September 17 — Psalm 139

“O LORD, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O LORD, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it. Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.” (Verses 1-12)

“Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.”

One of the greatest truths in life is the lesson we should all know: there is “no escape from God.” Like fugitives, we may run, but we cannot ultimately hide from the G-d who can see through even the darkness with the gaze of G-d’s own brilliant light. If we manage to dodge G-d in this life, we must still stand on that fearful day of judgment. There is no place to hide from G-d.

So, once we give up and accept the fact that fleeing G-d is not possible (I encourage you to read the story of Jonah again), we discover that G-d’s intention is not to harm us, but to bless us (Again, read the story of Jonah). G-d formed each one of us — we learn that G-d even knew us in our mother’s womb. This G-d has placed upon each one of us a purpose — and ordained all of our days even before we ever saw the light of day.

In coming to know G-d more intimately, we come to know ourselves. In the blinding light of G-d’s holiness and righteousness, we soon recognize the desperate need we have for G-d’s forgiveness and love. Since we cannot escape from this all-knowing, all-present, all-wise Creator, we cannot escape from the need for G-d’s sanctification in our lives. That is the message of Psalm 139. It’s not a generic psalm; it is an intensely personal expression of our need for G-d.

Let us Pray:

Almighty God, creator of the universe, we are filled with wonder at all your works and overwhelmed by your infinite wisdom. We praise you for your majesty; yet even more we rejoice that you do not forget us, yet desire to know and care for us; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.