Sermon Central
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The Omniscience Of God.
Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 11, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: The response to "The LORD has searched me" (cf. Psalm 139:1) is “Search me and know my thoughts” (Psalm 139:23).
THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD.
Psalm 139:1-12, Psalm 139:23-24.
When we read Psalm 139, sometimes it is hard to tell whether we should read it with a sense of dread: The LORD knows me (PSALM 139:1); He knows everything I am doing (PSALM 139:2); He knows where I am going (PSALM 139:3); He knows my every word even before it is spoken (PSALM 139:4).
Or whether our sense of the LORD hemming us in (PSALM 139:5) has more to do with gratitude at His protection than with any sense of foreboding. This might depend upon whether we are looking at the LORD from outside a personal relationship, or from within. Either way, the concept of an all-knowing God is quite incomprehensible to the finite mind (PSALM 139:6).
We are reminded of Jonah, who tried to run away from the presence of the LORD (cf. Jonah 1:3). Yet the prophet discovered that we cannot hide from the Spirit of the LORD (PSALM 139:7): not in the highest heights of heaven, nor in the deepest depths of hell (PSALM 139:8); neither in the easternmost sky, nor in the westernmost sea (PSALM 139:9). Wherever we care to run, we discover that the LORD got there before us (PSALM 139:10).
Read PSALM 139:10 again. Is there not a hint here of the love of the LORD? Like the father of the prodigal son, He allows us to try out our wings in the far country, if that is what we have set our minds to do. But He is waiting to embrace us when we ‘come to our senses’ and return (cf. Luke 15:17-20).
This Psalm would also provide comfort to those who were exiled to distant pagan lands, or those who are experiencing the ‘dark night’ of the soul (PSALM 139:11-12). The light shines in the darkness (cf. John 1:5), and the valley of death is reduced to nothing but a shadow (cf. Psalm 23:4). The cry of dereliction (cf. Mark 15:34) becomes a cry of triumph (cf. John 19:30), and Good Friday gives way to Easter Sunday.
The response to ‘The LORD has searched me’ (cf. Psalm 139:1) is “Search me and know my thoughts” (PSALM 139:23). He is my judge. Only He is able to lead me in the way everlasting (PSALM 139:24).
