Psalm 139 • My God Knows Me

Think about how you perceive yourself. Do you see yourself as valuable and precious with a voice and purpose? In Psalm 139, you can see yourself how God wants you to think about yourself in light of what you know about Him. This psalm is a love letter from David to God—intensely personal. In it, he used personal pronouns (me, my, I) more than 50 times. Yet, nearly every “I’ and “me” in Psalm 139 applies not only to David but also to you. 

God Knows You Intimately

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,too lofty for me to attain. (Psalm 139:1-6)

David opened and ended this psalm with a similar truth—God searches and knows us. He knows where we are and what we are doing and thinking. The fact that God knows everything about us is called His omniscience (all-knowing). But David didn’t just say, “God knows all things.” He basically said, “God has known me.” He emphasized this three times. God was intimately acquainted with all of David’s ways. 

God knows your ways and thoughts, so He is not surprised by what you think, do, or say. He knows your needs before you even tell Him about them. He knows your strengths and weaknesses. We cannot deceive Him about our true selves. But He is not pulling strings like a puppeteer. He allows us free will to make choices and still protects (hems in, encircles, secures) us with His presence and power. That is called His omnipotence (all-powerful). 

How does it make you feel that God knows you so intimately?

The answer to that question depends on your view of God—1) a loving Father who wants the best for you or 2) a dictator ready to smite you when you do anything wrong. The true answer is #1. 

Read more about God’s powerful protection in this article, “Psalm 34 • My God Is My Refuge.”

What We Can Know about God

We can’t know as much about God as He knows about us. Yet He wants us to know Him intimately. In the Bible, He reveals certain truths about Himself so that we may know Him better. I mentioned two of His attributes above—His omniscience (meaning all-knowing) and His omnipotence (meaning all-powerful). The next verses tell us about another attribute. 

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens,you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be darkto you; the night will shine like the day,for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)

The Bible teaches that God is everywhere at the same time. That is His omnipresence (present everywhere). God is with you as you go about your daily schedule. God is not only there, but His hand would be holding you close and guiding you. This truth is in Psalm73 also. As Christians today, we have the presence of the Holy Spirit living inside us to guide and counsel us. 

You still have the freedom to choose and make decisions as well as travel all over the world. Yet, you are never out of His sight or reach. You cannot go to any place where God is not with you or cannot hear you calling out to Him. You might not a cell signal, but God is not blocked out!

Learn more about God’s attributes from The God You Can Know Bible Study.

God Has Known You from Conception

For you created my inmost being; you knit me togetherin my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordainedfor me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you. (Psalm 139:13-18)

David marveled at the Lord’s amazing power in creating him from the moment of conception through fetal development and birth (in the womb, “secret place”). His purpose for you began there. These verses confirm that human life begins at conception rather than at birth. These verses also confirm that having a physical human body is very good in God’s eyes. When Jesus was resurrected from the dead, His new body was fully human. “All the days ordained for me” could be the general human life span (70-80 years, Psalm 90:10) or specifically for David. 

God’s thought about us—how we are made, our ways, His protection—should be precious to us. We also have His thoughts in our Bibles. Thankfully we can sleep while He handles the world!

Confidence in God’s Thoughts and Ways

If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhorthose who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. (Psalm 139:19-22)

David looked around him, saw how much wickedness there was in the world, and saw how much trouble there was around him. He knows that God sees everything the wicked are doing and saying (His omniscience). He wanted God to act in His justice (verse 19). 

The word “hate” as used in the psalms usually means rejection of someone or something. David recognized the enemies of God, was offended what they said and did, and chose not to support them or be influenced by them. That is staying loyal to God—choosing to be aligned with people who are following God rather than rebelling against Him. You can love enemies as God loves them but not let them win over you or those dear to you. 

Trusting God’s Guidance

The last two verses of this psalm are evidence of David’s complete trust of God using His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence in David’s life. He trusts God because He knows of God’s love for him. 

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 139:22-23)

David wanted God to know what is going on in his mind and heart. He wanted to stay loyal to God. Anxious thoughts are worries that indicate a lack of trust in God. Offensive ways would be idolatrous tendencies taking David away from dependence on God. 

Do you now see the value of God knowing everything about you? If you want the rewards of living life God’s way, then you’ll want help in recognizing when you are not doing it so you can change. 

Are you willing to give God permission to do the same in your life?

Read more of our articles covering the Psalms.

Study this psalm and others in the short and easy Songs of the Heart That Light My Way Bible Study.