God Is Omnipresent Series

In verse 9 the psalmist refers to the extreme east and the extreme west.

It seems probable that the language is a figurative way of speaking of going to the east, where the sun comes up (so SPCL “if I were to fly away to the east”; GECL has “Were I to fly to where the sun rises”; and FRCL is similar).

The wings of the morning are an allusion to the rays of the morning sun that streak across the heavens from east to west at 186,000 miles per second. Even if we could travel to some remote corner of the universe at the speed of light, we would find the Lord there, waiting to guide and uphold us.

As the Bothwells and Toshes traveled to Zanzibar, literally on the other side of the planet they saw God there. In Zanzibar, which for us could be described as the uttermost parts of the sea. there was the sense of the Lord’s presence and protection.

• Even in the presentation of the Jesus film: The Muslim’s saw a tent as a church. They would not enter but feel safe just outside listening to the message. But God is not a God limited to a building or structure, and worked in the hearts of those outside.

1 Kings 8:27 [27]"But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! (ESV)

Literally, the phrase the uttermost parts of the sea means as far as one could go to the west; the sea is the Mediterranean, which is west of Palestine. In many languages the directions in verse 9 can best be expressed as “where the sun rises” and “where the sun sets.” However, if the translator wishes to keep the geography of Palestine in view, he may translate “west” as does SPCL, “the borders of the western sea.” GECL has “to the end of the seas, where the sun sinks.” (Bratcher, R. G., & Reyburn, W. D. (1991). A translator’s handbook on the book of Psalms. Helps for translators (1126). New York: United Bible Societies.)

Therefore, in verse 9 the references to the wings of the dawn/morning in conjunction with “the remotest/uttermost parts of the sea, is a literary figure to express distance. (MacArthur, J. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible : New American Standard Bible. (Ps 139:9). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

Quote: Pascal said of God, “His center is everywhere; His circumference is nowhere.” (MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Ps 139:11). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.)

The psalmist is theorizing in his own mind what Jonah had learned in fact. In Jonah chapter one, we see that Jonah was commissioned by God to go and preach against the great city of Nineveh. He was to tell them about how wicked they were. Jonah didn’t like his assignment, not because he was not in favor of telling off the Ninevites but because he knew that God was going to show them some mercy and grace. These people were the mortal enemies of Israel and Jonah wanted no part of God’s redemptive plan for these barbarians. So what does he do? He tries to flee from God. Jonah 1:3 says that he was running away from the Lord. In fact, we know that instead of heading to Nineveh, he booked a boat that was sailing in the exact opposite direction.