Psalm 139:1-12

“O LORD, you have searched me 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 know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in–behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 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 dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you!”

David was a man bitterly persecuted and greatly calumniated. Nothing could exceed the acrimony with which Saul pursued him to take away his life. But David had the comfort of a good conscience; and he often appealed to the heart-searching God to attest his innocence of those crimes that were laid to his charge. It is probable that such were his circumstances when he composed this Psalm; and that, when traduced by men, he consoled himself with the reflection, that every thought of his heart was fully known to God. The opinions are delivered in an immediate address to God himself; and they are such as ought to be deeply impressed on every mind.

Let us in our comment on this passage consider,

I. The truths here acknowledged.

David asserts in a most solemn manner the OMNIPRESENCE of God.

Certain it is, that God is everywhere present. “If we should go up to Heaven, he is there; or down to the grave or the abodes of departed spirits, he is there.” There is no point of space where he is not, or where he is not as wholly and entirely present as in Heaven itself. “The heavens cannot contain him.”

He himself puts the question to every man, “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? says the Lord. Do not I fill Heaven and earth? says the Lord, Jeremiah 23:23-24.” It is in vain therefore for us to think of hiding ourselves from him, since in every place “You hem me in–behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me,” that it is not possible for us to escape. He is present with us, “to lead us,” if we seek his guidance; or “to hold us,” if we would attempt to run from him.

Together with the omnipresence of God, the Psalmist further asserts also his OMNISCIENCE.

The eyes of God are continually upon the ways of men. What men know only by searching, God knows by a single glance of his eye, and as perfectly, as if he had “searched” with the utmost care and diligence into the minutest parts and circumstances of every transaction. Even the thoughts, yes, and every imagination of the thoughts of men’s hearts, are open to him, together with the whole frame and habit of our minds.

Are we retiring to rest, or lying upon our bed, or rising from thence after our night’s repose? God knows precisely in what state we are. He sees whether we are calling our ways to remembrance, and humbling ourselves before him, and imploring mercy at his hands, together with grace that we may serve him more acceptably; or whether our minds are running out after earthly objects, and occupied about the things of time and sense.

Do we go forth to our respective callings? God sees by what motives we are actuated, and by what principles we are governed. Whatever fraud we may practice in our dealings with men, or whatever artifice we may use to promote our own interests—he is privy to it.

On the other hand, whatever dispositions we may exercise, or actions we may perform, for the glory of his name—he beholds them also. We may be so unostentatious, that even our right hand may not know what our left hand does; but he knows it, and marks it with his special favor.

So likewise in the public assemblies of his people—he sees whether we are humble, fervent, and believing; or whether we have a mere form of godliness, without the power of it. In a word, wherever we are, in public or in private, he knows infinitely more of us than the best-instructed Christian in the universe can know of himself. “Such knowledge is too wonderful for us; we cannot attain unto it.”

As for light or darkness, it makes no difference to him, “the night and the day to him are both alike.” “All things” without exception, even the most hidden recesses of the heart, “are naked and open before him;” just as the inmost parts of the sacrifices, when cut down the back-bone, were to the priest appointed to inspect them, Hebrews 4:12-13. See also Jeremiah 16:17 and Job 34:22.

These are solemn truths; and the importance of them will forcibly appear, while we suggest,

II. Some reflections naturally arising from God’s omnipresence and omniscience.

On this subject we might multiply reflections without end, seeing that there is not any part of a Christian’s experience which is not most intimately connected with it. But we will confine ourselves to two, namely,

1. That many, however high they may be in their own estimation, will be found most awfully to have deceived themselves in the last day.

Among the foremost of these are the ungodly and profane. These, with an atheistical contempt of God, go on in their own way, saying, “Tush, God shall not see, neither shall the Almighty regard it!” “How does God know? Can he judge through dark clouds? Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he sees not! Job 22:13-14. Psalm 73:11.”

But how will they be surprised in the day of judgment, to find, that not one single act, word, or thought of their whole lives had escaped the notice of God! They, if no human eye beheld them, pursued their sinful pleasures without fear; little thinking Who was present . . .
beholding their every act,
hearing their every word,
noting their every thought!

Had but a child been present, they could not have proceeded with such indifference; but they had no regard for Jehovah’s presence, any more than if he had been, like the heathen gods—unknowing, unconscious, unconcerned.

Truly, it is a fearful account which they will have to give, when they shall see the long catalogue of their sins written with unerring accuracy, and brought forward against them as the ground of their eternal condemnation.

