Q3. Psalm 139

[vernon5971]

God knows you very well, perfectly, there is no hiding from God, God put me together

in the womb and ordained the span of my life before I was born, my zeal for you and

loyalty to you set me against all my enemies, and declaration of loyalty that echoes

the pledge required, and examine me, see my integrity.

[kree8ive_4_Christ]

In what way does the wonder of creation in the psalm seem to affect the psalmist? In his concluding prayer in verses 23-24, what does he ask God to do?

The Psalmist is affected by God's creation so much that it forces him to look inward. What I mean is that David reflected on himself as a part of God's overall creation. We were handcrafted by God; just as He perfectly designed the every single aspect of the universe, so did He perfectly design us in our entirety. This forced David, and should force us, to look at our place in the universe, seek God for our purpose in His world.

David, upon realizing his incompleteness and smallness in comparison with all of God's creation, begs God to search his heart. This is a prayer of surrender and a plea of grace. David realizes that he has--that we have--fallen short of what God requires of us. He asks God for mercy, to not give up on him, to still be willing to check his heart and find the rest of the wicked ways within him--within us. He cries out to God to know his anxieties (this is big because our anxieties are often the source of a lot of sin) and then closes with a humble request to God -- to be lead in the way everlasting.

[Rose Marie]

David is filled with awe and the desire to know his own heart as God does. In verses 23-24 he is asking God to test his faith, and though David will have concerns,he asks that he be 'nudged' by God to remain strong in his faith.

[yankpee]

Q3(psalm 139) in what way does the wonder of creation in the psalm seem to affect the psalmist? in his concluding prayer in verses 23-24,what does he ask God to do? 1,it teaches that God knows his whole life from its very beginning to its very end, the creator powerful and knowing every thing. 2,the psalmist want God to look through his heart, if there is any wrong thing in his heart ,that needs some help he should cleanse it and lead him back to his (God) path,to experience his everlasting life .

[Betty Oellermann]

The way a human is formed is so marlvous that seems so beyond us to understand what God is undertaking when He creates us in our mother's womb... This stands out to me.

[rcatz56]

In reading this Psalm, David knew Yahweh knew what he was thinking, how he was going to act and feel even before he did.He could never get away from Yahweh.  Yet, we are precious to Him, so David asked of Yahweh to search his heart and make him aware of anything that would dishonor or lead him astray. And so I humble my heart ,as David did and ask Yahweh to search me.  O how He loves you and me...thank you Father

 

[Old Jerry]

I think the way that creation seem to affect the psalmist is that he thinks of the greatest things that have been made and marvels at it. Then he thinks about how it must have been made and is amazed of how it must have been done.

In the concluding prayer he asks God to search him for the things and are impure and to put him the path to eternal life.

[Clarence]

Q3. (Psalm 139). In what way does the wonder of creation in the psalm seem to affect the psalmist? In his concluding prayer in verses 23-24, what does he ask God to do?

 

The psalmist is in total surrender to God. He expresses his total openness to God- "Search me, O God, and know my heart..." (V23). He asks God to help him keep trusting in God- he wanted to live his live in total worthiness to God (V24).

[Barbiemac]

This speaks to me on so many levels, with all the abortion news happening now. My heart rejoices at this Psalm and at the same time breaks. I just had a new grandson born when all of this news started and looking at such beauty just born makes you morn for so many babies destroyed.

I think we all would be better off if we allowed God to search our hearts.

[Paul Adair]

psalm 139 is a personal expression of a radical belief of the existence of one God .it shows human existence in all terms of Gods knowledge, presence and power.This Psalm is even more a devotional classic, as when used as a prayer it gives and nurtures an awareness of the Lord as the total environment of life.It teaches and confesses in the fullest way that God holds our life in His hand.

The Psalm is composed of two parts , firstly is the relationship between the psalmist and God and secondly the relationship of God to man.

verse 13-16...speaks of the self as an object of Gods action. It shows the value of life - my life (1)

Gods power is seen in the creation of man,it's because of Gods Divine activity in the creation of man that He knows every minute detail about us, and is always present (omnipresent) with us.These verses reflects Gods love and intimacy, (13b) "you knit me together in my mothers womb) shows the love and care God took in creating us, an intricate,intimate formation..David came to the knowledge of Gods power.he  also saw the uniqueness of himself.such care is because of God has a plan and purpose for each person. this again demonstrates Gods power(omnipotent) as the powerful creator He is.This care also shows Gods immanence.( As he surrenders his all to God he's asking to do now a total cleansing of heart and to place him back on the right path ,a path of Holy living dedicated to God conforming to his will in order to attain eternal life.   

