Psalm 139:24

Today is our last verse in Psalm 139!

Psalm 139:24
See if there is any offensive way in me,    and lead me in the way everlasting.

In Barnes' commentary he states that the Hebrew word here actually refers to idol worship....

According to this, the prayer is that God would search him and see if there was anything in him that partook of the nature of idolatry, or of defection from the true religion; any tendency to go back from God, to worship other gods, to leave the worship of the true God. As idolatry comprehends the sum of all that is evil, as being alienation from the true God, the prayer is that there might be nothing found in his heart which tended to alienate him from God - would indicate unfaithfulness or want of attachment to him.

And lead me in the way everlasting - The way which leads to eternal life; the path which I may tread forever. In any other way than in the service of God his steps must be arrested. He must encounter his Maker in judgment, and be cut off, and consigned to woe. The path to heaven is one which man may steadily pursue; one, in reference to which death itself is really no interruption - for the journey commenced here will be continued through the dark valley, and continued forevermore. Death does not interrupt the journey of the righteous for a moment. It is the same journey continued - as when we cross a narrow stream, and are on the same path still.

What a wonderful ending to a beautiful and intimate Psalm.

Our Creator God knows us more intimately than we even know ourselves.  He can penetrate into our subconscious and our very souls.  He knows every wicked thought or inclination.  And yet He loves us still.

He does not love us because we are worthy of our own merit to be loved.

He loves us because He created us in His image, He knit us together in our mother's wombs, we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

And as we allow Him to penetrate our souls with refiner's fire, we will glorify Him now here on earth and in heaven forever.  Amen!

Psalm 139:23

Wow, have I ever fallen off the bandwagon on this one!  But the key is, to just get started again - don't give up!  We only have two more verses to go in Psalm 139.

Psalm 139:23
Search me, O God, and know my heart;  test me and know my anxious thoughts.

We saw in v1 of this Psalm that God does search the heart, so this was not said for God's sake, but rather for David's.

From Barnes' commentary...
The psalmist had stated the fact that it is a characteristic of God that he "does" search the heart; and he here prays that God "would" exercise that power in relation to himself; that as God could know all that there is within the heart, he would examine him with the closest scrutiny, so that he might be under no delusion or self-deception; that he might not indulge in any false hopes; that he might not cherish any improper feelings or desires. The prayer denotes great "sincerity" on the part of the psalmist. It indicates also self-distrust. It is an expression of what all must feel who have any just views of themselves - that the heart is very corrupt; that we are liable to deceive ourselves; and that the most thorough search "should" be made that we be "not" deceived and lost.....Search me thoroughly; examine not merely my outward conduct, but what I think about; what are my purposes; what passes through my mind; what occupies my imagination and my memory; what secures my affections and controls my will. He must be a very sincere man who prays that God will search his thoughts, for there are few who would be willing that their fellow-men, even their best friends, should know all that they are thinking about.

As you repeat this verse over and over again, may this be your prayer.  That God would examine our hearts, thoughts, motives thoroughly and reveal them to us so that we would make Him Lord over everything in our lives and take captive every thought for Him.

Psalm 139:22

Today is Wednesday so review 1 Corinthians 13 before moving on to today's verse.

Psalm 139:22
I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.

Again from Barnes....
With no approval whatever of their conduct; with no sympathy for the evil they do; with no words of apology for their sinful acts; with entire disapprobation. As they are the enemies of God, so I regard them as my enemies. I do not wish to be associated with them, or to be regarded as one of them.

These reflections seem to have sprung from his contemplation of the divine character and perfections, as leading him to hate all that was opposed to a Being so pure, so benevolent, so holy. On looking into his own heart, in view of what God was, he was conscious that he had no sympathy with the enemies of God as such; that such was his love for the character of God, and such his confidence in him, that he could have nothing in common with them in their feelings toward God, but wished to be dissociated from them forever.

Repeat this verse over and over until you've got it, then add on the previous 21 verses.  Only 2 more verses to go in this - our longest Psalm to date! You're doing fantastic!

Psalm 139:21

Sorry, I've been slacking on this lately.  We will finish this psalm this week though! :)

Today is Tuesday so review the book of Titus (hopefully you reviewed the Psalms yesterday) before moving on to today's verse.

Psalm 139:21
Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you?

This verse contains some strong language.
Here is what Barnes Notes on the Bible says...
He hated them.... in the sense that he disapproved of their conduct; that he did not desire to be associated with them; that he wished to avoid their society, and to find his friends among men of a different character....It is not that hatred which is followed by malignity or ill-will; it is that which is accompanied with grief - pain of heart - pity - sorrow......The feeling referred to is anger - conscious disgust - at such conduct; and grief, pain, sorrow, that people should evince such feelings toward their Maker.

Repeat this verse over and over again, then add on the first 20 verses.

