Nothing takes the LORD by surprise. His thoughts toward us are like the sand on the seashore, too numerous to be counted. His eyes are always upon us. He never slumbers. He is always looking upon mankind to have a relationship with. This is what David knew and desired as well. David knew the wicked ones, those who have a false understanding would be dealt with by the LORD.
They are ignorant of the truth, and since they do not have eyes to see, they are blind. They cannot see the deeper meaning because they do not want to learn. They would rather remain the same. To change would mean to give a sacrifice of themselves, putting to death their flesh and all its desires. David says his flesh wants to act violently and he is grieved because these adversaries are within his soul. The flesh does not want to submit, but the spirit does, so David says to the LORD: examine me, come, and give me your truth, test me, and give me discernment. Look inside and show me if there is any idol or moral character that needs to be removed or changed in me so you can guide me always. He realized who the enemies of his soul were.
The flesh does not want to submit, but the spirit does, so David says to the LORD: examine me, come, and give me your truth, test me, and give me discernment.
In ending, We have heard that David was a man after God’s own heart. What does that mean? When we look at the heart, we are not thinking of the physical heart. It is speaking of the mind. So, we can see David was after the mind of God. He wanted to know the LORD with a deeper understanding. His actions showed what was in his soul, the seat of his emotions. He wanted to be searched to be able to deal with the character inside his soul that was not of the LORD. That was his desire!
References:
1. Brown-Driver-Briggs with the Strong’s Dictionary along with the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon Bible
2. Scripture reference from the NKJV Bible version.
Keywords:
Psalm 139
David
