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Scripture Text (NRSV)
Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24
139:1 O LORD, you have searched me and known me.
139:2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far
away.
139:3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
139:4 Even before a word is on my tongue, O LORD, you know it completely.
139:5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.
139:7 Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?
139:8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
139:9 If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
139:10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.
139:11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me
become night,"
139:12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for
darkness is as light to you.
139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
139:24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Comments:
I'm working with this along with the Genesis pericope. I'm thinking of the "holy ground" concept, seen by Jacob, as not really a place, but a moment in time when one realizes God's presence. The feeling may include the knowledge that one is fully known by God -- in person and in time.
It doesn't bother me to be fully known. My wife knows more about me than anyone else does, and we've been married for 21 years. I find that comforting. But, some people, due to their life experiences, would find it very intimidating to be "fully known." When I work with couples in pre-marital counseling, for example, I see a variety of communication styles and diversity in the degree in which people (male or female) are willing to reveal themselves to their life partners. I wonder how someone who is more guarded by nature would respond to this psalm? MTSOfan
MTSOFan,
As one who has dealt with intimacy issues and struggled with the concept of marraige and full disclosure, i find this psalm terribly freightening. to be fully known, means not just hte good and the bad parts of me, but those parts i consider so personal i just don't want to share. that opens up the concept of sharing. we hide stuff from God because we're children just plain old not wanting to share.
i saw a friend preach this and talked about doing outward bound and spending three days by yourself.
JW
Thanks, JW -- that helps. Indeed, we should proceed with caution. MTSOfan
Tommy in Tx: Forgive me for not responding to your question on stealing birthrights last week. Right now, my access to the web is limited, so I didn’t read your posting until 7/16 (I’m always curious to see responses to my postings). My church is in the process of buying its own computer, so soon, I hope, I’ll be able to participate in discussions in a more give & take manner. Ken in WV
Hebrew poetry contains such wonderful, insightful, paradoxes! Who would ever think of running away to heaven in order to escape G-D? The Sacred Presence of the Wounded G-d of Incarnation has made intervention into the depths of me...even me!...that is amazing grace! The gospel and old testaments readings are profoundly fused into this psalm. (PaideiaSco reflecting)
Hi Matt
Just working on Psalm 139 for a seminary assignment. Came across a great book by Edward J. Young called Psalm 139: A Study in the Omniscience of God which is a bit of a devotional and expository study. It addresses a lot of your concern re: being known by God. It can be a frightening thing as we are all sinners and to have our most intimate thoughts revealed to the Most Holy can be intimidating.
On the other hand, who can know me better than my personal Creator? Despite my thoughts and actions and attitudes, He still wants to be in relationship with me. Why should I be afraid if He already knows what is there?
David's relationship with God was so intimate. David was not sinless, not even close to being perfect and yet he could be in such close fellowship with his God. God had made a covenant with Israel and it was only within this covenant that David could come before such a holy God.
Throughout the psalm there is allusion to what have become basic doctrines: God's omniscience, transcendence, omnipresence, omnipotence, providence, creation ... What an awesome God!
To be truly known (and accepted)by my Creator, my Lord, my Saviour is an amazing privilege and honour. If I call myself a believer (and I do), then to have God "search me and know me" to see if there are any "wicked ways" in me is the least I owe Him. To be a true follower of Christ, I must hate evil (including that within me)and cling to good.
As far as being completely known by another human being, I'm still working on that one. At present, I'm in a dating relationship and am enjoying the mutual discovery of each other (body, mind, and soul)and enjoying the acceptance of each other and encouraging each other to become who God would have us be, both individually and as a couple.
Hope this helps,
Allylu
along with being fully known we are also unconditionally loved,warts and all. If God allowed us to have warts he had a reason. Left to him,those warts will be used for his purpose.
There is absolutely no reason to fear being fully known.Our God isn't a god of fear but a God of love.
RZ
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