Psalms 139:17-24: a reflection

17How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is their sum! 18If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you. 19If only you, God, would kill the wicked. Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men! 20For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain. 21LORD, don’t I hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you? 22I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies. 23Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. 24See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.

This psalm, having marveled that God knows the psalmist through and through, ends with a striking invitation: Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. Rather than hiding from God's knowledge, the psalmist invites it, asking God to examine him, to search out any wickedness in him, and to lead him in the right way. He opens himself to God's searching, willing to be shown his own faults.

Notice the psalmist's willingness to be searched by God. He does not shrink from God's examination, or try to hide his heart; he invites it, asking God to search him, to try him, to see if there is any wicked way in him. He is willing to have his faults exposed by God, that they might be dealt with; he would rather know his sin and be led in the right way than remain comfortably unaware. His invitation is humble and courageous: search me, and show me what is wrong, that I may be led aright.

That willingness to be searched by God is worth cultivating, for we more often hide from God's examination than invite it. We can prefer not to look too closely at our own hearts, not to have our faults exposed, remaining comfortably unaware of the wickedness in us. But the psalmist invited God's searching, willing to be shown his sin that he might be led in the right way. Invite God to search your heart, as the psalmist did, rather than hiding from his examination; ask him to show you any wicked way in you, that it might be dealt with. It is better to know our sin and be led aright than to remain comfortably unaware of it. Pray with the psalmist, search me, God, and know my heart; see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way, opening yourself to God's searching rather than hiding from it, that he might expose and heal what is wrong and lead you in the right way.

Lord, this psalm, having marveled that you know the psalmist through and through, ends with a striking invitation: search me, God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. Rather than hiding from your knowledge, the psalmist invites it, asking you to examine him, to search out any wickedness in him, and to lead him in the right way. Show me the psalmist's willingness to be searched by you. He does not shrink from your examination, or try to hide his heart; he invites it. He is willing to have his faults exposed by you, that they might be dealt with; he would rather know his sin and be led in the right way than remain comfortably unaware. Help me cultivate that willingness, for I more often hide from your examination than invite it. I can prefer not to look too closely at my own heart, not to have my faults exposed, remaining comfortably unaware of the wickedness in me. But the psalmist invited your searching. Help me invite you to search my heart, as the psalmist did, rather than hiding from your examination; help me ask you to show me any wicked way in me, that it might be dealt with. It is better to know my sin and be led aright than to remain comfortably unaware of it. I pray with the psalmist, Lord: search me, and know my heart; see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.