The God Who Knows

You can listen to Psalm 139 below and read the passage in the New International Version here.

“You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”

— Psalm 139: 1-8

Hi friends! Thank you so much for joining us here.

We hope these journal starters spark reflection on the Psalms.

If you want to, you can share some of your thoughts in the comments section below. We would love to hear how God is working in your heart.

Journal Starter for Psalm 139

1. In the first six verses of this psalm, we learn that God sees us like no human can—He not only sees our actions, but our thoughts as well. Before we speak a word, He knows it! The psalmist wrote, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me/ too lofty for me to attain" (verse 6). 

   Imagine what a normal day looks like for you. How does it make you feel to know that God has this complete understanding of who you are and everything you do, say, or think?

   God not only sees every bit of your life and being, He is also present in every bit of your life. The psalmist wrote that there was nowhere he could go where God would not be with him.

   God is with you even as you read this. How might remembering God is with you change the way you speak, feel, think, or act?
   
   When do you think it might be especially helpful for you to remind yourself that God is with you?
   
   Write about a time when you felt God's presence with you in a special way. 

2. The psalmist beautifully described how God created him. He wrote, "For you created my inmost being;/ you knit me together in my / mother's womb" (verse 13). He added that, even before he was born, God knew exactly how many days he would live (verse 16).

   How do you feel about your life? Do you believe you are wonderfully made? Why or why not?
   
   How does the fact that God knows the days you'll live change the way you think about today?

3. Near the end of the psalm, the writer wrote about his desire for those who are wicked, bloodthirsty, and rebellious to go away. This, however, is in the light of the goodness of God. God is so good and worthy of praise, that the psalmist was zealous for all evil to be gone. 

   When do you get angry about evil?
   How does thinking about how good God is change your view of the world or certain activities or beliefs?

4. I invite you to pray these final verses (23 and 24) with the psalmist:
   
   Search me, God, and know my heart;
       test me and know my anxious thoughts.
   See if there is any offensive way in me,
       and lead me in the way everlasting.

   Spend some time quietly listening to God and resting in His presence. If He is showing you things about yourself, write them down. Ask Him to lead you "in the way everlasting."