Talk of JESUS . com

Tag: Psalms

How did He Know? His Presence is near – Psalm 139
For the chief musician: A Psalm of David

Psalm 139:
```
O LORD, 
You have searched me and known me. 

You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off. 
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways. 

For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, 
You know it altogether. 

You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me. 

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it. 
```
Psalm 139-1-6 NKJV

An AWE-Inspired introduction to THE LORD
```
Selah..
You with heart and mind and free will to consider the Lord your God..
```
Bow down looking into the depths of the nature of the LORD — how personal that an Almighty God of all things would look upon my fragile frame and existence with compassion and understanding.

You can practlcally pray these words penned to be sung upward to the heavens as praise to the glory of the LORD — the Almighty, Omniscient and Ever-present God .

An author’s note on PSALM 139

Psalm 139 begins with some of the best consideration of the nature of God and theology found in Scripture. I recommend all of it to your further study of many other topics and Divine guidance we cannot fathom.

Attributes of God

Of course our brief look at the attributes of God, like our glance at Psalm 139, must remain limited to a few most notable.

Our focus today in Psalm 139 is basic to our understanding of Who God IS in this Psalm and throuighout all the Bible.

References to various Psalms and other Scripture are just a sampling.

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
Psalm 139:1

We plea to OR praise God (: יְהֹוָה ) as a person speaking to a Person.

Yet who can fully know the LORD?

What we can know about God are defined as COMMUNICABLE attributes.
- God’s communicable attributes include Holiness, Love, Justice, Mercy, Truthfulness and more.
```
These attributes, while distinct, are perfectly unified in the being of God. - BibleHub.com 
```
Our obvious observation — and that of the Psalmist David — is that the GOD who searches all knows (yāḏaʿ – יָדַע) me

(of course, since the Creator knows all things).

This atribute of God is referred to as God’s Omniscience, one of two attributes of God we will address today from Psalm 139.
```
The Bible provides a comprehensive picture of God's attributes, which can be categorized into communicable (listed above) and incommunicable attributes (listed below) - Source:BibleHub.com 
```
- Aseity: God’s self-existence and independence from His creation. (Psalm 90:)
- Immutability: “I the LORD do not change..
- Eternity: God’s existence beyond time. (Psalm 102)
- Omnipresence: God’s presence in all places at all times. He is not confined by spatial limitations.
  - Psalm 139:7
- Omniscience: God’s complete and perfect knowledge. He knows all things, past, present, and future, including the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
  - Psalm 139:1-6 ,
  - also Psalm 147
  - Souce BibleHub
```
Selah.. 
Yes, consider these inherent characteristics of God as you read Psalm 139. 
```
a God of Personal Character

You have sinned – crossed the line of what God wants you to do.

OR

You have done a good thing that you would hope God (or anyone) would take note.

AND when we read that GOD IS ONE, the LORD doesn’t seem very personable at all.

God is One in Being

But, in speaking of the TRINITY we know from Scripture that the Lord God IS personable — VERY personable in THREE PERSONS we can relate to — the Father, the Son our Lord Jesus Christ and the Person of the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost).

AND GOD communitates to us personally and relationally through EACH of these three.
```
Again, much more than we can cover today, but pray to the Lord for an opening of your eyes and heart and understanding as you reread this glorious Psalm. 
```
The Omniscience of an ALL-KNOWING GOD

David’s words acknowledge with humble awe,that the LORD knows everything about him.

You know when I sit

and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

Psalm 139:2 NIV

SCAREY?

It could be (if you consider that the LORD is also all-powerful).

How many times have you thought,

“If you knew what I was thinking..?”

YET God knows your mind – not only what YOU have done, but what you WILL do in every situation and relationship.

You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.

Psalm 139:3 ESV

I find this actually comforting (when we become ‘lost sheep’ caught in the many snares of a mere mortal in this world ).

For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.

v.4

Oh the times I have not ‘held my tongue – times my mouth spewed forth evil before my brain engaged in judicious restraint.

You have encircled me;

you have placed your hand on me.

Psalm 130:5 CSB

David cites the hand of blessing that the LORD places upon those whose own hearts would pursue Him – the ALL-KNOWING Creator of us all.

And in it David looks beyond the tree of knowledge to the God even Higher than the highest knowledge attainable by man.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

Psalm 139:6 LSB

WHAT can any of us say about the knowledge (Omniscience) of the Almighty, all-powerful (Omnipotent) God?

The Omnipresence of an Omniscient God

Jesus reminded Nichodemus, a most-highly educated Biblical scholar:

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Gospel of John 4:24 ESV

The Son of God communicates directly that the Holy Spirit of God is an essential Person of God we should worship.

