Psalms 139:23-24 “23Search me, God, and know my heart;
Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts;
24And see if there is any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.”
In the beginning of Psalms 139 it is said that this is to be sung and it is a Psalm of David. David first acknowledges that God knows him completely. Who is everywhere yet with him.
He then speaks of God’s divine creation of him that God knew and made him in his mother’s womb. I will take this even farther back God had made plans for His son Jesus to be born into David’s lineage, and that connected this lineage are three women closely related to him…David married Bathsheba after he had defiled her marriage with adultery, and sent her husband to be murdered… their son would be Solomon. David’s great grand grandmother was Ruth who had been an outcast from Moab. His Great Great Grandmother was Rahab a prostitute who helped the Israelites capture Caanan. Further back, was a woman Tamar whose father-in-law Judah failed to protect Tamar when her husband died, and she had to trick him by acting as a prostitute to have his twin sons of which Perez in is David’s line. Jacob had blessed his son Judah and said his brothers would bow down to him and from him kings would be born, and finally the one will come one whom the nations will obey. This is Jesus, and one of the prophecies of the coming of Jesus. In the book of Revelation Jesus is called the Lion of Judah. Isaiah prophesies that the Messiah will come from the “root of Jesse”… which was David’s father.
Why am I telling you this?
This is to understand that when David said you formed me in my mother’s womb, you knew me, God knew His plans for David. When David was born, he was to be a shepherd or a farm owner, but God knew what he was actually born to do. That was to be King of Israel. This was the path that would eventually lead to the birth of His son.
David goes on in the last verses to praise God, and his ways. When you read it, you will feel the intimacies between David and God. Yes, David was a very flawed man, but over and over, he turns to God and asks to be forgiven. Most great men never understand the need to bow to God. Most look to keep power for power is a beast that will rob you of your ability to love others and God.
But what does this mean for us?
Are we brave enough to say to God… “Search me…” ? Do we invite God to know our hearts? God is a gentleman who does not enter our lives until we invite him. (now He might knock hard at that door, but unless you invite Him inside your heart, He stands outside and knocks. For me He had to bang on that door to get me to listen.)
Do we say, God test us, and help us with our anxious hearts? I know I have not done so, but I am learning. Do we trust him to correct our ways that hurt others? I know that I had many hurtful and hateful thoughts before I opened that door to Jesus and let Him into my life. It took years of Jesus pushing me to become a kinder and loving person. The anger and the hate consumed me, and once I came to a place of forgiveness those chains were broken and I was finally freed. Now I am working on dissolving those behaviors, and with God’s help, they will dissolve. That has dissolved but anger is still within me, and like kudzu it is difficult to control.
Today’s Question?
Is there an area that you need God to help you control?
Ever in Christ’s Love,
Mary Elizabeth Todd
February 29, 2024 & July 3, 2024
Ruhamah United Methodist Church Bible Verses 