Saturday, May 2, 2009

Lord, Thou Hast Searched and Seen Me Through

I've been studying Psalm 139 in my morning quiet times, and I have renewed appreciation, and awe, for the attributes of God. This hymn was written after the first 12 verses of Psalm 139 which cover God's omniscience and omnipresence. This psalm is such a good reminder of God's power and His plan, and such a good reminder that I can trust Him, for my days are already written in His book. I urge you to spend some time prayerfully studying Psalm 139 - your relationship with the Father will take on a new depth of intimacy and understanding!

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. Psalm 139:1

It is so amazing to me to think about God's knowledge. He knows me. He has searched me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. Psalm 139:2

There are very few people who understand my thoughts! To know that my Savior and Lord understands them all, from afar, is a great comfort.

You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139:3

Intimately acquainted! With MY ways! I am only one of millions. God, my heavenly Father, is intimately acquainted with ME!

Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it all. Psalm 139:4

Because He knows my thoughts from afar, He knows even before there is a word on my tongue. Being reminded of these two things has convicted me anew to "take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." (II Corinthians 10:5)

You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Psalm 139:5

God is my protector! He has enclosed me and laid His hand on me. My life is in His hand, and I can be confident that everything that happens to me has been filtered through His "fingers of love." I am an object of concern to the Almighty God! He has inscribed me on the palms of His hands!

Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands. Isaiah 49:16

God will never forget me, or you. The nail prints on Jesus's palms from that day at Calvary are there forever.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. Psalm 139:6

I certainly cannot attain to it! It is too wonderful - as I have studied this psalm I am more and more in awe of God's knowledge and subsequent care for me.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? Psalm 139:7

Well, there's no where I can go. I cannot escape from His Spirit or presence. Hallelujah! As a child of God, you are never alone. God's presence and Spirit is with you all the time. Through the mountains and the valleys of life, through good experiences, challenges, dark times and high flying times, HE IS THERE!

If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.
Psalm 139:8-10

It doesn't matter where I go, He is there. He will lead me and guide me.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night," even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You. Psalm 139:11-12

There have been times in my life when I think the darkness will overwhelm me. But God was there! Darkness and light are alike to Him, and the night is as bright as the day to Him! He can work in darkness as well as in light, and He has promised that the dark times will not overwhelm me. He will protect me and provide for me.

Today, join me in worshipping the Father who knows you, guides you, and is WITH you. He is worthy to be praised!

Lord, Thou Hast Searched and Seen Me Through
Words by Isaac Watts

Lord, Thou hast searched and seen me through,
Thine eye commands with piercing view
My rising and my resting hours,
My heart and flesh with all their powers.

My thoughts, before they are my own,
Are to my God distinctly known;
He knows the words I mean to speak
Ere from my opening lips they break.

Within Thy circling power I stand;
On every side I find Thy hand;
Awake, asleep, at home, abroad,
I am surrounded still with God.

Amazing knowledge, vast and great!
What large extent! what lofty height!
My soul, with all the powers I boast,
Is in the boundless prospect lost.

Could I so false, so faithless prove,
To quit Thy service and Thy love,
Where, Lord, could I Thy presence shun,
Or from Thy dreadful glory run?

If up to Heav’n I take my flight,
’Tis there Thou dwell’st enthroned in light
Or dive to hell, there vengeance reigns,
And Satan groans beneath Thy chains.

If, mounted on a morning ray,
I fly beyond the western sea,
Thy swifter hand would first arrive,
And there arrest Thy fugitive.

Or should I try to shun Thy sight
Beneath the spreading veil of night,
One glance of Thine, one piercing ray,
Would kindle darkness into day.

The veil of night is no disguise,
No screen from Thy all-searching eyes;
Thy hand can seize Thy foes as soon
Through midnight shades as blazing noon.

Midnight and noon in this agree,
Great God, they’re both alike to Thee;
Not death can hide what God will spy,
And hell lies naked to His eye.

O may these thoughts possess my breast,
Where’er I rove, where’er I rest!
Nor let my weaker passions dare
Consent to sin, for God is there.

1 comment:

A Dusty Frame said...

Such a blessing that the Lord knows us.
Thank you for linking this to works of God.
I appreciate the time you took to write out what you learned as you studied.