Sermon Talkback—January 18, 2009
Psalm 139—Who Are You?
Personal Notice
In this well-known psalm, the writer expresses his awareness of God’s profound knowledge of him, that is due to, among other things, the fact that the Creator formed him in his “mother’s womb.” He marvels at God’s creative work, of which mortals are the crowning achievement. God’s thoughts are “weighty” and more numerous than the “sand.”
Outline
The psalm is divided up into four sections.
1. You Know Me, Lord (1-6)
This is not a theological assertion about omniscience but rather a statement of faith that the Lord knows everything about the particular individual who is praying. This knowing includes knowing one’s actions (vv. 2-3) as well as one’s words, even before they are spoken (v. 4). After reflecting on such knowing, the psalmist reacts with amazement and praise: “Wonderful!” (v. 6)
2. I’m Never Away from You (7-12)
Like in the case of Jonah (1:3), it is impossible to escape the Lord’s presence. Verse 8 speaks of vertical extremes: one cannot escape the Lord by running to heaven or down to Sheol, the region of the dead as in Job (26:6). Verses 9-10 express the impossibility of escaping from God in the terms of the four points of the compass. The “wings of the morning” is to the east, where the sun rises, and the “limits of the sea” is to the west. “Your right hand” would be the south, and “your hand”—that is, the left hand—the north.
3. God the Knitter (13-18)
In verse 13, God is portrayed as a knitter! The notion also occurs in Job 10:11: “You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.” Think about how complicated knitting a sweater is with different threads, patterns, and colors, you would be amazed how wonderfully we are made: “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made (v. 14). Verse 16 expresses the notion of a book where the psalmist’s days have already been recorded. Is this a basis for a doctrine of “predestination?”
4. Deal with the Wicked, Lord! (19-24)
It appears that the psalmist and the Lord together have been falsely accused. The psalmist expresses hatred against his accusers, viewed as enemies of the psalmist and of God (vv. 21-22). In this difficult personal situation, the writer declares himself innocent of these charges and asks for God’s guidance (vv. 23-24). These are hard words for Christians since we are taught to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matt. 5:44). Though these are human words of the psalmist, ultimately vengeance is left in God’s hands (v. 19).
Creation Psalm
While this psalm doesn’t speak about creating the heavens and the earth, it speaks rather of God creating an individual, or more accurately, it says to God, “You created me. You knit me together in my mother’s womb” (v. 13).
What Do You Think?
Instead of trying to be someone else, who do you think you are according to God’s creation? How has God knitted you together to be you?