Psa 139:23-24 | KingComments | STEP | The God-fearing hates all who stand up to God ( ). He does so not in a proud spirit, but out of love for God. This is also evident in his prayer in these verses. He also hates the thought that there would be anything present in himself that is not subject to God. Therefore, in these final verses he asks God for a complete ‘screening’ of his heart and anxious thoughts. After asking for judgment on the wicked and the enemies of God, he now asks for God’s judgment on himself. These two go together. It is a separation of chaff from wheat. Also in Psalm 26 we see that the testing of the believer and aversion to a God-hostile walk are mentioned in the same breath ( ). He began the psalm by noting that God searches and knows him ( ). Now he asks God to search him and show him what is in his heart ( ; cf. ). He places himself in the presence of God and asks to try him, to test him as to the uprightness and purity of his thoughts (cf. ). He wants nothing more than to live in accordance with the will of God. Therefore, he asks that God look at his spiritual condition and see if in him there is “any hurtful way” ( ). The Hebrew word for ‘hurtful’ is literally ‘idolatrous’. That is, a hurtful way is an idolatrous way, the way of the wicked who have put aside the LORD. If so, David says to God, will You let me know. He then asks that God lead him “in the everlasting way”. The everlasting way is the old way of the righteous ( ; ). That is what his desire is for. He wants to go in the way where life from and with God is lived. That way also ends in eternal life, with Him Who is its source, God Himself. Death does not end that way, but is a final step on that way that brings him into full, undisturbed fellowship with God.

‏ Psalms 139:23-24

Search Me

The God-fearing hates all who stand up to God (Psa 139:22). He does so not in a proud spirit, but out of love for God. This is also evident in his prayer in these verses. He also hates the thought that there would be anything present in himself that is not subject to God. Therefore, in these final verses he asks God for a complete ‘screening’ of his heart and anxious thoughts. After asking for judgment on the wicked and the enemies of God, he now asks for God’s judgment on himself.

These two go together. It is a separation of chaff from wheat. Also in Psalm 26 we see that the testing of the believer and aversion to a God-hostile walk are mentioned in the same breath (Psa 26:2-5).

He began the psalm by noting that God searches and knows him (Psa 139:1). Now he asks God to search him and show him what is in his heart (Psa 139:23; cf. Jer 17:9-10). He places himself in the presence of God and asks to try him, to test him as to the uprightness and purity of his thoughts (cf. Heb 4:12-13).

He wants nothing more than to live in accordance with the will of God. Therefore, he asks that God look at his spiritual condition and see if in him there is “any hurtful way” (Psa 139:24). The Hebrew word for ‘hurtful’ is literally ‘idolatrous’. That is, a hurtful way is an idolatrous way, the way of the wicked who have put aside the LORD. If so, David says to God, will You let me know.

He then asks that God lead him “in the everlasting way”. The everlasting way is the old way of the righteous (Psa 1:6a; Jer 6:16). That is what his desire is for. He wants to go in the way where life from and with God is lived. That way also ends in eternal life, with Him Who is its source, God Himself. Death does not end that way, but is a final step on that way that brings him into full, undisturbed fellowship with God.