Psalm 139:20

Psalm 139:20
They speak of you with evil intent;  your adversaries misuse your name.

Repeat today's verse over and over, then add on v1-19.

Psalm 139:19

Today is Wednesday so review 1 Corinthians 13 before moving on to today's passage.

Psalm 139:19
If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! 

Begin by reviewing v1-18, then add on today's verse. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Psalm 139:18

Today is Tuesday so review the book of Titus before moving on to today's verse.

Psalm 139:18
Were I to count them,  they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake,  I am still with you.

A continuation of the thoughts from yesterday - God's thoughts are infinite and His thoughts of love for us are innumerable and continuous.  Such beautiful words in this Psalm.

Repeat this verse over and over throughout the day.  Once you have it down, add it on to v1-17.

Psalm 139:17

Today is Monday so begin by reviewing all the Psalms we've done so far.

Psalm 139:17
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them!

Review v1-16 before moving on to today's verse.

The infinite mind of God is incredible and simply incomprehensible to our finite minds.

Repeat this verse over and over throughout your day today.

Moving along...

Sorry for slacking off there for awhile.  We went on a short family vacation and I just didn't get around to posting.  Tomorrow we'll be adding on v17.

Psalm 139:16

Psalm 139:16
your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Review v1-15 before moving on to today's verse.

Not only did God make you a wonderful creation, but all the days ordained for you were written before you were ever born.  You are on a special assignment for God.  He has work for you to do in this world that only you can do for Him.  When you truly understand that, what a difference it makes!

Meditate on this wonderful truth throughout your day today.

Psalm 139:15

Psalm 139:15
My frame was not hidden from you  when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

More beautiful words about the intimate creation of each one of us by our loving Creator.

Likely this passage is familiar to you.  But if not, take this verse phrase by phrase if you need to as it's a bit longer.  Repeat it over and over throughout your day.  Then add the first 14 verses.

Psalm 139:14

Psalm 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;  your works are wonderful,  I know that full well.

Begin by reviewing the first 13 verses of Psalm 139.

Now learn today's verse.

I wanted to include an excerpt from a sermon by Ken Ritz...
God created you exactly the way you are.  It was part of his perfect plan for you.

He wanted you to look just like you look, He wanted you to have exactly the skills and abilities and talents you have.

That was his perfect design for you.....
Would you say the same thing David did?

Do you look at the way you’re made, and say, "wow, God, you did a great job on me, I am wonderfully made. Way to go, God."

Not many of us are really that excited about the way God made us....


Many of us are very self-critical, always putting ourselves down.

Maybe you don’t say it out loud. Maybe you walk in here smiling, but inside you’re saying, 
"I’m fat.
I’m dumb.
I’m ugly.
I’m slow.
I’m a bad person.
I’m a terrible Christian.
I’m always late.
I’m so uncoordinated,
I just hope I don’t spill coffee on someone.

God wants you to stop putting yourself down.

When you put yourself down, who are you really putting down?

When you say, "I’m fat. I’m dumb. I’m ugly. I’m no good. I have no talent.” you’re really pointing to the creator who made you.

When you say, "God, I’m worthless. I’m no good. I can’t do anything” you’re really saying, "God, You blew it when you made me.”

God says, "No, I didn’t."

God says, I created you just the way I wanted you, but you just haven’t figured out yet how much I love you, and what my purpose for you is.

When you understand those things, you won’t put yourself down.

God doesn’t care about your outward appearance, He could care less if you look like Brad Pitt or Julia Roberts. "the Lord looks at the heart." 

We should praise God for his wonderful creation of you.

You are a marvelous creation, and you are designed exactly the way He wanted you.
Do you praise God that you are fearfully and wonderfully made?  Do you praise God that when He created you He did a wonderful work?  Allow that truth to penetrate into your soul.  You ARE wonderfully made.  You ARE a wonderful work of our Creator God.

Psalm 139:13

Today is Wednesday, so review 1 Corinthians 13 before moving on to today's verse.

Psalm 139:13
For you created my inmost being;  you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

Today we come to one of the most familiar passages in the Bible and definitely one of my favourite.  I love the intimacy of this verse and the fact that our Creator was so incredibly involved in the creation of each and every one of us.  It is verses like these that assure me that I will see my two miscarried babies in heaven - God created them in my womb just as much as my other four children and He knows them intimately.  And one day, I too, will get to know them in their perfected resurrected bodies!

Repeat this wonderful verse over and over today.  Then add it on to the previous 12 verses and do them all together.

Psalm 139:12

Today is Tuesday, so review the book of Titus before going on to today`s verse.

Psalm 139:12
even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day,  for darkness is as light to you.

This is, of course, Ia direct continuation from yesterday`s verse.

Repeat this verse over and over today until you`ve got it.  Then add it to the first 11 verses.

Redeem the time!

