Meditation Journey Day 30
“Even before a word is on my tongue, BEHOLD, O LORD, you know it altogether.” Psalm 139:4
Hi Friend,
This verse says our LORD knows what we are going to say before we even think it! The LORD God not only observes all we do and examines everything we experience; He also knows what we are thinking! David responds to this revelation with “O LORD!” I am not sure if his response was grief or joy! Our first response to this truth could be either too. Your reaction to this may be uncomfortable because you like me probably think and say
many words we know are wrong and destructive. Our malicious and hurtful words can cause great damage to others and ourselves. How many times have words passed my lips that I regretted saying.
The Apostle James wrote: For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. …So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
So being aware that God knows what I say can cause me to feel very defensive towards Him. The fact is we need to totally rethink any negative reaction we may have to this truth! We who are loved of God are able to thank Him for knowing everything! His knowing my personal individual confidential thoughts, dreams and fantasies means that He is able to lead me out of the sinfulness of my life into the joy and peace of His. That means My Savior can help me get rid of all the wicked, hurtful and negative stuff I can easily ponder over. We can trust God to help us to “get rid of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from our lips and do not lie to each other…” Colossians 3
Now, thank God, I have a great ally in the control of the nasty mean spirited thing in my mouth!!! Now, I can trust Him to live, love and even speak through me to bless, encourage and inspire others!
We can, like David, pause and behold the joyful wonder that our God can help us with the uncontrollable tongue!
Our embracing of this Psalm’s revelation about God is essential, yet it is incomplete unless we engraft its truth into our lives. We must participate in the process of controlling our tongues by yielding to the Holy Spirit’s rule of peace and letting the word lavishly live in our minds. (Colossians 3) We must receive His word and reflect on it, yield to its truth and allow the Holy Spirit to speak life through us!
I like David’s prayer about my words from Psalm 19:
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”
Observation: Knowing that God knows what we think before we say a word can be uncomfortable. David’s response can be of extreme embarrassment for his shameful words or excited joy from realizing God’s care is so complete.
Interpretation: David calls out “Behold, O LORD” because he is realizing he is loved and forgiven. He is realizing that this intervention of God is a gift of grace and love that is transforming his character.
Application Prayer: Father God you know me! You know how mean spirited my words can be if I do not submit my mind and heart to feed on Your word and think Your thoughts. I am so grateful that you see me so worthy that you want to help me evaluate my thoughts and words before I speak them. O LORD I need You. I want the words of my mouth to bless not curse others and for Your Spirit to love others through me. …in Jesus Name, Amen.
What is your take away?
Sitting down, rising up and lying down can be literal too, but when we perform each of these actions our attitude is most important. Sitting down and lying down is figurative of giving up and quitting! Rising up symbolizes the times of hope and faith in our lives. What sweet assurance to know Our Shepherd is able to discern and detect our thoughts, emotions and moods even when we think He is far away! We may feel like He is “a far off”, but remember He will never leave you nor forsake you. (Heb.13) He is NEVER far off from you! No matter what it may seem like to you!
beloved Children, we may come to Him quickly with our pain and shame. Remember He exchanged His Son’s life to purchase ours. Christ died for us so we can be free of sin and guilt. He loves us and is leading us out of the darkness into His glorious light.
As you read through Psalm 139 please keep in focus that Jesus Christ is the Great I AM. Draw near to Him for He has died for you. Jesus is The Friend that sticks closer than a brother. He knows every time you fail, every time you rise-up and your every thought. He is there when you lie down and when you rise up. He knows everything about you and still loves you!
knows Him. David realizes he is not alone, nor is he unknown. The searching of David by God was an intimate, personal examination of David’s life. It was not David who sought out God. It was God who sought out David! David is realizing the wonder and joy that the GREAT I AM would take such interest and care to want to know Him! It is amazing that Yahweh would value David so highly as to personally know Him.
The next passage we will explore is Psalm 139. This very personal Psalm is a transformational Word in my life. It was the first portion of scripture I meditated through, and it continues to be a rich mine of precious truth to me. In 1974, when I began to memorize and meditate on it, I never dreamed it would have so much impact on my life. I am amazed I am still regularly reciting it now over 40 years later. I pray that you too will experience the sweetness of God’s word and began to engraft a passage of scripture into your soul.
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