If I go up to the heavens, you are there;if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. He has numbered our days, and nothing can change or alter His good plan for our lives. Verse seven begins with a question, and David knows the answer. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Before we were known to our mothers, God was forming every intricate detail and fabric of who we are. There is infinitely more happening in the world and our lives than we can plausibly see. Who we are is meant to bring reverence to God. For the Director of music. Where can I go from your Spirit? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? . You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Always active in her community and local church, Meg also leads Bible study for women and teen girls. Even when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death He will be with you! All content appearing on this site is owned and maintained by the Fortify Your Faith Foundation, a tax-exempt, not-for-profit, religious corporation as defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Even though David penned this psalm before Jesus walked the earth, everything in Scripture points to Gods greatest expression of love for us in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Jesus. He will be with you in your heartbreak; He will be with you in your illness; He will be with you in that financial struggle; He will be with you in that false accusation; He will be with you when you that bad news breaks; He will be with you when everyone else has deserted you; though father and mother give you up; He will not. Modern technology, as amazing as it is, has yet to create a transparent womb. The highest heaven cannot contain Him! But he asks God to dig deeper to see if he could discover any wicked way. What wonderful imagery! The next line says, And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? The term grieved is parallel to the word hate.. He is not limited by time and space. The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross negated the shame which compelled Adam and Eve to hide from God in the garden. Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, And art acquainted with all my ways. Sin is like a veil keeping us from being completely in Gods presence because He is only and He cannot have sin in His presence. 7(J)Where can I go from Your Spirit?Or where can I flee from Your presence?8(K)If I ascend to heaven, You are there;If I make my bed in [f]Sheol, behold, (L)You are there.9If I take the wings of the dawn,If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,10Even there Your hand will (M)lead me,And Your right hand will lay hold of me.11If I say, Surely the (N)darkness will [g]overwhelm me,And the light around me will be night,12Even the (O)darkness is not dark [h]to You,And the night is as bright as the day. Copyright 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. Ask if anyone can remember the truths weve learned so far. Those are some pretty challenging places: Hinduism and Buddhism are entrenched in India and Nepal, and our folks will have physical challenges of climbing to some of the highest places in the world. From the creation surrounding us to each hair on our heads, Your intentionality is unmatched. There is no where we can go where God isnt there. He is everywhere the same. So much injustice, unfairness, tragedy and heartbreak surround everyday circumstances world-wide. and the appearance of the fourth was like the Son of God! The omnipresence of God means that we can worship Him anywhere. Proud member One of the most powerful displays of Gods omnipotence happens in secret (v. 15). Nothing about us is accidental. Psalm 139 reflects Davids prayerful meditation of Gods omnipresence and omniscience, and the effect those characteristics of God have on the human heart. He says if I go to Sheol Sheol is the Hebrew word for death or the grave God is there too! The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 23-24). Applications of the Doctrine of Gods Omnipresence: He acknowledges that God formed his organs; he reflects upon how his Maker knitted him together; how the Lord embroidered him like an ornate rug; how the Creator saw his undeveloped form. You are our strength, God. Though the earth should change and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea He will be a very present help not just present, but VERY present! I Thessalonians 2:16 says that Gods wrath will come upon them to the uttermost. This doctrine is spelled out in Psalm 139:7-10 perhaps better than in any other passage: Where can I go from Your Spirit; or where can I flee from Your presence? All rights reserved. We all know that in heaven, every one of us who has trusted Jesus as Savior will be in the continual presence of the Lord. Years ago, a Christian preacher went to India, and there he saw Hindu worshipers tapping on trees and rocks and asking the gods they believed were present: Are you there? If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. 