The Ever Present God

Psalm 139: 1-12, 23, 24

GOLDEN TEXT: “If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto hint, and make Our abode with him.”—John 14:23

THE PSALMIST says, “The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.” (Psa. 145:9) This sweeping statement takes in the utmost bounds of the material universe and also the humblest as well as the most exalted beings. The whole creation is His care. Jehovah, our God, is the great Emperor of the whole universe, and His wisdom, power and benevolence are abundantly equal to all the responsibilities of so exalted an office. The human mind staggers in its efforts to comprehend the mental resources of a being who is able to assume and to bear such responsibility.

Since we are told that His tender mercies—His kind providences—are over all His works, that all His purposes shall be accomplished, and that the ultimate design in all His works is the firm establishment of universal harmony and peace, and the eternal happiness of all His subjects (Psa. 145:9; Isa. 55:8-13; I Cor. 15:24,25), whatever in harmonies we now see in nature must be viewed as incidental to the preparations for the perfection of all things, which is not due until “the dispensation of the fullness of times,” following the Millennial reign of Christ.—Eph. 1:10; 3:11,15

And, enlightened by a knowledge of the divine plan of the ages, we see, further, that the introduction of the human race upon the earth before its physical perfection of nature has been attained, is a wonderful display of divine wisdom. Herein has been furnished the necessary conditions for the experience and trial of the human family, a first-hand knowledge of sin and its terrible consequences; and the labor of the race while under condemnation has been used to contribute toward the preparation of earth for its final glorious condition illustrated in Eden, which will be fully accomplished by the time mankind has been fully recovered from the fall and established in righteousness.

In addition to this wide scope of God’s grace and wisdom, the child of God has occasion to worship and praise Him for His particular care and providences which are enabling him to receive his education in “things that pertain unto life and godliness” (II Pet. 1:3) in advance of the world and thus to be prepared for an active and useful part in the great work of restoring mankind to perfection of life and character in the new age now dawning.

It is this particular care for His children, the fact that we are “His workmanship” (Eph. 2:10), and that all things are being caused to work together for good in preparing them for membership in the body of the Christ—which inspires the prophet David to wonder and praise as recorded in our lesson. In the first five verses he has noted the intimate details of Jehovah’s knowledge of our thoughts and words and ways, that He knows our innermost thoughts, and also that He is directing His providences for our development and welfare.

The writer is so inspired with these meditations about Jehovah, that he says (verse 6), “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” And we cannot either; but what a thrilling sense of mingled reverence, love and thankfulness fills our hearts, when we thus catch a glimpse of the intellectual and moral glory and majesty, as well as the mighty power of our God! As we thus contemplate Him, all nature becomes eloquent with His praise: the heavens truly declare His glory, and the firmament showeth His handiwork: day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night showeth knowledge.—Psa. 19:1,2

The closing verses of this Psalm express the natural and proper reaction of one of God’s children to His care and the exceeding great and precious promises by which they may become partakers of the divine nature. (II Pet. 1:4) This inspired prayer we may be sure has been breathed by every faithful follower of the Lord in the past and at present.

It is still necessary, even though we are fully consecrated to God and have made a covenant to lay down life itself in His service, to have God’s assistance in judging ourselves and thus “see if there be any wicked way in me.” And we may be sure that if the Lord sees some wicked way in us He will reveal it to us, if we are willing to see and are making use of the means He has provided for our instruction in His Word. It is only in this “simple and sincere” condition of heart that we can derive from that blessed Word all that the Lord has stored up for us there, which is no less than the means for our sanctification, our complete separation in heart and mind from self and the world, to be wholly the Lord’s both now and forever.

Our Golden Text emphasizes this devotion to the Lord’s Word as the measure and indication of our love for Him. How precious is the assurance that we may have such marvelous fellowship with the Father and Jesus continually, provided we are of the same mind and disposition and faithfully “keeping” His Word.—John 14:23

QUESTIONS:

If God’s tender mercies are over all His works, how are we to view the present sufferings of humanity?

Does God exercise a special care over those who are fully consecrated to do His will?

Should a Christian be on the alert to make sure that his whole life is in harmony with God?

| Home Page | Table of Contents |