David, a man after God’s own heart, already has experienced this and speaks of God’s omnipresent omniscience here — not unlike the Spirit [wind, breath, mind, spirit – רוּחַ]hovering over the waters before Creation.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?

Psalm 139:7

He pursues you in perfect justice. He captivates you in His perfect love.

If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
```
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
```
How far removed from my daily existance, YET the guiding hand leads me and your hand of blessing embraces me.

David’s song praises God’s presence and omniscience and personal love.
```
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
```
Again, no more than God’s creation IN THE BEGINNING can hide.

And now this song praising the Creator echos the nature of Adam and every God-created being such as ourselves before we even received the spirit of life.

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Psalm 139:13-14a NKJV

You have heard it — or spoken it of the conceived life in the womb of it mother before this forming person breathes the spirit of life.

Yet this is just the beginning of David’s praise for all Creation.
```
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well. 
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
```
Dust from dust, as it were. Even that of our father’s and mother’s DNA, so to speak.
```
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them. 
```
Even as King David before the LORD was more than these worshipers could see, so too is the LORD much more than any son or daughter of adam can perceive.

This now is David’s heart for the LORD.

Lord, I will do what I know You want.

Do you love what GOD loves?

Will you hate what GOD hates?

Shall we tolerate the sin that God hates, anymore than we must forgive what God will redeem through Christ?

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!

Psalm 139:17 NKJV
```
If I should count them, 
they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, 
I am still with You.

Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 
```
Do any of you recall the caution of the Son of Man to those who causually claimed to follow Him?

“Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’

Gospel of Matthew 7:21-23 RSV

This admonition of the Son of God also appears in the Gospel of Luke along with the caution:

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

Luke 6:46 RSV

David sought to obey God’s will.

Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.

Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.

Psalm 139:19b-123 NKJV

David’s Prayer that God would test his heart

Do you pray personally to God before you impulsively act on His behalf?

(Here David does, but I frequently fail in this.)
- Does your own spirit of indecision fail to consult with the Spirit of perfect understanding?
- Do you (as the workers of iniquity Jesus rebuked) claim your own will as that of the Father of all mankind?
Hear David’s plea — not of a king, nor expected from a leader of worship — hear this appeal of a man after God’s own heart:

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.

Psalm 139:23-24 NIV

Does the Lord — the All-powerful, All-knowing, Always-present God know you?

Does your heart long for His AWESOME Holiness, Love, Justice, Mercy, Truthfulness and desire that YOU would walk with Him into eternal life?

Selah.

Consider your words of worship and obey the perfect will of the Lord.. even in your stumbling of these last days.

“You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.

Psalm 139
July 5, 2025
The Heavens are Telling the Glory of God
The Glory of God – written in the Creation on the Heavens and on the earth.

What is the chief end of man?

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

1 Cor. 10:31; Rom. 11:36; Ps. 73:25-28.

In our previous PSALM we focused on how a man or woman might best start our day.

And our focus turned from SELF toward the LORD — to rejoice — to experience God’s gladness in His creation and in us.

You might say, by extension, a daily disposition toward JOY becomes our worship in serving the LORD.
```
Perhaps you know Beethoven's ODE TO JOY from the finale of the composer's Nineth Symphony. 

Did you know that text of Ode to Joy is taken from Psalms 104 and 145:10? 
```
Today’s theme: the GLORY of God

Perhaps you know our PSALM from a scripturally-focused hymnal (of old).

The CREATION

Psalm 19

The heavens, O God, Thy glory tell
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Published in 14 hymnals

The Heavens are telling – Beethoven

Many of you will know another glorious large composition of praise from an oratorio of Haydn near the end of the 18th century

The Heavens are Telling the Glory of God,
(from “The Creation”)

— The Heavens Are Telling.

Hayden: Chorus:

The heavens are telling the glory of God,
The wonders of his work displays the firmament;

Today that is coming speaks it the day,
The night that is gone to following night.

In every land [In all the land] resounds the word,
never unperceived, ever understood.

Music by Josef Haydn
Lyrics translated by Robert Shaw, based on Psalm 19.

What is the GLORY of God?

“You said, ‘Behold, the LORD our God has shown us His glory and His greatness,

and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire;

we have seen today that God speaks with man, yet he lives.

Deuteronomy 5:25 NASB

By contrast we might ask, ‘What is the glory of man?’

By the weight of your wrath against man’s sin, the glory of his form is wasted away; truly every man is but a breath. (Selah.)

Psalm 39:11 BBE

The glory of the heavens?

The LORD is high above all nations,

and his glory above the heavens.

Psalm 113:4

OR of the firmament?

And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters... And God called the firmament Heaven.

