Psalm 139 — 140
32:12), and "intricately wrought" in verse 15 is translated "embroidered" in Exodus. In the mother's womb, the Lord weaves and embroiders a human being, and abortion interrupts this miracle. What a tragedy!
digging deep into a mine, exploring a land, and investigating a legal case. Our friends see the outside, but God sees the heart, and we cannot deceive Him. Adam and Eve tried it (Gen. 3:7–24), Cain tried it (Gen. 4:1–15), and even David tried it (2 Sam. 11—12), and all of them discovered that God knew all about them. "Understand" in verse 2 means "to distinguish and discern with insight" and not just gather raw data. "Compass" in verse 3 is a picture of winnowing grain, and "try" in verse 23 means "to test metal." The fact that God knows us intimately and exhaustively is asserted in verses 1, 2, 4, 14, and 23. He knows our actions, our locations, our thoughts and words, our ways, and our motives. "All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Heb. 4:13 nkjv). But even more, He knows what is best for us and does all He can to guide us that way. He hems us in behind and before and puts His hand on us to steady us and direct us. The word translated "beset" (kjv) or "enclosed" (NASB) means "to guard a valuable object," so God's knowledge and guidance are for our protection. What should be our response to this? We should be overwhelmed by the height and depth of God's knowledge and be thankful that He knows us perfectly. "I am not equal to it!" David exclaimed.
But the Lord did more than design and form our bodies; He also planned and determined our days (v. 16). This probably includes the length of life (Job 14:5) and the tasks He wants us to perform (Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:12–13). This is not some form of fatalism or heartless predestination, for what we are and what He plans for us come from God's loving heart (33:11) and are the very best He has for us (Rom. 12:2). If we live foolishly, we might die before the time God has ordained, but God's faithful children are immortal until their work is done. How can we ignore God when He has given us such a marvelous body and planned for us a wonderful life? Life is not a prison, it is an exciting pilgrimage, and the Lord has prepared us for what He prepared for us. Our responsibility is to yield ourselves to Him daily, ponder His thoughts found in His Word (92:5; Isa. 55:8–9), and walk in the Spirit. God thinks of us (Jer. 29:11)! Should we not think about Him?
God Judges Righteously—We Cannot Dispute Him (vv. 19–24) If we cannot deceive God, escape God, or ignore God, is it not sensible to obey God? Yes, it is reasonable, but there are those who prefer to oppose God and dispute what He says about them in His Word. David called these people wicked, violent, liars, blasphemers, and rebels, and he grieved because of them. God also grieves over sinners—the Father does (Gen. 6:6), the Son does (Mark 3:5; Luke 19:41), and so does the Spirit (Eph. 4:30). Yes, it is difficult to love rebellious sinners and still hate their sins, but we need more "holy hatred" in this day when blatant sin is a popular form of entertainment. (See 11:5; 45:7; 97:10; Amos 5:14–15; Rom. 12:9, 19–21.) Whenever we pray "Thy kingdom come," we are asking the Lord to judge the wicked, and we leave the matter in His hands. But David closed with a prayer for God to search his heart, know his anxieties and concerns, forgive him, and lead him. We must be cautious as we examine ourselves because we do not even know our own hearts (Jer. 17:9). It is best to open the Word and let the Spirit search us and speak to us, for then we discover the truth. We must never dispute with God, for He loves us and wants only the very best for us.
God Is with Us Constantly—We Cannot Escape Him (vv. 7–12) If God knows so much about us, perhaps the wisest thing is to run away and hide, but all "escape routes" are futile. If we go up to heaven or down to sheol, the realm of the dead, God is there; if we travel the speed of light to the east or west (the Mediterranean Sea is west of Israel), His hand will catch us and tenderly lead us. We cannot hide even in the darkness, for to the Lord, the darkness is as the light. God wants to walk with us and guide us, because His plan for us is the very best. Why should we want to run away and hide? Adam and Eve tried it and failed (Gen. 3:8), and so did the prophet Jonah, who only went from bad to worse. We need God's presence with us if we want to enjoy His love and fulfill His purposes. (See Isa. 43:1–7; Ps. 23:4; Matt. 28:19–20.)
God Made Us Wonderfully—We Cannot Ignore Him (vv. 13–18) This is one of the greatest passages in literature about the miracle of human conception and birth. "In the presence of birth," said Eugene Petersen, "we don't calculate—we marvel." David declared that God is present at conception and birth, because we are made in the image of God and God has a special purpose for each person who is born. We live in and with our bodies all our lives, and we know how amazing they are. God formed us as He wants us to be, and we must accept His will no matter how we feel about our genetic structure, our looks, or our abilities. The verb "covered" (v. 13 kjv) means "woven together" (see Isa.