Psalm 139

What A Prayer!

Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. "

If you want a deeper relationship with God; if He is calling you closer and deeper, then these verses are your prayer. Actually, as you read the whole of Psalm 139, does it not stir your heart that God takes that much interest in His creation, you and me, that He gets to know you that well? Does He not call to us to get to know His this well too. Whilst we may not go quite that deep – we can never see Him ‘knit together’ – it is my belief that our loving Father really does want a deep and close relationship with each one of us individually.

Can you imagine just being able to get alone with Him – anywhere we chose? I used to drive a lot and I have had many a conversation with Him on a long drive. What about walking – in the streets or in the countryside – just getting alone with Him is, in many respects, so easy. I have often wondered, when on a country walk and looking around me, how anyone can deny creation. Walking along the beach, perhaps in the surf, just communing with our creator God. What an incredible privilege!!

What would you say? Would you be like the psalmist and say, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” If God is calling you to a deeper relationship with Him, would you open yourself up to Him like this?

Search me, God. Everything hinges upon this first phrase. This is giving God permission to do things. I hear one or two saying, “but He is God. He can do anything He wants to do.” Yes He is God and yes, He can do anything He wants to, but He is also a gentleman, and He will never do anything against our will. It’s called free will – we have the choice. It is why we have to invite Him into our lives in the first place. In order for us to draw nearer to Him, He needs us to invite Him closer to us. In this instance, in order for Him to search us.

Know my heart; search me Lord. Look at every motive, every agenda, every thought – in order to know my heart. Where there is sin or error, Lord, show me that I may repent and ask You to forgive me.

Test me – make sure my motives, my attitudes, my agendas all align with Your Word and Your character.

Know my anxious thoughts. Here’s an interesting one – know my anxious thoughts. Our Father doesn’t want His children to be anxious about anything. He wants us to always be at peace whatever the circumstances.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and show me my faults that I may put them right before you.

Lead me in the way everlasting. The whole point of this exercise is for God to lead us and keep us on the narrow way.

If we are to become more and more like Christ, then we need to pray this prayer more and more often. To even pray the prayer at all, we have to be coming deeper with God. If you want to go deeper in Him, and you really mean it, then get alone with Him and pray these verses of scripture. Pray the whole psalm.

I think you will be amazed what happens.