Psalm 139
Here is the language of an exercised heart. Our Father can never be satisfied without bringing us to know Himself. Wonderful as is the knowledge of the forgiveness of sins, and of the gift of eternal life, we are not to stop there. Does not the Word tell us, in the Lord's prayer (John 17) that "this is life eternal, that they (believers) might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent?"
Ours is a faithful God; His purpose is to bless, and He will bless, though His children may need trial not easy to bear, in order to be brought before Him in love.
David, in this psalm, has learned in the school of God; he is in the hands of Him with whom we have to do. From Him nothing is hid, neither habits, nor thoughts, nor the path of the believer, his words, his seasons of rest and of activity; all his ways are known to God.
In verse 3 the expression "Thou compassest my path" is literally "Thou siftest my path, and my lying down," etc.
Verse 5 is God dealing with His child needing correction; he is beset behind and before, and His hand is upon him. This would be terrifying, only that the action is in love to his soul.
"If ye be without chastisement, (chastening, properly) . . . then are ye bastards and not sons," as Hebrews 12 brings before us. Is this a hard saying? Surely it should not be; yet sometimes His children have needed much training before they were prepared to rest quietly in His care. Shall we not rather leave all in his hands, yield ourselves gladly to Him?
Our consciences perhaps would wish at times to be out of His presence, but verses 7 to 13 tell us we can not go where His eyes will not see us.
"Hell" in verse 8 is the Hebrew word Sheol, the present waiting place of the dead (Luke 16:22-2622And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. (Luke 16:22‑26)), and not the lake of fire where the devil and the unrepentant will be eternally.
The result in the soul is seen in verses 17, 18 and thereafter to the close of this precious psalm. If He knows my thoughts (verse 2) I may learn (blessed fact!) His thoughts, and they will be precious to me; how great is the sum of them! I lie down to sleep, and become unconscious of everything, but when I awake I am still with Him,—what comfort, what peace, what communion may I not have with Him who loves me so, cares for me so constantly!
And if drawn near to God, whether by trial or not, there is a complete break with the wicked (verses 19-22). The psalm, being for Israel in the latter day, looks on to the out-pouring of judgment on the enemies. It closes in language we may well appropriate for ourselves (verses 23, 24 ) .
Messages of God’s Love 1/31/1932