Genesis 1:6,8a KJV

OR

What is the glory of the earth, you might ask?
```
But in fact, you cannot find any glory in 'the earth' separate from the glory of the LORD its Creator. 
```
- Psalms sing of GLORY in one form or another over 400 times!
– kāḇôḏ כָּבוֹד

Who is this King of glory?

The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.

Selah.

Psalm 24:10
```
(You likely know some contemporary Christian songs expressing these words.)
```
Just what does it mean to GLORIFY God?

You who fear Yahweh, praise Him;

All you seed of Jacob, glorify Him,

And stand in awe of Him, all you seed of Israel.

Psalm 22:23 LSB

“The beasts of the field will glorify Me,

The jackals and the ostriches,

Because I have given waters in the wilderness

And rivers in the wasteland,

To give drink to My chosen people.

Isaiah 43:20

Psalm 19:

Let’s take a closer look at this Psalm of David.

The heavens are sounding the glory of God;

the arch of the sky makes clear the work of his hands.

Day after day it sends out its word,

and night after night it gives knowledge.

Psalm 19:1-2 BBE (Bible in Basic English)

Do you see God’s glory?

Look up! o man of dust! you creature beneath the night sky — with eyes to see above,

but not so near to the Lord’s glory.

You cannot deny His glory— ALMIGHTY Hands that formed — HIS fire which will refine your flesh into burned away dross scorched in the daytime sun.

There are no words or language;

their voice makes no sound.

Their line has gone out through all the earth,

and their words to the end of the world.

In them has he put a tent for the sun,

Who is like a newly married man coming from his bride-tent,

and is glad like a strong runner starting on his way.

His going out is from the end of the heaven,

and his circle to the ends of it;

there is nothing which is not open to his heat.

Psalm 19:3-6 BBE

David — the king and Psalmist — proclaims a GLORY of the LORD words cannot convey with pictures that only hint of God’s evident greatness.

Now David proceeds to

the benefits of GOD’s law:

The law of the LORD is perfect,
```
We do NOT like the LAW — we resist it— we rebel against it — for the laws and precepts of every mortal man are imperfect. 

AND, by contrast, 

the Law of the Lord— like Almighty GOD — is perfect and good and breathes life into fallen flesh and our impure soul. 
```
The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul;

the testimony of the LORD is sure,

making wise the simple;

the precepts of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the LORD is pure,

enlightening the eyes;

the fear of the LORD is clean,

enduring for ever;

the ordinances of the LORD are true,

and righteous altogether.

Psalm 19:7-9 RSV

FEAR in the Face of HIS GLORY

the fear of the LORD is clean,

enduring for ever;

the ordinances of the LORD are true,

and righteous altogether.

Psalm 19:9 RSV

fear (of Yᵊhōvâ) -yir’â -יִרְאָה
- fear, terror
- awesome or terrifying thing (object causing fear)
- fear (of God), respect, reverence, piety
- revered
Psalm 2 connects this fear of the LORD not only with trembling, but with rejoicing or reiterating our joy.

Serve the LORD with reverential awe

and rejoice with trembling.

Psalm 2:11 CSB
```
David's Psalm becomes practically proverbial in teaching why WE must not only FEAR the LORD, 
but also OBEY his LAW 
and instructions (or ordinances). 
```
They [God’s ordinances] are more desirable than gold —

than an abundance of pure gold;

and sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb.

In addition, your servant is warned by them,

and in keeping them there is an abundant reward.

Psalm 19:10-11 CSB
```
Note that the king (David) humbly proclaims himself — though sovereign over men — as a SERVANT of the LORD. 

MORE fatherly advice: 
```
But who can discern their own errors?

Forgive [lit. ‘acquit me – a legal determination] my hidden faults.

Keep your servant also from willful sins;

may they not rule over me.

Then I will be blameless,

innocent [lit. acquitted] of great transgression.

Psalm 19:12-13 NIV

Redeemed for our transgressions

How can a mere man stand before the glory of the Lord our God?

David intercedes in his Psalm on behalf of his loyal subjects. (For his mercy endures forever. – Psalm 136)

transgression (84x), trespass (5x), sin (3x), rebellion (1x). – pešaʿ -פֶּשַׁע

AND you have heard it before — from the later prophesy of Isaiah long after the fall of King David’s chosen nation.

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our peace fell upon Him,
And by His wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5 LSB – of the suffering servant

Even Christ JESUS — Son of David; Son of Man — the very Son of the Father — born in the flesh and crucified for the redemption of those chosen to eternal life — will return in his GLORY!!!

