Download Psalm 139

Psalm 139
“I praise you because I am
fearfully and wonderfully
made”
Psalm 139
• A contemplative psalm
• Maybe even a philosophical
one…
Psalm 139
• What’s it all about?
– God’s omnipresence
- Omni = all / presence = presence
– God’s omniscience
- Omni = all / science= knowledge
Psalm 139
• God is Omniscient
– it’s a fact
• … but that’s not quite what
David is saying
• David is saying:
– God is omniscient because he’s
omnipresent
Psalm 139
An intimate, personal, allknowing God
two possible reactions
• Fear
• Denial
• run-away and hide
• Joy
• Love
• Praise
Psalm 139
Psalm 139
• v1-12 God’s Omnipresence
• v13-16 David’s place in God’s
universe
• v17-24 David’s reaction to
this
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.
Psalm 139 13-16
• You’re amazing…
– 100 trillion cells
• (100,000,000,000,000)
– 46 chromosomes in each cell
• (23 pairs)
– Each one of those is made up
of DNA
– DNA is made up of four
different bases (ACGT) which
form the genetic code
Psalm 139 13-16
– 3.2bn bases make up you!
– 20,488 genes
– Each set of three bases in gene = 1
amino acid
– String of amino acids = a protein
– Proteins make cells
– Cells make tissues
– Tissues make organs
– Organs make bodies
• But what does David say?
Psalm 139:17-24
If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away
from me, you bloodthirsty men!
They speak of you with evil intent; your
adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and
abhor those who rise up against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them; I count
them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me
and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead
me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139
“I praise you because I am
fearfully and wonderfully
made”