“Our Infinite God”
Psalm 139
INTRO. Infinity the word is just too much for our minds to fathom. The word
means “without limits.” What a wonderful description of God! He is
the Alpha and Omega, the first and last (Revelation 1:8,11; 21:6),
He is the Almighty God (Job 11:7-11), and He is all-powerful in all
things (Psalm 135:6; Luke 1:37). He has no limits! Unlimited in
extent of space, duration, and quantity. Though scripture does not
use the term infinite to describe God, it is an apt description of many
of His attributes. God is not limited by space, (Psalm 139:7-8). God is
not limited by time: God existed before the creation (Genesis 1:1); the
ordering of time is part of God’s creative activity (Genesis 1:5).
Because God is spirit (John 4:24), God cannot be quantified like a
material object. God is regarded as infinite in many other qualities:
God’s steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 100:5); God’s knowledge
extends to the fall of a single sparrow and the number of hairs on our
heads (Matthew 10:29-30; compare Psalm 139:1-6); God is “the
Almighty” (Genesis 17:1; Exodus 6:3).
In Psalm 139, David describes for us “Our Infinite God.” The
mysteries of God are like a bottle that contains medicine. It is the
medicine that cures you, not the bottle. Without even questioning it,
you accept the fact that the medicine could not be presented to you
without its container. You do not reject the medicine simply because
you do not understand the composition of the bottle. We serve a God
who is personally interested in us and wants to be a major part of
each of our lives! I want us to look at “Our Infinite God,” by looking
at His infinence on in our lives. David shows us OUR INFINITE GOD
by saying:
(1) The LORD Knows All About Me
Psalm 139:1-3, 23—“To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O
LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.”
*Look at the word “known”. The word means “to know with certainty.” It
refers to Divine discernment. It is a discernment which belongs uniquely
to God, who alone is Judge of all flesh (1).
*We all claim that we know each other pretty well, but the truth is that
none of us really know each other fully. Only God can lay hold to that
claim! We don’t really know what one or the other will do in a certain
situation. And it is when we start to believe that we have each other
figured out that we surprise each other every time! But God is never
surprised by our actions. Look what David said about the knowledge of
God:
A. He Knows When I’m sitting down. (down sitting) (v2a).
B. He Knows When I’m Standing up. (up rising) (v2b).
C. He Knows When I’m lying down (my lying down) (v3a).
D. He Knows Where I’m going (my ways) (v3b).
E. He Knows What I’m thinking (my thoughts) (v2b, 23).
“Understandeth my thought afar off..” Before it is my own it is
fore known and comprehended by Thee (2).
*God knows our posture as well as the thoughts and intents of our hearts.
Our most common and casual acts, our most needful and necessary
movements are seen by Him. And He knows the inward thoughts which
regulate them. Whether I sink low in complacency or ascend in pride, God
sees the motions of my mind.
ILLUS. Matthew 21:30. The son who said he would obey and then didn’t
represented the nation of Israel in Jesus’ day. They said they
wanted to do God’s will, but they constantly disobeyed. They were
phony, just going through the motions. It is dangerous to pretend
to obey God when our hearts are far from him because God knows
our true intentions. Our actions must match our words.
(2) The LORD Sees All That I Do
Psalm 139:12, 15-16—“Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee;
but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike tothee. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all mymembers were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when asyettherewas none of them.”
*The Bible teaches us about the Omniscience of God. The word means “all-
knowing and all-seeing.”
ILLUS. Suppose for a moment that God could not see the works and know
the thoughts of man. Would you then become more careless
concerning Him than you are now? I think not. In nine out of ten
cases, and perhaps in a far larger and sadder proportion, the
doctrine of divine omniscience, although it is believed, has no
practical effect on our lives at all. The mass of mankind forget God
(3).
*But God does see everything we do. There is not one place we can flee to
that He doesn’t see us (Proverbs 15:3). The presence of God is
everywhere, thus He perceives all things in all places. Man cannot hide
himself from the all-seeing eye of the LORD (4). David said:
A. He Sees Me In The day time (V12). He goes with me all
through my day.
B. He Sees Me In The night time (v12). Darkness cannot hide
me from Him. It veils nothing. It hides from men, but it cannot
hide from God. Why? Because “..the night shineth as the
day..The darkness and the light are both alike to Thee.” If we
are walking by faith in Him, what a precious promise this is:
He is with us, protecting us and loving us, what a great
security that is! But if we are not walking close to Him, His
presence may haunt us. It may be unwelcome and unwanted;
knowing He sees how far we have drifted from Him!
C. He Saw Me In The womb (vv. 14-16). He knew exactly what I
would look like. My hair color, my complexion, my eye color
and all else about me. Even when unborn, yet in the womb,
the LORD had a purpose for me (Jeremiah 1:5)! This purpose
becomes more clear in v16, the LORD writing in a book refers
to God’s knowledge and blessing of his child ...his life was
written in the book and each of his days was numbered (5).