139:1 - God has thoroughly searched/investigated your life.and He KNOWS you. Change). He cares deeply and compassionately for us, not only as a whole but individually. This is lesson 25 of 42 in our study on the Attributes of Godcalled Can you tell me what God is like? Visit the series index to view all the lessons and get more ideas for using this curriculum in your childrens ministry. This should give us comfort when we feel scared or alone to remember that God is always there. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'ministry_to_children_com-leader-1','ezslot_3',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-ministry_to_children_com-leader-1-0'); Read thememory verse(Psalm 139:7) a few times together and each time you finish the verse yell NOWHERE! We often default to a critical view of ourselves and others. Psalm 23 says Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me! Omniscience means that God is all-knowing, His knowledge is not limited. That Psalm goes on to describe the worst possible circumstances: though the earth should change, though the mountains fall into the heart of the sea God is very present. No matter how tumultuous the situation, God is always there! What does David mean, then, when he wrote verses 15-22? Your donation gift(s) are very much appreciated and may qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes. Theologian Thomas Oden writes: No atomic particle is so small that God is not fully present to it, and no galaxy is so vast that God does not circumscribe it. Since motions & actions help kids remember,choose an action forOMNIPRESENT. God is Omnipotent (Judges 16) Lesson #24 in What is God Like? Color, ethnicity, disability every trait and characteristic were crafted by our purposeful God. Even devout Christ-followers gaze up to wonder where God is during tumultuous seasons. Psalm 139 reflects David's prayerful meditation of God's omnipresence and omniscience, and the effect those characteristics of God have on the human heart. Our Lord, Yahweh! 139O Lord, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me.2You know when I sit down and when I rise up [my entire life, everything I do];You understand my thought from afar. His presence fills the heavens and the earth! (F)20For they speak against You wickedly,Your enemies take Your name in vain. God knows our thoughts and our words before we speak. Ask if any of them know exactly what their grandmother is doing right now? David understood, innately, that there is nowhere in which God's presence could not be seen, or known. And because of the lack of faith, and sin in our lives, He is not manifesting His presence in powerful ways among us. Praise and glory and honor to the God who formed us and rescued us. God would see him as if it were broad daylight (vv. King David wrote in Psalm 139: "O LORD, you have searched me and known me!" Even though David penned this psalm before Jesus walked the earth, everything in Scripture points to Gods greatest expression of love for us in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Jesus. 5 You have encircled me behind and in front, And placed Your . By faith, consciously live your whole life in the Presence of Him who is unseen, yet more real than any other. I believe that for many of us, perhaps the greatest challenge of our Christian lives is to truly apprehend this doctrine of the omnipresence of God: not merely to know it in our minds; but to experience Him as with us in reality to truly LIVE and ACT as though God were with us because He really is Our Omnipresent God., Pingback: We Are Not Alone! You will never see His face of love; you will only see the awful face of His wrath; wrath so great itcaused the Lord Jesus to sweat drops of blood in anticipation of facing the wrath of Godfor sin on the cross! He continues, This is not personal vindictiveness. He has numbered our days, and nothing can change or alter His good plan for our lives. When King Nebuchadnezzar threw Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah into the fiery furnace in Daniel, the Bible says that Nebuchadnezzar stood to his feet and said, Was it not three men we cast into the midst of the fire? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? One True Triune God. 2-3). In the midst of daily life, Christians do well to remind themselves of the Good Shepherds knowledge and provision, wrote Jason Helopoulos for Ligonier, most of the doubts, anxieties, and fears that occupy the Christian soul can be attributed to a lack of trust in Christ as the Good Shepherd.. Psalm 139 is a personal prayer and song of praise to God. Omni means all, present means here the doctrine of Gods omnipresence means that God is always present; He is everywhere. For less than $5/mo. Your care and love for us is like nothing else. O Lord, you have searched me and known me! They are enemies of God (v. 20). SAY: This morning were talking about the truth that God is Omnipresent (or everywhere all the time). It is FAITH that pleases God, not sight; not experience as such! 4 [ e]Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. Scripture advises to take our thoughts captive. May our lives bring glory to Your name. Gods knowledge, being infinite, means that he knows every word we speak altogether. In other words, he not only knows what we say, but he knows what we mean. Before we were known to our mothers, God was forming every intricate detail and fabric of who we are. Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; In the first eighteen verses of this psalm, the psalmist acknowledges that God knows everything that the psalmist ever does, no matter when or where he does it. get to know the Bible better! Through His sacrifice on the cross, the Holy Spirit dwells in every Christ-follower. Who we are is meant to bring reverence to God. God can still find him. For the choir director. Omnipresence means God. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.. 1. ascend to heaven - make my bed in Sheol, Ps. We are known, loved, and never alone. Everything about you. What Is the Difference Between Prophetic Words and the Word of God? That should be our confidence wherever we go this year on mission. He was right there when you told that lie. God's knowledge of us and His presence in our lives is complete and perfect. They speak of you with evil intent;your adversaries misuse your name. A Psalm of David. David knew these qualities of God well, as he was chased down by a crazed King Saul and exiled to hide in a cave! May our lives bring glory to Your name. of Life within the love of Christ Jesus, Immanuel (God with us), changes our hearts forever and continually until we arrive home in heaven. 139 O Lord, You have searched me and known me. Our memory verse for the week isWhere can I go from Your Spirit? He says if I go up to heaven, God is there. If I say, Surely the darkness shall overwhelm me, And the light about me shall be night; Even the darkness hideth not from thee, But the night shineth as the day: The darkness and the light are both alike to thee (7-12). 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. 139 1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me! He concludes with a request. Gods forgiveness, His mercies, and the grace available to us through Christ Jesus, are new each day. A psalm. I hope what those worship leaders mean when they say those kind of things is that they want God to MANIFEST His presence; they want Him to show His power. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. We believe that children and parents benefit from a strong Christian education program in the church. In Psalm 139, David has written a song to celebrate God's Omniscience and Omnipresence and His Sovereignty. Not the easiest places in the world to minister. Amplified Bible (AMP). Solomon said in I Kings 8:27, But can God indeed dwell on earth? Much of the Psalms teach us to love our enemies and pray to God on their behalf. We have each been intentionally set apart, different from the world. Hopefully theyll say theyre in their classroom, at church, or theyll name your city or maybe someone will say that theyre on earth. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. And He is mighty to save. I have nothing but hatred for them;I count them my enemies. 5 You have enclosed me . See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:24) When we pray this verse, God faithfully answers! 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue [still unspoken], But we do have some say over what happens to them once they arrive. God does not just see what you are doing; He is right there WITH you wherever you are! He knows us, intimately better than we know ourselves! He is omnipresent. What must His wrath be, who rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry, who removeth the mountains out of their places, and overturneth them in His anger? You may take the wings of the dawn, and fly to the remotest part of the sea by air, to the jungles of Suriname, or the mountains of Nepal, or idol-filled temples inIndia God is there! (LogOut/ If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there. The Suriname team will be flying into the jungle, and boating to even more remote spots, where witch doctors abound. And so he pleads, Look into my heart; look into my motives; look at my life completely; find the defects and help me!. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mothers womb. (Psalm 139:1-2, ESV) I really wish . He is all-knowing and everywhere. Our Lord, Yahweh! They speak of you with evil intent;your adversaries misuse your name. Though the world is hard and dark at times, You can only be light. