Psalm 139:7-12 - Awesome Attributes of God! Part Two
Psa. 139:7-12: Awesome Attributes of God! Part Two
Psa 139:7 (CWR) Where can I go to leave the presence of your
Holy Spirit? Where shall I run that you're not already there?
Psa 139:8 (CWR) If I were to launch out into space, you'd be
there. If I were to tunnel into the depths of the earth, you'd be
there.
Psa 139:9 (CWR) If I had wings and could fly to the ends of the
earth or to the most remote island in the sea,
Psa 139:10 (CWR) your presence would be there and your arms
would be ready to hold me.
Psa 139:11 (CWR) Even if I hid in the dark, everything around
me would be as visible to you as in the daylight.
Psa 139:12 (CWR) Darkness to you is as light as the day.
INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW
This psalm contains the clearest expression of the attributes
and character of God to be found in the Psalter. One could hardly
describe the omniscience and omnipresence of God more effectively.
[Believer's SB]
This poem describes the attributes of the Lord not as abstract
qualities, but as active qualities by which He relates Himself to His
people. [Nelson SB]
From the standpoint of OT theology, this is the climax of
thought in the Psalter on God's personal relationship to the individual.
The psalmist does not engage in abstract philosophy or speculative
meditation; he merely describes his humble walk with God and shares his
experiental knowledge of the Lord. [Wycliffe Bible Commentary]
A. The omniscience of the Lord (139:1-6)
B. The omnipresence of the Lord (139:7-12)
C. The omnipotence of the Lord (139:13-18)
D. The loyalty of David (139:19-24). [Bible Knowledge Commentary]
God's omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence are the
subjects of David's meditations in this beautiful psalm.... His first
meditation is on God's knowledge, that every aspect of his life was
searched out and controlled by what the Lord knew. He then realized it
was impossible to escape from such omniscient control, no matter how
far or fast he might go, for God is everywhere. David then stated
that God has such control over him because in His power He created
Him secretly and planned his life with great care. On the basis of
these meditations, David then affirmed his loyalty to God and prayed
for God to prove him by examining him. [Bible Knowledge Commentary]
This psalm focuses on four great attributes of God: His
knowledge of all things (vv. 1-6), His presence everywhere (vv. 7-12), His
power in the formation of man (vv. 13-18), and His holiness, which
destroys evil men and searches the believer's heart (vv. 19-24). [Ryrie
SB]
David meditates on the omniscience (139:1-6), omnipresence (vv.
7-12), and omnipotence (vv. 13-18) of God. He then applies these truths
to the wicked, whom he calls on God to slay (vv. 19-22), and to
himself, whom he calls on God to examine and to lead (vv. 23-24). [Victor
Bible Reader's Companion]
OMNIPRESENCE: VS 7-12: DEFINITIONS
Omnipresence: Man cannot hide anything from God, for he is
everywhere present. (Adam Clarke Commentary)
8, 9 The four suppositions which follow express the extremes of
the universe and reinforce his basic premise. [Wycliffe Bible
Commentary]
8 If I ascend up into heaven: The word "heaven" here, in the
original is in the plural number-"heavens,"-and includes all that there
is above the earth-the highest worlds. (Barnes' Notes)
8 Hell: the underworld, the abode of the dead, both good and
bad. [Jamieson, Fausset, And Brown Commentary]
8 Depths Sheol, traditionally translated as hell, generally
means just the place of the dead, without implying either reward or
punishment. David is saying that God's sovereignty extends even to the grave
and beyond. [Quest SB]
8 The heavens . . . the depths: The two vertical extremes [NIV
SB]
8 In the heavens above and in sheol (NIV marg.) below. These
opposites signify that all areas in between (a third merism in this psalm)
are also in the Lord's presence. [Bible Knowledge Commentary]
8 Heaven and earth include the whole creation, and the Creator
fills both (Jer 23:24); he not only knows both, and governs both, but
he fills both. (Matthew Henry's Commentary)
9 Wings of the morning: A poetic expression for the swift
spreading of light at dawn. [Passages Of Life SB]
9 Wings of the morning: the extreme east. the sea: the extreme
west. [Jamieson, Fausset, And Brown Commentary]
9 Wings of the dawn . . . far side of the sea: The two
horizontal extremes: east and west [NIV SB]
OMNIPRESENCE: VS 7-12: COMMENTARY
7-10 One cannot escape the presence of God in His universe.