Just as an architect draws his plans, and makes out his
specifications; even so did the great Maker of our frame writes
down all our members in the book of His purposes (6).
(3) The LORD Hears All I Say
Psalm 139:4, 8-9—“For thereis not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O
LORD, thou knowest it altogether. If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou artthere. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea.”
*Many times we are speaking when we should be listening (James 1:19).
Many times we speak and think no one is listening, but God hears
everything. He is always listening! Someone has said, “If you are faithful
in keeping silence when it is not necessary to speak, God will preserve you
from evil when it is right for you to talk.” (7)
*David tried to think of some places he might flee from the presence of the
LORD and His all-watchful eye (v7). That David could not find a place
that God was not is both a comfort and a caution! A comfort in that He is
always there to give courage, strength and guidance; but a caution in that
He is watching us at all times! That is why it is important that we watch
what we say (Psalm 141:3; 19:14)! David said:
A. He Hears All In Heaven (v8).
B. He Hears All In Hell (v8).
C. He Hears All On Earth (v9).
*Why is it so important we watch what we say? (Matthew 12:36) Not only
what we say, but the way we say things.
ILLUS. Medicine at Work, published by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers
Association, has stressed the critical importance of words spoken
in surgery. As the anesthetic is given for surgery, deadly fear may
strike the patient when he hears someone say, “I’m going to shoot
him now,” or, “Hook up the monitor.” “Monitor” to the drugged
patient may sound like “monster.” Or a doctor may declare in
disgust, “This isn’t my day! Dr. Paul J. Moses told a medical
audience in San Francisco that “the same directions given by two
different physicians could help or fail.” One doctor’s voice, Dr.
Moses suggested, might make the medicine work, but the other’s
might reveal doubt and the medicine would fail.
(4) The LORD Thinks Of Me
Psalm 139:17-18—“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O
God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.”
*We are always on God’s mind. David was amazed at the magnitude of
God’s thoughts concerning him. God’s thoughts are too magnificent, too
numerous, and too exalted for us to understand. It is impossible for us to
comprehend our Creator! God’s plans are beyond man’s ability to
comprehend, as they are more in number than the sand of the sea (v18a).
They are like a dream, but, unlike a dream, God’s love is real (8).
*It is a joy worth worlds that the LORD should think upon us who are poor
and needy (9)! He is not a God detached and uncaring about His creation,
but a God who loves all man and wants all men to be saved and spend
eternity with Him! David said:
A. He Thinks Precious thoughts Of Me (v17). The word precious
here means “rare, valuable, precious and prized.” God’s
thoughts to us are of that variety (Jeremiah 29:11). God
desires the best for all mankind. But the best can only be
realized by those who trust in Him!
B. He Thinks Of Me Continually (v18). God is always thinking
of us! (Psalm 40:5). When we remember that God thought
upon us from old eternity, continues to think upon us every
moment, and will think on us when time shall be no more, we
may well exclaim, “How great is the sum of them.” (10)
(5) The LORD Leads Me In His Will
Psalm 139:9-10—“If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in
the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”
*God wants to lead us! He wants to lead us into His blessed will! The
problem is that many times we don’t want to be lead! But if we will but
allow Him to lead us, what a joy can be ours!
ILLUS. Livingstone planned to go to China, but God led him to Africa, to
be its missionary-statesman, general and explorer. Alexander
Mackay prepared for work in Madagascar, but was directed to
Uganda, to aid in founding one of the most remarkable missions in
the world. Carey proposed to go to the South Sea, but was guided
divinely to India, to give the Bible in their native tongue to its
teeming millions. —J.H. Bomberger
ILLUS. Before the days of modern navigational aids a traveler made the
Atlantic crossing in a boat equipped with two compasses. One was
fixed to the deck where the man at the wheel could see it. The
other compass was fastened up on one of the masts, and often a
sailor would be seen climbing up to inspect it. The passenger
asked the captain, “Why do you have two compasses?” “This is an
iron vessel,” replied the captain, “and the compass on the deck is
often affected by its surroundings. Such is not the case with the
compass at the masthead; that one is above the influence. We
steer by the compass above.” Do we not also as Christians?—
Prairie Overcomer
*David said:
A. He Leads Me By His Right Hand (Psalm 23:2: Romans 8:14).
The LORD will protect us wherever we may be!
B. He Leads Me In The Way Of Everlasting Truth (v24). He is
the truth and always leads in the path of truth! Trust in
yourself, and you are doomed to disappointment; trust in your
friend, and they will die and leave you; trust in money, and you
may have it taken from you; trust in reputation, and some
slanderous tongue may blast it; but trust in God, and you are
never to be confounded in time or eternity.