[MrsPepper]

Psalms 139 tells us that God knows absolutely everything about us! He knows our actions: When We sit down and when we get up (v. 2); when we go somewhere and when we lie down (v. 3). He is intimately acquainted with all our ways! He knows our words: in fact, He even knows what we are going to say before we even get a chance to say it (v. 4)! He even knows our thoughts from afar (v. 2b). Like a caged bird, He’s got us surrounded, with His hand upon us (v. 5). There is no escape from His thorough, penetrating knowledge. So David exclaims (v. 6): “Such knowledge is too wonderful for us; it is too high, we cannot attain to it.”

David is asking God to search him for any evil intent in his heart and if he find anything to take it out and to clean him, giving him a true and clean heart.

[Ms. Joanne]

This is one of my most favorite Psalms.  God knows everything about me.  it is awesome to think that he knew everything about me even before I was born.  What's kind of scary is that he knows what I am about to say or do before I do.  But at the same time he guides me into the right direction, the right words if only I let him or even ask him.

Oh Lord, I am your creation.  There should be no self condemnation, because in your creation you did not make junk. You made us in your own image.  Lord help me to be as beautiful as you made me and intend me to be.  You know my thoughts of worry and condemnation.  Cover those thoughts with your blood.  Grant me the knowledge as soon as those thoughts arise and blow away those thoughts like the winds blow away the tumbleweeds.   At the same time point out to me anything that is not good or spiritual within me and lead me onto the right path.  Amen.

[FrankG]

   A. I have looked at this Psalm another way in times past. When David writes; i have interpreted the first part to mean our LORD's-YAHWEH's intimate knowledge of me/us. HIS going behind and before reminds me of Exodus ( guidance/protection), HIS knowledge and understanding and creation of us is awe-inspiring and 'too wonderful to me' and relation-ally, HIS care and love for us... (i cannot fathom). Even when we run away from HIM (rejecting HIS law and truth in favor of our own self-governance), HE is still with us no matter where we run or how far we go in trying to hide or get away from HIM ( in favor of living the way that we want to without conviction).- anyway this is just a personal interpretation for me and not etymologically correct.                                                                                                                                                                                                            B. YAHWEH, help me to be more of the person YOU would have me to be. i'm not able to do it on my own. i need YOU to help me ant to pretty much take me by the hand because i have a real hard time in keeping on the path.

[claudia77773]

This psalm Has touched my life deeply.  Where can I go from thy Spirit oh Lord and where can I flee from thy presence,,,,if I make my bed in hell you will find me.  We are the lost dime that he will find.  His glory is in our creation and he loves us deeply  We are the apple of his eye that Jesus Christ has made worthy to be in his presence.  We bask in his glory understanding how beautiful we really are because of the glory of his Son.

the psalmist in his final prayer (which should be our prayer) asks the Lord to search him and find any harm that is in him and change his heart to love him deep enough to follow him anywhere and love his law and his precepts and truly walk in His way.

 

[Paulhoward]

In this Psalm his reflection on his own creation brings a deep assurance that nothing outside of Gid's knowledge and control. Our days are allot, the intricacies of our human body is known and charted. The Psalmist feels that this knowledge is almost too much for him.

In the closing prayer having reflected on God's intimate knowledge of him in creating him it is now a logical step to let God look into everything he is doing and thinking to see if there is any anxiety, lack of faith etc. 

 

[Godswriter]

Q3. (Psalm 139). In what way does the wonder of creation in the psalm seem to affect the psalmist? In his concluding prayer in verses 23-24, what does he ask God to do?

In this psalm God is showing the psalmist that he was not created in secret. It speaks of how a human being is created by the Lord. How the steps of the believers are charted by Him and he is hedged in on every side. How God knows everything about the person including the thoughts they think as well. The very fact that He is there in the darkness speaks of His presence being everywhere. It affects him by making him think of awesome the Lord is through the fact He created human beings so very intricately designed by the Creator of the universe. That being said He chose to knit us in our mother's wombs. He laid out every day before a single day was recorded in HIs book. He asks God to search his heart and know it and look for hidden sins and know his thoughts and lead him into the way everlasting. 

[Lottie]

Q3. (Psalm 139). In what way does the wonder of creation in the psalm seem to affect the psalmist? In his concluding prayer in verses 23-24, what does he ask God to do?

Believe that the wonder of creation in the psalm and the fact that God created him makes him more appreciative of God. It makes David see how awesome and great God really is. That man is so small and insignificant compared to the creator. He cannot believe that God in all his infinite greatness and splendor would commune with mere man. He is in awe of all that God has done and how He put detail in not only the world but in man himself.

