Psalm 139
Searched and Known
The big idea
Being completely known by God is either the most frightening fact about the universe or the most comforting one, and the psalm ends by inviting the search anyway.
Context you need before you preach it
The psalm moves through four sections of six verses each: God knows (1–6), God is present everywhere (7–12), God formed me (13–18), and a sharp turn into imprecation (19–22) before the closing invitation.
Verses 19–22 are almost always cut. It is worth at least acknowledging them, because a sermon that silently skips a third of a psalm teaches people that scripture has embarrassing parts we do not discuss.
The outline
Known exhaustively
vv. 1–6Sitting, rising, thoughts, words before they are spoken. There is no version of the psalmist that God has not met.
Nowhere outside his reach
vv. 7–12Heaven, Sheol, the far side of the sea — the list is deliberately extreme. Note that darkness is not dark to God, which cuts both ways.
Made on purpose
vv. 13–18Formed, knitted, written in a book before there was anything to see. Handle with care in a congregation containing people who hate how they were made.
The honest ending
vv. 19–24Real anger at evil, then "search me". The psalm does not end claiming to be clean; it ends asking to be examined.
Application
- You are not managing God's impression of you. He has the unedited version already.
- The invitation to be searched is offered by someone who has just admitted violent feelings. Honesty in prayer does not require tidiness.
- If you were formed deliberately, then self-contempt is a dispute with the maker.
Where preachers go wrong on this text
- Skipping verses 19–22 without comment. Say something, even briefly.
- Using verses 13–16 solely as a proof text and losing the pastoral weight for people who are struggling with their bodies or their existence.
- Preaching omniscience as abstract doctrine. The psalm is intensely personal and should be preached that way.
Other ways to structure it
The outline above is one defensible reading, not the only one. If it does not fit the congregation in front of you, these are legitimate alternatives:
- Preach the four-part structure as four points, including the imprecatory section honestly.
- Preach it as a sermon on identity for a youth or young-adult congregation.
- Preach verses 23–24 as a standalone sermon on inviting examination.
Illustrations that fit this text
Frequently asked questions
Should I preach the violent verses in Psalm 139?
At minimum, acknowledge them. You can explain that the psalmist is bringing real hatred of evil to God rather than acting on it — which is itself the point — but silently omitting six verses trains a congregation to think parts of scripture are unmentionable.
You have preached this passage before
Probably more than once, and the earlier version had a line in it you would want back. Transcribe your sermons and every text you have ever preached becomes searchable by reference — $19/month for as many as you preach, and the first one is free.
More from Psalms
Preaching resources for Psalms — themes, famous chapters, and background for the whole book.