Next to these are the proud formalists, who, because they have never run to any excess of riot, applaud themselves as righteous and secure of the Divine favor. But while they boast of their negative righteousness and their performance of some external duties, and look with contempt upon those who have been less moral than themselves—little do they think in what a different light they are viewed by “God, who knows their hearts; in whose sight that which is highly esteemed among men is frequently an utter abomination! Luke 16:15.”

Very different is the standard by which he estimates them, from that by which they estimate themselves! The things for which he looks are, a tenderness of spirit, a lowliness of mind, a brokenness of heart, a deep self-loathing and self-abhorrence; not one atom of which has he ever seen in these self-applauding Pharisees!

Say, you formal moralist, when did the heart-searching God ever see you weeping for your sins, and smiting on your bosom, like the repenting publican, and fleeing to Christ as the manslayer fled to the city of refuge? When did he ever hear you adoring and magnifying him for the exceeding riches of his grace in Christ Jesus? Know that He can discern between true and false religion, whether you can or not; and that it is “not he who commends himself who shall be approved in the judgment, but he whom the Lord commends.”

But of all self-deceiving people, there are none who have so much reason to tremble at the idea of God’s omniscience as the false and hypocritical professor. True, if there were ten thousand of this complexion present, not one would apply the title to himself, or suppose himself to be comprehended under this heading. Yet are there many such in the Church of God; many, whose religion consists in hearing and talking about the Gospel, rather than in exercising the spirit which it inculcates. If a zeal about certain tenets, or running to hear sermons, or putting themselves forward in religious meetings, or sitting in judgment upon others who are not of their party—if this were true religion, they would be very eminent! But if true religion consists:
in humility of mind,
in meekness and lowliness of heart,
in patience and forbearance towards those who differ from them,
in a diligent attention to the duties of their place and station,
and in a secret walk with God—they will be found most awfully lacking in them all.

Alas! the religion of many professors makes them not a whit more amiable and lovely in their dispositions and habits, than if they had never heard of “the example of Christ!” On the contrary, their pride, and conceit, and forwardness, and presumption, render them ten-fold more disgusting both to God and man, than if they made no profession of religion at all!

When such people come into the presence of their God at the last day, what testimony will they receive from the heart-searching God but this, that “they had a name to live, and were dead;” and that while “they said that they were Jews, they lied, and were in reality of the synagogue of Satan!” Yes, “their excellency may mount up to the heavens; but they shall perish like their own dung; and they that have seen them shall with surprise and grief exclaim, Where are they? Job 20:4-7.”

The confidence which any of these classes may profess, only binds upon them the more strongly the fetters they have forged for themselves, and ensures more certainly their everlasting ruin! Proverbs 21:2 and Psalm 50:21.

2. That many who are low in the estimation both of themselves and others, shall receive at last from God himself a glorious testimony in their behalf.

Many are of the Lord’s “hidden ones,” who have been kept back by diffidence or other circumstances from joining themselves to the Lord’s people in an open and ostensible way, who yet shall receive from God the strongest tokens of his approbation. They perhaps envied the gifts and talents of some more forward professors, and thought themselves unworthy to join in their society; but God, who knew their hearts, said of them, “I know your poverty—but you are rich.” He heard the sighs and groans which they uttered from day to day under a sense of their own unworthiness. He treasured up in his vial the tears they shed from a loathing of themselves, and an admiration of their God. He saw how precious the Lord Jesus Christ was to their souls, as their hope, their peace, their strength, their all. They were of no account perhaps among their fellow-Christians; but they were greatly beloved of their God. The more abased they were in their own eyes because of their sinfulness, the more exalted they were in God’s eyes. He saw that in their prayers, their fastings, their alms, they sought not glory from men; and therefore “he in the last day will reward them openly.” He will say of them in that day, “I saw you under the fig-tree;” “if your talent was small, you made a good improvement of it;” you thought that in “giving your mite to the sanctuary,” you had done nothing; but I testify for you, that “it was more in my sight than all that the rich gave out of their abundance.”

Yes, Beloved, as you desire to serve and honor God, so will God accept and bless you, “He will bring to light the counsels of the heart; and then shall every man, who was of no account in his own eyes, have praise of God.”

If then, brethren, you are overlooked, or even calumniated and traduced by men, lay it not to heart, but seek to approve yourselves to the heart-searching God. Let man have his day, knowing assuredly that God will have his also, 1 Corinthians 4:3-4, and that “his judgment will be according to truth.”

APPLICATION.

Let all now show what regard they have for God. Let all retire, with a consciousness that God sees them; let them go to their secret chamber, and there implore mercy from him for their past neglect of his presence, and grace that they may henceforth be enabled to “set him always before them,” and to “walk in his fear all the day long.”

Charles Simeon