You Lay Your Hand Upon Me: Psalm 139

You Lay Your Hand Upon Me

Psalm 139

The child of God sees God’s presence everywhere and experiences the joy of God’s watchful eye over him.

VanGemeren

The presence of the Lord. The nearness of our God. Immanuel: God with us. Psalm 139 celebrates the intimacy of a relationship with the living God. From the Garden of Eden when God walked with Adam and Eve until the story of God’s redemption plan reaches its consummation in the final chapters of Revelation with the promise that our God shall dwell among us (Revelation 21:3), the Scripture paints a beautifully merciful and glorious picture of the Lord as the One who is with us. Wherever God’s people were, there He was with them guiding, protecting, providing, purifying, and loving. But it was not just the fact of His presence, but it was the intimacy of His touch, the depth of His knowing, and the tenderness of His heart toward the people who “are but dust” (Psalm 103:14). Our God is both transcendent, dwelling in a high and holy place, and immanent, dwelling with the humble and contrite heart.

When we trace the Lord’s presence with His people through the pages of Scripture, our hearts are settled and we are revived with courage. When God established His covenant with Isaac, He told him, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Genesis 26:24). When Joseph finds himself a slave in Egypt and then falsely accused and thrown in prison, it says, “the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed” (Genesis‬ ‭39‬:‭23‬). The Lord’s presence with His people in the wilderness was a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to lead them. And David, from the time he was a youth until he ruled as king, through times of fleeing for his life and times of prosperity, the repeated refrain was, “And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him” (2 Samuel‬ ‭5‬:‭10). The Scriptures testify that the presence of the Lord, our God with us, brings fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11), gives us help (Psalm 42:5), delivers us (Psalm 44:3), reveals even our secret sins (Psalm 90:8), refreshes (Acts 3:19), is an argument against fear (Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 1:8), and gives courage (Haggai 2:4). For the believer, the Holy Spirit has been given to us, dwelling in us, helping us, teaching us, convicting us, giving us power, giving us spiritual gifts, comforting us, causing us to abound in hope, and helping us to know the things freely given to us by God. The Holy Spirit is not only His presence with us, but in us.

And David, the author of Psalm 139, knew the Lord and the blessedness of His presence. He knew there was nothing in him that could surprise the Lord and disrupt His plan (1-4). He knew there was no where he could go where the Lord Himself would not be holding onto him firmly and leading him (7-10). David knew that even when the darkness of his life was so dark that even the light seemed dark, even then the darkness was not dark to his Lord (11-12). He knew every day, the good and the terrifically bad, were formed for him by the God who sees (16). He knew every morning when he opened his eyes, he was still in the presence of his Shepherd (18). And he rested in the vast knowledge of God, entrusting Him with his enemies and his own soul (17-24).

This same One, whose presence makes the earth tremble and the mountains quake, is the same One whose presence and nearness stills the trembling of our fearful hearts. Whatever I face tomorrow or in the days to come, my Savior is with me and I with Him. At times He gently lays His hand upon me while hemming me in behind and before. He is holding me firmly and He is beside me all the way. No valley of the shadow of death nor deep darkness are passed through without the light of His presence and the joy His nearness imparts. He has searched me and known me, and He Himself supplies exactly what my soul needs each moment of each day.

Let’s pray through Psalm 139 requesting and resting in the blessedness and blessings His presence imparts.

139:1-6 O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

Shepherd and Overseer of my soul, I pray:

▫️O Lord, you have searched me and known me!—You know my sins, my heartaches, my fears, my joys. I am so thankful that You are a God who draws near to Your people. You know me. Thank you for bringing me to situations where You can show me the things I didn’t know about myself that You desire to change.

▫️You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.—There is no where I have been nor will be, no activity today or thought that crosses my mind, that You do not know. You are aware of it all. Help me to live in light of Your nearness. Help me not to grieve Your Holy Spirit. Purify my thoughts and my deeds.

▫️You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.—You are intimately acquainted with all my ways, and You know best how to conform me to the image of Your Son. Help me to remember throughout this day that all things that come to me are designed to make me like Christ and to live for Christ and His glory. Transform my speech that I would use my words to honor You, to speak life and hope and encouragement to those I see today.

▫️You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.—Your are a strong tower, a refuge for me. A place I can run to and be safe. Thank you that You are surrounding me with Your presence. “Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide. Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.” Thank you for the tenderness I see in the words, You “lay your hand upon me.” It is wonderful to know that You are right here with me in this moment, throughout this day, with Your powerful and loving hand on me.

139:7-12 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

Great Shepherd of my soul:

▫️Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!—Your presence is everywhere to protect Your children (VanGemeren). I love that there is no where I could be that Your presence is not also with me. In all ages, the testimony of Your people is that You have sustained them, You have been with them.

▫️If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.—You are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas (Psalm 65:5). And with Your hand always leading, and Your hand holding firmly to me, You are MY hope wherever I am and whatever I am going through. You will never let me go. You will hold me fast, even when I fear my faith may fail (Getty). I will not be afraid because You are with me, You are strengthening me, helping me, and upholding me with Your righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

▫️If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.—These words are so comforting. The darkness is not dark to You. The night is bright as the day. The light of Your presence, and the joy found there, will brighten my darkest night and lowest valley. You are there with me. There is nothing that can adequately describe the peace that comes to my heart when I am resting in the nearness of Your presence.

139:13-16 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Lord, I pray:

▫️For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.—You formed me. And Your works are wonderful. I receive nothing unless it has been given to me from You. I praise You for the intricacy of the body, mind, and soul You have formed and You have given me. Though I stand in awe of Your creation, I do long for the day when I will be made new and clothed with a heavenly body, finally free from the presence of sin and the effects of the curse. Finally in Your glorious kingdom and looking upon Your face.

▫️My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. —You have formed every one of my days. Nothing had surprised You or caught You off guard. Nothing has thwarted Your plan. You formed this day for me, and all the days before and all the days still to come. Help me to rejoice and be glad in it.

139:17-18 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.

Lord, I pray:

▫️Your thoughts are precious to me, O God. Your words are the words of life. Your Spirit living in me helps me to know Your mind and understand Your ways. Give me more understanding, more wisdom, more knowledge of You that I may truly know You, love You, and trust You.

▫️I awake, and I am still with you.—Let this be my first thought in the morning. I am still with You. You sustained me through the night. You have brought me to a new day. Give me Your grace to live this day for You.

139:19-22 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.

Faithful Father and Righteous Judge:

▫️Help me to follow Christ’s example in dealing with those who have hurt me, “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭22‬-‭23).

▫️You will take care of the things that concern me. I want to bless those who persecute me. Never repay evil with evil. I want to, as much as depends on me, to be at peace with all men. I leave vengeance to You knowing You will repay. I will overcome evil with good, and I will do all this by Your immeasurably great power which is at work in me (Romans 12:14-21; Ephesians 1:19).

139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Savior, I pray:

▫️You would do for me exactly as David prayed here. I want my life to honor You. I want my life to reflect that I am living in the light of Your presence.

May the Lord do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, for His glory and our good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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