Psalm 139:1-16
You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
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.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Devotion
This Psalm is a theological song. It reveals something of the attributes of God in relation to His creation. God is higher than His creation, but we must not overlook the fact that God created us in His image. This has huge implications for God’s creation. Being made in God’s image is why David declared, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful.” What does it mean to be made in the image of God? This means we were designed to reflect God’s likeness (character) in the world He made. How does this impact the way we view ourselves?
The fact that we were created in God’s image has much to say about how God views His creation. In Genesis chapter one, when God created the heavens and the earth, it states, “And God saw that it was good.” After creating Adam and Eve, it states, “And God saw… it was very good.” God placed a higher value on mankind than on the rest of His creation. We hold a special place in God’s heart because we are His image-bearers.
So many in our society today struggle with low self-worth. They have allowed the culture to define the standard for what is valuable and what is not. Rather than accept the truth that we are valuable because we are made in God’s image, they choose to embrace the lie that value is determined by wealth, social standing, or career achievements. The biblical word that is used to describe God’s love for us is agape. This word means to “value or hold in high esteem.” In John chapter three, we find God’s declarative statement of our value: “For God so loved (valued) the world (me) that He gave His one and only Son…” You are valuable because God says you are. You are so valuable that God was willing to sacrifice His Son to save you from your sin! What love is this?
Questions to Ponder:
Is your self-worth based on the world’s value system or on God’s declarative statement found in John 3:16? How does knowing that you are fearfully and wonderfully made impact the way you view yourself? Others? What are the implications of knowing you are God’s image-bearer?
Prayer Points
- Slowly and prayerfully read aloud (back to Him) God’s Word again from Psalm 139:1-16 with your heart fully open. As you pause in certain places allow the Holy Spirit to direct your heart. Example, if you don’t believe what His word is saying, then turn it into confession. If you are believing it for the first time, then tell Him thank You and allow His word to sink deep into Your heart.
- Pray for yourself and our church family to love His Word and to remain daily in the Bible. Pray that God would help you remember it throughout the day and share Him/His Word with others.
- Pick one section of Psalm 139:1-16 to “soak” in all day. Ponder the truth, mediate on it, wonder with the LORD about it, ask others what they think, hear their perspective on God’s Word. There are deep truths to take hold of, a lot like pealing back an onion. When doing all of this with the Holy Spirit and in a place of prayer, God will take your prayer and Bible reading with the LORD deeper.
Suggested Prayer
Father in Heaven, You are the revealer of all truth. I worship You today as the Living Word that was made flesh. Thank You Lord for how the sermons, the devotions and Your Word remind me that You declare over me that You AGAPE me! You value me and it cost You everything! You did that so I would be with You where You are! What love is this that You would lay down Your life for me? I am overwhelmed once again by this amazing love and think, “Who am I LORD that I am able to receive this kind of love?” Thank You for choosing me, for loving me, and for calling me to Yourself Teach me to receive your amazing love. Teach me to love You rightly. Teach me and Your church to love one another and to love others well. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.