Psalm 139:11

I forgot to post on Saturday, and Sunday was our typical review day, so hopefully you're solid on v1-10 and we can add on verse 11 today.  It is Monday, so first review all the other Psalms we've learned before going on to today's verse.

Psalm 139:11
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me   and the light become night around me,”

We cannot hide from God, not even in the darkest night - literally and figuratively.

Repeat today's wonderful truth over and over again and then add it on to the first 10 verses of this psalm.  Look for moments to redeem throughout your day.

Psalm 139:10

Psalm 139:10
even there your hand will guide me,   your right hand will hold me fast.

A direct continuation of v9, this verse once again focuses on the comforting fact that our God will always be with us, He will guide us, He will hold us fast, we can trust Him no matter what happens.

Review the first 9 verses and learn v10 by repeating it over and over throughout your day - while washing dishes, while sweeping the floor, while scrubbing toilets, throughout any of those moments in your day when your hands are busy but your mind is idle.

Psalm 139:9

Psalm 139:9
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,  if I settle on the far side of the sea,

Review v1-8 before moving on to today's verse.

Today's verse continues the beautiful thought from yesterday's verse - no matter where we are, God is with us.  Repeat this truth over and over throughout your day today.

Psalm 139:8

Today is Wednesday, so review 1 Corinthians 13.

Psalm 139:8
If I go up to the heavens, you are there,  if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

This verse contains such beautiful truth - no matter where we are, no matter how alone we feel, no matter what our circumstances, God is there with us.  Always.

Repeat this amazing truth over and over throughout your day today.

Psalm 139:7

Today is Tuesday so begin by reviewing the book of Titus.

Psalm 139:7
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

Review the first 6 verses of Psalm 139, then do only today's verse, then all 7 together.  Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Psalm 139:6

It's Monday, so begin by reviewing all the Psalms you've learned so far.  If you've been with us from the start, that's Psalms 1, 23, 46 and 121.

Psalm 139:6
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Review v1-5 first, then move on to today's verse.  Repeat, repeat, repeat.  Find moments throughout your day to spend reviewing and meditating on God's Word.  The fact that God knows absolutely everything about us and is everywhere with us is amazing and wonderful knowledge.  Rejoice in these truths!

Psalm 139:5

Psalm 139:5
You hem me in —behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me

Begin by reviewing the first 4 verses of Psalm 139, then add on today's verse.  Do today's verse on it's own - over and over and over, and then do all 4 verses together.

Our previous verses focused on the fact that God is all knowing.  Today's (and following) verse focuses on the fact that God is always present everywhere.  He is not some distant God, He is right there beside you - behind and before, He lays His hand upon you.  Isn't that beautiful?  He is a personal God and He is always with you.

Tomorrow will be a review day, see you Monday for v6 (and reviewing the Psalms we've already done)

Psalm 139:4

Sorry, wasn't able to post yesterday.

Psalm 139:4
Before a word is on my tongue   you know it completely, O Lord.

Review Psalm 139:1-3 before moving on to today's verse.

Repeat the verse over and over throughout the day today, whenever you have a moment, and meditate on the truth that God knows us so completely that He even knows what we are going to say before we say it - the good and bad.

Psalm 139:3

Today is Wednesday so review 1 Corinthians 13 before going on to today's verse.

Psalm 139:3 

You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Review the first two verses before moving on to today's verse - and then repeat, repeat, repeat. Continue to find time in your day that you can spend reviewing God's Word.

Psalm 139:2

Today is Tuesday, so review the book of Titus before moving on to today's verse.


Psalm 139:2
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

Begin by reviewing yesterday's verse.  Then add on today's.  Repeat over and over throughout your day.  Find moments during your day when you can redeem the time - moments when your hands are busy but your mind is idle.  Running on the treadmill, loading (or unloading!) the dishwasher, sweeping the floors - they're almost endless when you start to purposefully look for time.

Today's verse follows directly on the heels of yesterday's.  God is omniscient.  He knows everything.  When I sit and when I rise really covers everything - He knows everything we physically do.  And, He knows our very thoughts!  The idea of that is conscience pricking, is it not?  All those thoughts you're so glad nobody can "hear you think".  Someone can.  There is no use pretending with God.  

Psalm 139:1

First of all, it's Monday today, so begin the day by reviewing all the Psalms that you've memorized.  If you've been with us from the beginning, that's Psalm 1, 23, 46 and 121.

Now, moving on to today's verse....

Psalm 139:1
O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.

Begin by repeating this verse over and over and over.  That's what memorizing is - repetition until you have gained the ability to say it without looking at the words.  Unfortunately, there's no other way to do it.  Some people memorize quickly and will need less repetition, and others may need more.  But the formula holds true - repeat, repeat, repeat.

