Stop whatever it is you're doing and ask yourself this question, "Who knows you the best?" Maybe it's your mom or dad, your best friend, or maybe even your dog. This seems like the most logical answer as they have been around for your whole life, or they are the ones with whom you share your secrets. The world would say that the answer to this question would be yourself, only you know yourself best. Right? What would you say if I told you there is someone who knows you even more than you know yourself? Psalms 139:1-16 is a beautiful passage that paints a beautiful picture of who this being is that knows us even more than we know ourselves.
Psalm 139:1-4 shows us just how deeply God knows us, by establishing the theme of God's intimate knowledge and understanding that God has of our lives. The first two verses emphasize God's omnipresence and ability to perceive every aspect and innermost thoughts, emotions, and actions before we even think. In verse 3 the writer acknowledges that God not only knows our actions but is also familiar with our daily routines and choices, and hints at how God is intimately involved in our life. The following verse reveals that God's knowledge of us is so comprehensive that He knows what we are going to say even before we speak. Psalm 139:5-6 reveals just how much God loves us and cares for us, as well as how closely He desires to be with us. These two verses convey a sense of God’s protective presence over us and suggest that God surrounds us with His care and guidance, by using the image of a hand. Additionally, the writer acknowledges that God’s knowledge is beyond our understanding and comprehension. A sense of awe and reverence is portrayed for the depth of God’s wisdom. Psalm 139:7-12 begins posing questions to the Lord to elaborate on God's omnipresence. Through these questions, the writer can help us recognize that there is no place we can go to escape or hide from God's presence. No matter if it's in the heavens, the depths of the sea, or the farthest reaches of the earth, God’s hand can still reach us due to His sovereignty over all of creation. Even the darkness or shadows can cover us enough to keep God’s light from breaking through.
Up to this point, the writer of Psalms 139 has revealed to us that there is someone out there who knows us better than we know ourselves and cares about us deeply, but for some, it stirs up the question of why. God designed humankind with a curious nature, to encourage us to dive deeper into His Word and to desire a closer relationship with Him. Psalm 139:13 provides us with the ultimate answer to the age-old question, “Why?” “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.” That explains it all, God knows everything about us because He made us and knows every little detail about us. God knows us just like a painter knows his art. Just like a good painter knows everything about their painting, God knows everything about us. A painter knows how many brushstrokes have covered the canvas of their painting, while God knows the number of hairs he has delicately placed on our head. A painter knows how many different colors of paints he has used, as well as the brand, while God knows how many steps we've taken, how many times we've fallen, and everything else you could ever imagine.
Knowing this, I want you to close your eyes and imagine you just painted the most beautiful painting you have ever seen. It looks exactly how you wanted, and it took you months to paint. You absolutely love it and are so proud of your work that you decide to give it to someone you love to show them just how much they mean to you. However, the person you give it to starts pointing out every little mistake and flaws, criticizing everything about it. How would that make you feel? Not great right? Maybe it would cause you to feel bad about yourself, or even angry. Maybe you'll feel incredibly disappointed or begin to feel that you're not enough. It would feel as if what you believed was your best wasn't enough, what would be? Now I want you to imagine the same situation, but instead, God is the painter, and you are the person to whom the painting has been given. And the painting? Well, the painting is your body, your personality, and yourself as a whole. This happens so often in our society, as the world and social media have told us that we should not be happy with who we are and that we should change our looks or be different. It breaks God's heart when you constantly criticize yourself because He made you perfectly unique and just the way He wanted. In His eyes, you are perfect the way you are.
Here’s the kicker, if the world is bombarding us with the notion that we are to despise our body and the thoughts of needing to change what we are, how are we to respond? Psalms 139:14-16 shows us just how we are to respond. Firstly, we are to give thanks for who He made us to be and how wonderfully complex He made every inch of us. Next, we are to praise Him for the awesome things He has done, as well as for His marvelous works. Then we are to acknowledge that He saw a shapeless form and used it to create us in our mother's womb. Finally, we are to live with the understanding that every day of our life and every moment we will face has been laid out by Him before we were even born.
In summary, Psalm 139:1-16 is a profound reflection on the depth of God's knowledge, His omnipresence, and His intimate involvement in the life of the believer. It serves as a reminder of God's intimate knowledge of each person and their purpose in His divine plan. This passage of scripture hits home the idea that God is not distant but intimately acquainted with each person, and it invites us to marvel at the wonder of God's wisdom and care. This thorough study of the passage reveals the depth of the writer's understanding of God's attributes and His role in our lives. If you still don't believe me or don't understand how much He truly loves you, take some time and read Psalms 139:1-16, and see for yourself how much you matter to Him
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