David’s familiar benediction:
```
a plea of my own heart frequently heard from the pulpit by the flock of Christ as an invitation to receive Scripture into your own heart: 
```
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14 ESV

Secure Links to sources
June 21, 2025
This is God’s day – Rejoice and be Glad
OPEN your eyes — Is this God’s day or yours?

This is the day which the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 Revised Standard Version

Starting your day right

Here’s how I should start my day.

Roger

This is the day which the LORD has made…

I don’t begin my day with this verse or do I generally begin MY day with a Psalm (although perhaps I should).
```
PSALMS, pictured below, from my old RSV Bible which  I received when as a youth I joined our local church. 
```
Pictured (L) – Roger’s RSV Bible © OT – 1952, © NT – 1946

I do find that IF I begin my day in the Bible that my focus on the day turns toward God.

And note the focus of Psalm 118:24 – This is the day which the LORD has made…

Whose ‘day’ is it when you wake up?

Good god it’s MORNING!

or…

GOOD MORNING, GOD.

yôm (the day) יוֹם

When I declared not my sin,

my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.

Psalm 32:3

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up;

God is our salvation.

Selah

Psalm 68:19

My mouth is filled with thy praise, and with thy glory all the day.

My mouth will tell of thy righteous acts, of thy deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.

Psalm 71:8,15 RSV
Is your mouth filled with PRAISE (all the day long)?

Psalms praise the Lord !

Does your mouth tell of the LORD’s righteous acts, ‘of thy deeds of salvation,’ my fellow mortal?

How frequently we fail in this with no thought of the LORD as we open our eyes to a new DAY.
Many PSALMS and much Scripture will help us to start our day right.

Rejoice! -gîl – גִּיל

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also dwells secure.

Psalm 16:9

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Psalm 32:11

Many Psalms connect rejoicing with gladness.

Shouldn’t that be reason enough to begin our day praising the LORD with gladness, thankfulness and joy?

śāmaḥ – be glad

Gladden the soul of thy servant, for to thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Psalm 86:4

I was glad
when they said unto me,
Let us go
into the house
of the LORD.
Psalm 122:1 KJV – A Song of Ascents. Of David.

Starting worship right

Cortland Methodist Church – N. High St, Cortland Ohio

AT one time we began worship on Sundays with a focus on God.

Our family and communities expected us to observe God’s day of rest, worship and fellowship in the love of the Lord.

Likewise the Lord calls for us to worship HIM first — LOVE the LORD your GOD — considering His will in our interaction with others in the day ahead.

Prayer… Scripture… — the listening kind of prayer… a Spirit-applied impact of Scripture.

YES, I fail in this most frequently, as I suspect that on some days you may as well.

This is the day which the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

What’s your first impression of the new day ahead?

Psalm 118:
```
I urge you to read Psalm 118 in its entirety. 
The psalmist has more to offer in rejoicing and gladness. 

It is responsive by design, appealing to each family worshipping the LORD to answer God personally.
```
Thanksgiving for the LORD’S Saving Goodness.

O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever!

Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures for ever.”

“His steadfast love endures for ever.”

Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures for ever.”

“His steadfast love endures for ever.”

Let those who fear the LORD say, “His steadfast love endures for ever.”

“His steadfast love endures for ever.”

YES, respond ALL in worship — this is God’s day.

This is WORSHIP — God’s day in community worship — responsive affirmation of individual families worshipping the LORD our God.

Witness of those called to worship

Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free.

Psalm 118:5
- With the LORD on my side I do not fear. What can man do to me?
- It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
The LORD is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.

Psalm 118:4

I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD…

Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD…

Do not miss some of the uplifting verses I have omitted here for brevity.

And here are three additional verses preceding the psalmist’s verse on THIS DAY — one which you may know from the words of JESUS.

I thank thee that thou hast answered me and hast become my salvation.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.

This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

Psalm 118:21-23

A Gospel start to your day.

Start your day remembering that we have a SAVIOR — JESUS the MESSIAH — the rejected stone.

Jesus Christ read and quoted these same Psalms.

See the link below to these Gospel quotes of Psalm 118 from Matthew 21, Mark 12 and Luke 20.

You may find the context in which Jesus quotes Psalm 118 encouraging in beginning your day destined for the trouble of this world from which we are saved.

Thou art my God,

and I will give thanks to thee;

thou art my God,

I will extol thee.

O give thanks to the LORD,

for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures for ever!

Psalm 118:28-29 RSV

quotes from BlueLetterBible.org

Let all the saints of Christ’s local church say,

“His steadfast love endures for ever.”

Secure Links to sources
Finally, this is the day the LORD has made for the first in our Summer series for 2025 CE.

Thanks be to God for this day.

Summer PSALMS –

STAY TUNED…

Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
June 12, 2025