Lesson 350: Psalms 139:23
Psalms 139:23
The Blueprint — The Verse
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Memorization Practice
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Scripture quotations marked NIV are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Context — The History
Psalm 139 proclaims God's omniscience and presence from womb to journey's end. After celebrating that God knit the psalmist together and knows every path, David invites divine examination, wanting anxious thoughts exposed and led in the everlasting way.
The Narrative — The Lead-Up
David marvels that God searches and knows him completely, perceiving thoughts from afar. He flees God's Spirit in vain, for darkness is light to God. He ends with a prayer for God to search his heart, know anxious thoughts, and lead him in the way everlasting.
The Echo — Follow-on Verses
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Psalms 139:22
22I have nothing but hatred for them;I count them my enemies.
Read the verse immediately before this lesson (Psalms 139:22) to hear the lead-in to the passage.
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Psalms 139:24
24See if there is any offensive way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting.
Read the verse immediately after this lesson (Psalms 139:24) to continue the passage.
Discussion
- Why is it comforting and unsettling that God knows your anxious thoughts?
- What do you fear God might find if he searches your heart?
- How can you invite God's leading in the everlasting way this week?