That God cared about him from before he was born and loved him. He was struck by the thought that God was everywhere and he could not escape from him. God knew him from the inside out. God had planned his future and knew how long he would live. He was amazed by God’s love and he praised and thanked him for it. He was truly grateful to God for all he had done. He knew that God cared deeply about him and it humbled him to know that.

David in the conclusion of his prayer asks God to look deep into his heart. He asks him to look and see if there are any worries or anxious thoughts he carries. He asks him to see if he harbors any sins inside and asks God to cleanse and purify him. He doesn’t want any sin to come between him and God. He realizes how awesome and holy God is and that God wants to have communion with him. He desires and wants to have nothing between them. Because David wants to have a deeper more intimate relationship with the one who created him. The one who put so much effort and detail into creating every part of his body. This knowledge draws him closer to God.

[MICHELLE OXLEY]

study of Psalms.docx

[Rosesam]

Q3. (Psalm 139). In what way does the wonder of creation in the psalm seem to affect the psalmist? In his concluding prayer in verses 23-24, what does he ask God to do?

The psalmist begins this psalm by declaring that the Lord has searched him and knows all of him so intricately that he cannot hide from the omniscient God ever. In fact He knows him even from his mother’s womb. In effect the psalmist is musing that the Eternal, All knowing God knows him from his beginning to the end. When Abraham was told to see the night sky with its stars, he was promised descendants uncountable as the stars. Later on he’s been told that his descendants will be like the sand in the seashore. Scientifically it’s been proven that the number of stars will be equal to the sands in the beaches of the earth. Yet the thoughts that our God thinks about us are greater than the number of the sands. And the thoughts He thinks towards us are precious thoughts, to give us an expected and good end. Knowing how good the Lord is, the psalmist is angry with the enemies of God and declares that God’s enemies are his enemies. He wants to separate himself from everything that offends, grieves or hurts God. 

David knows that there will be sin and wickedness lurking in his heart and does not want even that to separate him from the Lord. Because he loves the all knowing God, David now requests the Lord to search his heart and to shine His light upon him so that every wicked way in him will be exposed and brought to light.

[Gloria Jean]

Psalm 139 is a favorite of mine.  I never tire reading it and I believe the author like I, stands in great awe of the power of God experienced through creation and particularly the marvelous, mystery of the human being.  David further reflects on his own life/exhistance and truly marvels, is overcome, with the awareness of how fully God knows him "inside and outside" and is humbled before God....that God should know, love and delight in him.  ( Same as expressed in Ps. 8:3 and following)

In the closing verses 23 & 24 the Psalmist emphasizes his awareness of God's omniscience and lays himself bare as it were before God; imploring God to purify and make him worthy.

[Maggz]

From rejoicing in the greatness and majesty of the created world, the psalmist turns to a more intimate and personal view of creation.  God has not created only the universe, but he has had a personal interest in the creation of each person, beginning from his knowledge of that person as a foetus in the womb.  this knowledge turns the psalmist to self-evaluation, to opening his mind and heart to be "known"  by God, which can be a frightening concept.  We think that we are hiding our sins and dark places, but all is known to God.

Therefore, in his concluding prayer, the psalmist asks God to look into his inmost thoughts and desires, to know the thoughts that cause him disquiet.  Only by opeing ourselves in this way to God can we be properly cleansed, and fit to be led by God in the way to everlasting life.

[Francine Douglas]

A sense of humble conviction towards righteousness and holy reverence seems to have overwhelmed the Psalmist in his wonder of creation. The mood of the Psalm communicates the Psalmist surrender to God's deep knowledge of all things including the emotional terrain of our hearts.

The Psalmist in his concluding prayer in verses 23-24, seem to ask God to examine his heart posture against arrogance, judgementalism and pride towards people who may not be living according to the way of God, lest his way also be found wanting. 

[Krissi]

In the concluding prayer, David asks God to examine his heart. His heart includes both his conscious thoughts and his unconscious desires and urges. He asks God to examine the parts of himself he cannot control -- in Freudian terms, his unconscious/subconscious self.

Satan works in the parts of us we neither control nor understand. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit abides there too. It is in our hearts that the biggest battles take place, the ones over which we get anxious. 

Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Those anxious thoughts ...

David has already searched himself and confessed which he thought to be sin. Now, he wants God to search further, to go into the deeper, more limbic parts of himself. He wants to be totally pure. 

I find it interesting that David asks God to search his heart right after telling God that he can't get away from him, that God surveilled and therefore knows every act and thought.

I pray the same. Below is the "Collect for Purity" in the Anglican liturgy done weekly:

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.