D. L. Moody
*God leads us and protects us by His truth (Psalm 119:30). And
He leads and guides us in the way He wants us to go (Psalm
32:8)!
ILLUS. In his Journal, John Wesley relates this incident: “Today I
visited one who was ill in bed. She had buried seven of her
family in six months, and had just heard that her beloved
husband was cast away at sea. I asked, ‘Don’t you fret at
any of these things?’ She answered with a loving smile on
her pale cheeks, ‘Oh, no! How can I fret at anything which
is in the will of God? Let Him take all besides; He has
given me Himself. I have learned to love and praise Him
every moment.”
*Someone has said, “The will of God will never lead us where the
Grace of God cannot keep us.” God will lead us, if we are willing,
with His right hand and in the way of everlasting truth!
(6) The LORD Protects Me By His Hand
Psalm 139:5, 10—“Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid
thine hand upon me. Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”
*David said:
A. He Guards Me From Behind (v5a).
B. He Guards Me In The Front (v5b).
C. He Lays His Hand On Me (v5c).
*David found himself hedged in behind as well as before (11). Whenever He
went God was there watching out for him and protecting him.
ILLUS. The Christian is guarded on all sides by the LORD. We have God
before us (Isa 48:17), God behind us (Isa 30:21), God on our right
(Ps. 16:8), God to our left (Job 23:9), God above us (Ps. 36:7),
God’s arms underneath us (Dt. 33:27), and His Spirit within us (1
Cors. 3:16). God is our true environment. What protection!
An Australian missionary told a thrilling story of the LORD’s
special care for him as he made a lonely and dangerous journey on
foot. He had no problem getting to his destination, but was
uneasy on the return trip because he carried a large sum of
money. A man was waiting at a lonely spot, planning to rob and
kill anyone who passed by. The missionary, unaware of this but
concerned about the risk of traveling alone, prayed aloud to God
for protection as he walked along. Before the bandit saw him, he
heard him talking and immediately thought there must be two
men, so he decided not to attack. Later, he told someone what he
intended to do that day, and the news got around. When the
missionary heard it, he realized that God’s Spirit had prompted
him to pray aloud as he journeyed. His heart rejoiced as he
thought of the LORD’s wonderful protection from harm.
(7) The LORD Understands Me
Psalm 139:2—“Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising,
thou understandest my thought afar off.”
*Many times we say, “I’ve got him figured out,” or “I can read her like a
book,” but the truth is none of us really understand each other fully! But
thank God, He knows all about us (Psalm 103:14). The word “knoweth”
there means “to know completely, and to understand.” David said:
A. He Understands My Thoughts (v2). God knows everything
that passes in our inmost souls better than we do ourselves; He
reads our secret thoughts--Henry Kirke White.
B. He Understands My Motives (v23). He not only knows what I
am thinking before I think it, but He also knows why I do the
things I do. This is a prayer of David. He is praying for God to
“search me,” and “try me,” for he knows that God is the only
One who truly knows and understands his true motives! David
is desiring nothing short of conformity to God’s will! That
should be each Believer’s prayer this morning!
CLOSING: Our God is Infinite! That means He has no limits! He knows all
about us. He sees what we do. He hears what we say. He thinks
on us. He desires to lead us in His Will. He protects us by His
hand. He Understands us-Our thoughts and Our Motives! We,
with David, can only say, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is too high, I cannot attain unto it.” (v6).
Augustine was once walking upon the shore while greatly
perplexed about the doctrine of the trinity. As he meditated, he
observed a little boy with a seashell running to the water, filling
the shell, then pouring it into a hole which he had made in the
sand. “What are you doing, my little man?” asked Augustine.
“Oh,” replied the boy, “I am trying to put the ocean in this hole.”
Augustine had learned his lesson. As he passed on, he thought,
“That is what I am trying to do; I see it now. Standing on the
shores of time I am trying to get into this little finite mind things
which are infinite.” Let us be content to let God know things
which we cannot know.-Moody Church News
NOTES: 1. Frank Gabelein. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Volume 5.
Pg. 836.
2. Charles H. Spurgeon. Treasury Of David. Volume 2. Pg. 1318.
3. Charles H. Spurgeon. 2200 Quotations From The Writings of
Charles H. Spurgeon. Pg. 133.
4. Gabelein. Pg. 837.
5. Gabelein. Pg. 838.
6. Spurgeon. David. Pg. 1323.
7. Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations-Contemporary &
Classical. Pg. 20.
8. Gabelein. PP. 838-839.
9. Spurgeon. David. Pg. 1323.
10. Spurgeon. David. Pg. 1323.
11. Spurgeon. David. Pg. 1333.