1 O LORD, you have searched me
     and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
     you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
     you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
     you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in–behind and before;
     you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
     too lofty for me to attain

Psalm 139:1-6 NIV

This Psalm has been a favorite of mine for years. Today we are focusing on the first six verses. How well does God know me? He knows every detail of my life, every place I go, everything I do, everything I say – even before I speak it. What a net of safety! I can never be lost from God. And not only does he know me fully, he hems me in to protect me from harm. How marvelous and wonderful is our God.

This knowledge is so reassuring, except for one who might be inclined to behave in secret in ways he/she knows God would not approve. How foolish is the person who thinks he/she can “get away with …” (fill in the blank) as if fooling people is the same as fooling God. The saddest part with this kind of thinking is that this person has such a small picture of who God is – the God who created him and knows what would make him/her a complete, whole, and satisfied person.

But we who know and love God (Jesus) would never behave in such a way, now would we? We always write the exact time on the time sheet when we sign in and out at work, we always drive the speed limit or lower, we are always report every dollar of income we receive on our income tax, we are always quick to overlook an offense … What??? Do we have a few little secrets of our own?

God does know us completely, even the shady details of our lives, but the best part is he still loves us!!! He died for us before we even tried to live for him. And he protects us – often from our own folly, it is sad to say. “This knowledge IS too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” (Emphasis mine).

Lord, you are so good to us, more than we could ever deserve. Help us to be more sensitive in our spirits so that we would never willfully choose to do anything that would displease you or hinder our witness. And when we do fail, help us to quickly confess our sin so our fellowship with you will be fully restored and complete.

Copyright © 2008 by Janice Green

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.