Psalm 139

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

(Please ordain for me to speak boldly about You)

You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is high, I cannot attain it.

(Thank you for knowing all the details)

Where shall I go from your Spirit?

Or where shall I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there!

If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me.

(If I go to Romania, you are there!)

If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and the light about me be night,"

even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is bright as the day,

for darkness is as light with you.

For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

(I understand and believe this now)

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them.

How precious to me are our thoughts, O God!

(Truly precious to me)

How vast is the sum of them!

If I would count them, they are more than the sand.

I awake, and I am still with you.

Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!

O men of blood, depart from me!

They speak against you with malicious intent;

your enemies take your name in vain!

Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?

I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.

(I struggle with this hatred part)

Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting!

(Remove the grievous ways)

Psalm 139

(Plus some of my thoughts)

It is incredible how living and active the Word of God is. (Hebrews 4:12) This psalm has been fresh and new to me in the last couple of days, even though I can't begin to count how many times I've read it before. This morning, our pastor challenged us to memorize scripture. Did you know that in the Jewish culture of Jesus' time children memorized the entire Old Testament?! We have so many excuses as to why we cannot commit even small portions of scripture to memory. None of them are any good. We are to hide God's word in our hearts. (Psalm 119:11) His word is truth and how we learn His character. So, one of my goals for this summer is to memorize Psalm 139 by the time I return from Romania. Please hold me accountable to this! Ask me when I get back. And, I would encourage you to do the same. I just might ask what you have memorized. :)