Our God is omniscient - He is all knowing.   He knows everything about everything and everybody.  "you have searched me" - God is intentional about knowing us.  He wants to know us, and He does know us - and the amazing thing is, He loves us anyway, despite knowing everything about us, even the things we wish no one would ever know.  Isn't that amazing?

Psalm 139 next

We moved at the end of June and I'm finally back and ready to tackle our next project together.  We're going to do Psalm 139 next.  After that I think we might do a short book in the NT - but I'm always open to suggestions.

Write out Psalm 139 on index cards, or get your iPhone fired up (pick a method that works for you!) for Monday!

Psalm 139

¹ O Lord, you have searched me 
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise; 
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways. 
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you know it completely, O Lord.

⁵ You hem me in —behind and before;
    you have laid your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, 
    too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, 
    your right hand will hold me fast.

¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being; 
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful, 
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 
¹⁶     your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
    were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! 
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them, 
    they would outnumber the grains of sand. 
When I awake, 
    I am still with you.

¹⁹ If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
    Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! 
²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries misuse your name. 
²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord,
    and abhor those who rise up against you?
²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart; 
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,    and lead me in the way everlasting.

1 Corinthians 13 Review

Spend the next several days reviewing 1 Corinthians 13.  We're going to make sure it's really solid before moving on to our next chapter.  You've memorized a chapter of the Bible - well done!  Allow His Word to soak into your heart and soul - meditate on it's promises and convictions, and let it transform your life.

13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. ¹² Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

1 Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Begin by reviewing the previous 12 verses.  Today is the last verse of 1 Corinthians 13 - congratulations on memorizing a chapter in God's Word!  We will review 1 Corinthians 13 on Wednesdays from now on, moving it from your short term memory into your long term memory so that you will never forget it.  As you review, really meditate on the verses and allow them to transform your life.

John MacArthur explains this verse this way....
[Love] is the greatest because it is that which is eternal. Faith will disappear when all is sight. Hope will disappear when all is fulfillment, love will never disappear. It is the one great thing that history doesn’t change and even death doesn’t change and even eternity can’t change....

 “And now faith,” you need that for salvation, right? And to trust, and hope, you need that for security. But faith and hope are temporary. There will come a time when you don’t need faith because you will have everything in your hand that you believed for. You don’t need hope because you will have all your hope realized. The greatest of these is love because love is the only thing that is forever. Faith will be replaced by sight. Hope will be replaced by reality. And love will never be replaced by anything.

Since this is true, all of that is set up, folks, all that is set up for the first two words in verse 1 of chapter 14, what are they? “Do...what?...pursue love...pursue love...pursue love.” It’s the only eternal thing. Your gifts, temporary. Your abilities, temporary. Your talents, temporary. Your relationships, temporary. Your ministries, your possessions, even your faith, even your hope, temporary. Love links you to eternity, so follow after love. 

We're not memorizing 1 Corinthians 14:1 but maybe we should add in those first few words - in the NIV it's "follow the way of love".  Pursue love.  Follow the way of love.

1 Corinthians 13:12

Today is Tuesday so review the book of Titus.

1 Corinthians 13:12
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.


Review the first 11 verses and then move on to today's verse.  It's a bit longer, but not too difficult.  Either way it's the same thing - repetition is the only way to memorize.  Repeat, repeat, repeat.


MacArthurs explains....
the only mirrors that we know of in the ancient world were rather dim because they were made out of metal...made out of metal. And so they had rather dim impressions, vague shadowy reflections. So we look in a kind of a mirror that is not clear to us. We see in part. We see darkly. Or literally the word is the word for a riddle, we look in this mirror and there’s an indistinct vision, so we say that the best we can do in this life is to see a kind of representation that is not crystal clear. But one day, and I love this, we will see face to face. We won’t look in a mirror, we won’t be looking at a reflection, we’ll be looking at a face and it won’t be distorted....


As you gaze into the glory of Christ, you’re changed into His image, but even as we look into Scripture, it is not like seeing Him face to face. The ancient city, by the way, in Corinth was famous for its mirrors, made of polished metal. Even at their best they were dim and they were clouded because metal deteriorated and they had certain flaws. So our present knowledge is dim. It’s true knowledge. It’s a true representation. But some day, face to face, some day we will know as we are known, perfect vision, perfect sight, we won’t be singing, “Be Thou my vision,” because He will be.

1 Corinthians 13:11

Today is Monday so begin by reviewing all the Psalms you've learned.

1 Corinthians 13:11
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

Review the first 10 verses before going on to today's verse.  Repeat, repeat, repeat.

I can't remember if I mentioned this already on a previous post, but I found a great time for scripture review - while mowing the lawn!

Today's verse is a continuation of the thoughts of the previous couple of verses.  The idea is that the knowledge that we have now compared to the knowledge we will have in heaven is like that which we have in childhood compared to that which we have in adulthood.