Psa. 139 - Ask God To Examine Us
Jimmy Lau
Only God can examine the thoughts of men: “Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off” (Psa 139 v.2).
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising – It means all our actions and all our movements. Men may see our actions but they cannot see the motives behind those actions. But God can! He knows us inside out!
Thou understandest my thought afar off – Men examine the actions but God examines the thoughts. It is all right if our actions are misunderstood by men (as they are prone to do) because it is better to be vindicated by God than by men.
Thoughts make the men: “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:18, 19).
So, you see, no one knows us better than God. My wife may know much more about me than the brethren in the church, but God knows all of me because He searched me out. He knows me inside out. God takes special effort to search and know us. He isn’t satisfied with just knowing something about us; He wants to know who we really are. And true enough – He knows us full well!
David laid bare his soul to God. He wants God to search him out thoroughly: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psa 139 v.23, 24).
He wants God to check if there are any wicked ways in him. He does not want God to tell him how good he is, or how well he has performed, but to point out his faults. And the reason is he wants to live the way that leads to eternal life. He wants God to lead him to the way that leads to heaven.
How about us? Will we dare take the challenge and ask God to examine us? We should if we desire to go to heaven. Whether we like it or not, God knows us. Therefore, let us examine our ways. It is better that He reveals our sins now than at the Judgment Day. May we live daily in self-examination that we may direct our paths towards heaven.
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising – It means all our actions and all our movements. Men may see our actions but they cannot see the motives behind those actions. But God can! He knows us inside out!
Thou understandest my thought afar off – Men examine the actions but God examines the thoughts. It is all right if our actions are misunderstood by men (as they are prone to do) because it is better to be vindicated by God than by men.
Thoughts make the men: “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:18, 19).
So, you see, no one knows us better than God. My wife may know much more about me than the brethren in the church, but God knows all of me because He searched me out. He knows me inside out. God takes special effort to search and know us. He isn’t satisfied with just knowing something about us; He wants to know who we really are. And true enough – He knows us full well!
David laid bare his soul to God. He wants God to search him out thoroughly: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psa 139 v.23, 24).
He wants God to check if there are any wicked ways in him. He does not want God to tell him how good he is, or how well he has performed, but to point out his faults. And the reason is he wants to live the way that leads to eternal life. He wants God to lead him to the way that leads to heaven.
How about us? Will we dare take the challenge and ask God to examine us? We should if we desire to go to heaven. Whether we like it or not, God knows us. Therefore, let us examine our ways. It is better that He reveals our sins now than at the Judgment Day. May we live daily in self-examination that we may direct our paths towards heaven.
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