Through Psalm 139 David presents theological doctrine regarding the attributes of God. He lets us know in a most beautiful way that God is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (always-present), and omnipotent (all-powerful).
David begins by analyzing there is simply nothing you can teach God. God knows everything. He does not have to do exhaustive searches like the TSA to keep our airways safe and secure. He is our Protector and already has searched us and knows us. He knows our coming in and going out, our sitting down and our rising up. Our thoughts are not His thoughts and our ways are not His ways. (Isaiah 5:8) But none of our ways can ever be hidden from Him.
There is “…not a word in my tongue…” that the Lord does not know. (Psalm 139:4) David is suggesting that the word has not been spoken as yet. It is still lingering on the tongue and is still a word to be spoken. But the Lord knows the words you will speak as well as all of your emotions and actions long before you.
Because the Lord has the infinite attribute of omniscience, He is able to protect us from behind and before with His ever loving Hand laid upon us. His infinite knowledge is mind boggling and, as David states, “too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” (Psalm 139: 6) We can’t comprehend it, nor why He should have this infinite knowledge, nor how He exercises it because we only have finite minds with finite knowledge.
Although the printed text of our Sunday lesson did not address the omnipresent attribute of God, it is analyzed in Psalm 139: 7-12 and I will discuss it briefly.
You can’t hide from God. He is in all places at one and the same time. You can’t ascend into heaven or make your bed in Sheol (hell). You can’t dive into the sea or any part of the earth because the Lord is there to lead you. There is no darkness you can hide from God because the “night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.” (Psalm 139: 12) For this reason it is said the dirty little secrets are still known to God, although they may come out to the light and be made known to man.
The attribute of God’s omnipotence is analyzed in Psalm 139: 13-18. David does this by looking at our Creator’s power through development of a baby in its mother’s womb. Man is still experimenting and attempting to “create” test tube babies, etc. Man can’t “create”. They can only attempt to “make” from what God has already created if He allows. That is power.
David analyzed that he was formed in his mother’s womb, even of his inward parts, and that he was fearfully and wonderfully made. He knew he was not hidden from God during the time of his formation, although it appeared he was made in secret and skillfully made within the womb. God recorded all David’s days before he made his first cry. Upon birth, David writes he felt he was still with God. This once again infers that he knew he was with God before he first saw the light of day as a newborn. That speaks power, protection, and peace.
Psalm 139 ends with a prayer at verses 23-24. David prayed that God use his attribute of omniscience and search him thoroughly inside and out, to know his heart, to totally inspect his mind. He wanted God to see if there are any wicked ways within him so that he might confess them. He knows the Lord knows all of his sins seen and unseen and he wants them pointed out. He also requested that God lead him to the everlasting way. He wanted to be kept on the right path. We should make this our prayer.
Written by Deborah Davis
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