Psalms 139

Psalms 139THEME: A song of praise to the attributes of GodThis psalm is “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.” This is a theological psalm in that it reveals something of the attributes of God in relation to His creation. It reveals His omniscience, His omnipresence, and His omnipotence. These are what I call four-cylinder words, but they simply mean that God is all-knowing (omniscient), He is everywhere present (omnipresent), and He is all-powerful (omnipotent). God can do anything that is the object of His power. Sometimes the ridiculous question is asked, “Can God make a rock so big that He cannot lift it?” The answer to that is that God never does anything ridiculous. This is a psalm that will answer several pertinent questions for us.

Psalms 139:1

THE OMNISCIENCE OF GODThis speaks of the omniscience of God. He knows you. He knows me. He is the greatest psychologist. When you have a problem, it is not necessary to climb upon the psychiatrist’s couch and tell him everything. Why don’t you climb upon the couch of the Lord Jesus and just tell Him everything? You might as well tell Him because He knows all about you anyway. The psychiatrist still won’t know you even after you have told him everything you can think of.

Psalms 139:2

That word that was on your tongueperhaps you wanted to rip out a good strong oath, but you didn’t do it because of the presence of someone. God saw it on your tongue. He knows everything. “There is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.”

Psalms 139:5

You may ask, How can God do that? I don’t know, and the psalmist says he doesn’t know. “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” Actually the omniscience of God is not an occasion for terror but for comfort. He saved me and yet He knew methat is the amazing thing about it. There are some people whom you accept and receive, and then in some way they disappoint you. You thought you knew them, but you really did not know them. God knows us and yet he will save us.

How wonderful He is! God knew David, and David let Him down. But God knew something about David’s faith that we could not see. He could see David’s heart, and beneath the faith that failed was a faith that never failed. The Lord knew what Simon Peter was going to do. He even knew that Judas would betray Him.

Even though we don’t understand it, that is the omniscience of God. He knows everything.

Psalms 139:7

THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GODLet’s look at the omnipresence of God for a moment. No matter where you go, you cannot get away from God. “Hell” is Sheol (not hell), the region of the unseen and unknown. God is there. No matter where you go, He is there.

Psalms 139:9

You won’t get away from God even if you go to the moon. To me it was thrilling to hear those first three astronauts who went around the moon and read the first chapter of Genesis on Christmas Eve. You don’t run away from God, my friend, even if you go to the moon!

Psalms 139:10

A man once said to me, “Do you think we ought to confess our sins in detail to God?” I said, “Of course. Spell them out. He already knows about them anyway. He was present when you committed them; so you better agree with Him on the subject. Let Him know that you recognize it as sin.” My friend, to confess your sin is to agree with GodGod says it is sin and you agree with Him that it is sin.

Psalms 139:13

From the time we are conceived in the womb we never get away from the presence of God in this life. He reinforces this truth in the next verse:

Psalms 139:14

God is everywhere, and man is a fabulous creature who has the attention of God constantly.

Psalms 139:15

Before the body was formed David says he was a person. He was a person as he was being formed in the womb. Even before the members of his body were formed, he was a person. The personhood is declared to take place at the very moment of conception. This is very important in our day because of the question of abortion. I heard a minister of the liberal persuasion say that the Bible has nothing to say about abortion, and therefore we can make our own decision or do as we please. However, the Bible does have something to say about it, and here is a clear-cut reference. While the body was being formed, David said he was a person, a human being. God had the blueprint of his members before they came into existence. The person was there. Now hear it straight: abortion is murder unless it is performed to save the mother’s life or even the child’s life. Abortion to get rid of the little unformed fellow before he has an opportunity to utter a cry in order to cover up sin or escape responsibility merely enhances the awful and cruel crime. Do not blame me for this charge. Blame Davidhe wrote it. Blame the Holy SpiritHe declared it. The Bible has the answer to all the problems of life if we consider all of it, and it does not always give the popular interpretation. It is well to get God’s viewpoint.

Psalms 139:17

THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GODMy friend, God loves us! And the God who loves us is omnipotentall-powerful!

Psalms 139:19

We have both the wicked and the godly mentioned in this psalm. God says that He will judge the wicked, and He will hear the prayer of His people. Praise God that He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and present everywhere.