Every place is accessible to God, [Disciple SB]
Just as he is not limited by space, neither is he limited by
time. [Life Recovery SB]
7 God is a Spirit, and therefore it is folly to think that
because we cannot see him he cannot see us: (Matthew Henry's
Commentary)
7 Why did David want to run from God? David did not really want
to escape God's presence. It's possible that these are rhetorical
questions, asked merely to make the point that God is omnipresent-he can be
found everywhere. Or perhaps David's reaction can be compared to
others who, in the presence of the Almighty, became painfully aware of
their sin and unworthiness (Isaiah 6:5; Luke 5:8). [Quest SB]
7 Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?: Fearful thought to
those that hate him-that, much as they may wish or desire it, they can
never find a place where there is not a holy God! Comforting to those
that love him-that they will never be where they may not find a
God-their God; that nowhere, at home or abroad, on land or on the ocean,
on earth or above the stars, they will ever reach a world where
they will not be in the presence of that God-that gracious Father-who
can defend, comfort, guide, and sustain them. (Barnes' Notes)
11 It is impossible to hide from God in the darkness. ... Night
may conceal from men, but not from God. [SDA Commentary]
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee: What is to us hidden
by darkness, or unknown through ignorance, is perfectly seen and
known by God; because he is all sight, all hearing, all feeling, all
soul, all spirit-- all in ALL, and infinite in himself. He lends to
every thing; receives nothing from anything. (Adam Clarke Commentary)
For Good There Is No Darkness!
What is visible light to us is only a tiny portion of all the
wave-lengths radiating through space at all times and in every direction.
Animals and birds-even insects-can see things that are invisible to us.
Our powers of sight are extremely limited, so we often think of
darkness as being empty. But God can perceive everything: even what we
call darkness is lighted up for Him. For God, there is no darkness.
Imagine being able to see the full electromagnetic spectrum-gamma rays,
X-rays, ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, radio waves, and microwaves.
What would the universe look like? How would the world around us
appear?
If our eyes could take in and process the full electromagnetic
spectrum, we would be able to examine things with X-ray vision. Gamma ray
vision would allow us to see through mountains and planets. Ultraviolet
vision would enable us to view the flowers as the bees do-in different
colors from those of visible light. We could detect the heat radiating
from all living things if we had infrared vision, and our eyes could
become a radio dial to tune in to the radio signals. Furthermore, we
could watch TV broadcasts without a TV set. All we would have to do is
to tune our minds into the channel, and our eyes would act as
receivers.
As it is, we use such a small portion of the available spectrum
that we can hardly imagine what life would be if our eyes were opened
completely. What appears to us to be darkness is crammed full of rays and
waves-particles of energy rushing about in our atmosphere and throughout space.
The perfect powers of vision that God endowed humanity with in
Eden have been severely limited. When Jesus comes, we will be given
glorified bodies. We think we can see a lot now, but just wait! Do you
remember the story of Elisha's servant: "And the Lord opened the eyes of
the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of
horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" (2 Kings 6:17)? [Nature
Quest by J & P Tucker re vs 12]
OMNIPRESENCE: VS 7-12: APPLICATIONS
God is omnipresent. He is literally everywhere in creation. By
this is not meant God is in a rock. As a Person, He is present
everywhere. Were we to have a parent, spouse or friend in attendance with us
at all times, how would our conduct change? Would we still allow
ourselves the rebel word, the lustful glance, the inappropriate action?
We are truly what we are, it has been said, when we are alone. But
this is not true, because no one can ever be truly alone. God is
always there, always aware. It is a discipline which will mold us into
right habits, to practice the presence of God. And as we come to know
our Father in this manner, we will also come to know that there is
no place which He cannot come with us. He is with us in our
victories, and defeats. He is with us when we believe all others have
left. He is with us in the most mundane details of our lives.
Receive this truth, it will bless you today and tomorrow. [In His Time;
Walk With Wisdom re Jer.23:23-4]
Even though the Psalmist speaks of God as being everywhere, yet
he is not a pantheist. God is distinct from His creation. He
fills His creation and sustains it, but He is independent of it and
cannot be mingled with it. [Harper]
"In two ways the presence of God is an antidote against sin:
first, because God sees us, and, secondly, because we see God."
Ignatius of Loyola [The 365-Day Devotional Commentary]
Don't Fear Tomorrow
Jesus Is Already There!!!
[sign on semi]
OMNIPRESENCE: VS 7-12: CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
There is comfort in the fact that God can never be taken by
surprise. [Daily Walk Bible]
All believers who come to understand the attributes of God
discussed in this psalm find them a great source of comfort, and a great
prompting to obey Him. [Bible Knowledge Commentary]
Study God's word prayerfully. That word presents before you, in
the law of God and the life of Christ, the great principles of
holiness, without which "no man shall see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14. It
convinces of sin; it plainly reveals the way of salvation. Give heed to it
as the voice of God speaking to your soul. {SC 35.2}
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