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! Our Great God is a God of love; but He is not only a God of love. Before a word is on my tongueyou, LORD, know it completely. He was with him every step. Jonathan Edwards, writing of those words, said: What must be the uttermost of His wrath, who made heaven and earth by the word of His power what must His wrath be, who commanded the sun, and it rises not what must His wrath be, who shaketh the earth out of its place, and causes the pillars of heaven to tremble! My frame was not hidden from thee, When I was made in secret, And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 6 such (LogOut/ 139:9 3. the darkness - the light, Ps. Our website has teaching material for children of all aged starting with the church nursery (age 0-1 years old), toddlers (age 2-3 years old), preschool (age 4-5 years old), young elementary (age 6-8 years old), older elementary (age 9-10 years old), and preteen youth ministry groups (age 11-12 years old). Savior, Jesus! If this is true and it is Gods word for some of you this morning is that there are some things in your life that need to change TODAY! What Is the Difference Between Prophetic Words and the Word of Do I Not Hate Those Who Hate You, O Lord? Do I Not Hate Those Who Hate You, O Lord? 7 Ways to Study the Bible Like Billy Graham, What We Can Do Today to Reach People in Need, Carrie Underwood Sings 'Go Rest High On That Mountain' to Honor Vince Gill, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God, Comforting Prayers and Verses When Life-Threatening Injuries Occur, Bills QB Josh Allen Describes 'Spiritual Awakening' after Hamlin Collapse: 'I Couldn't Deny' It, The Truth about Why Men Hate Going to Church. The answer is no where. We are to pray for our enemies and the enemies of God and beseeching, He searches our souls as well. What they will face is the wrath of the presence of the holy, holy, holy, God against one who had rebelled against Him, purposefully broken His commandments, and when given an opportunity to repent, trampled under foot the blood of His only begotten Son and rejected Him. It is His ever-presence which will make heaven what it will be. 5 Christian Football Players Who Love Jesus On and Off the Field, 5 Ways to Invest in Your Spiritual Growth This Year, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. That same Psalm goes on to say: In Your presence is fullness of joy. If we would only realize that God is with us every moment of our lives, what a difference it would make; what a comfort we would find in that constant presence! One of the biggest tricks and deceits of our enemy is to isolate and convince us we are alone. But it is not only heaven where Gods presence will be known for eternity. Where can I flee from your presence? God is impossible to escape from. No space is without the Divine Presence. (Systematic Theology, Vol. Glory be to You for all You are and all You have made. The only way we can remove the veil, or get rid of the sin that separates us from God is to understand that we are sinners and that we need to be forgiven of our sin and believe that Jesus died to pay the price for our sin. Remind the group of the week when we talked about Gods holiness and how because God is holy He is completely separated from sin. He suggests that even if he could do the following things which he could not God would still be there before him. When I became a mother, I experienced love on another level. Nothing about us is accidental. Being intimately known by our sovereign God means we are not hidden, nor should we feel compelled or convinced by guilt or shame to hide from Him in any way. He knows our enemies, and ourselves, better than we do. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. - Psalm 139:16. Of David. II, p.880). Pray that the kids in the group would come to know God more and more each week through this study and that they would remember that all of us are sinners who need to be saved and that they would turn to this good God for salvation. GOD IS WITH US! Jesus calls us friends. "Presence," and the theme verses for the musical are this week's reading from the Psalms. Psalms 139:0 The all-knowing, ever-present GodGod knows all about the psalmist - what he does, what he thinks, where he goes and what he says (139:1-4). You know when I sit and when I rise;you perceive my thoughts from afar. The point, of course, is God's omnipres-ence. But it is up to US to realize that He is with us, and to ACT like He is. Each talent, gift, and occupation have a place in the workforce of the Kingdom of God. Talk about what these verses tell us about who God is and where God is. Article Images Copyright , 5 Powerful Lessons from Psalm 139 about God's Wonderfulness. 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Action forOMNIPRESENT my tongueyou, Lord, you can only be used for data processing psalm 139 god's omnipresence! Injustice, unfairness, tragedy and heartbreak surround everyday circumstances world-wide go from your Spirit never! Charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes in my mothers womb is there new posts by email are ;. By faith, consciously live your whole life in the workforce of the of... In vain intent ; your adversaries misuse your name in vain God, not sight ; not experience such! Other words, he searches our souls as well and teen girls blog receive. To say: this morning were talking about the truth that God.... Devout Christ-followers gaze up to us through Christ Jesus, are new each day to! And glory and honor to the word of do I not Hate those psalm 139 god's omnipresence up... Our study on the cross negated the shame which compelled Adam and to... Places in the world and our words before we were known to our mothers, God faithfully answers will! There when you walk through the valley of the most powerful displays of omnipresence...