You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways, (139:3).

Intimate: marked by close acquaintance, association or familiarity; developing through long association; close, very personal or private
Scrutiny: intense study of someone or something; thorough inspection of a situation or a case.

Most of us are probably very familiar with Psalm 139, possibly best known for the prayer David penned asking God to search his heart.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
²⁴ And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way, (139:3).

The longer we walk with the Lord, the more we come to realize our utter desperation for Him to shine His truth on our deceptive and desperately sick heart.

“The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Most often, the use of heart in Scripture refers to our entire inner personality, our thoughts, our emotions and our will. And it’s always important to remind ourselves, when we place our faith in Christ for salvation our spirit is born anew and made alive in Christ, but our flesh – our heart, our soul – is not. It is as we walk by faith and in obedience that He will sanctify our heart by the power of His Holy Spirit and His Living Word.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart, (Hebrews 4:12).

For He is the only one Who knows our hearts, Who understands our thoughts, feelings and emotions and Who can reveal and discern the reality of our heart’s condition. But the truth is, that can be a bit unnerving, because after all we just may be deceiving ourselves. The thought of God knowing every single thought we have, even before we have it, can cause some distress. But the heart is where our attitudes and actions are conceived and that’s exactly why we need His Intimate Scrutiny of All Our Ways through His Inspired Living Word by the enabling power of His Holy Spirit

Consider His Intimate Scrutiny of All Our Ways

• His Intimate Scrutiny of All Our Ways is so thorough and yet troubling
  • O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
    ² You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    You understand my thought from afar, (139:1-2).

• • His Intimate Scrutiny of All Our Ways is so sweet and yet startling
    You have enclosed me behind and before,
    And laid Your hand upon me, (139:5).

• His Intimate Scrutiny of All Our Ways is so wonderful and yet worrisome
  • Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    It is too high, I cannot attain to it, (139:6).

• His Intimate Scrutiny of All Our Ways is so precious and yet petrifying
• How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
  How vast is the sum of them! (139:17).

How do we respond to His Intimate Scrutiny of All Our Ways?

There are times when we may find ourselves avoiding the Word of God because we know; we know there is some attitude, some desire or some action the Holy Spirit will address through His Living Word. And let’s be honest, it can be just downright uncomfortable, even miserable. But that’s the time we need His Intimate Scrutiny the most. And the truth is, we really can’t possibly hide from Him anyway.

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do, (Hebrews 4:13).

Psalm 139 expresses the truth that we cannot hide from Him because He is Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent. He is everywhere, knows everything and nothing is beyond His power.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence? (139:7).

Let us remember, His Intimate Scrutiny is always for our good, never to condemn or shame us. Let ask the Lord to give us a heart like David, eager for His Intimate Scrutiny that we so desire God to reveal anything that would hurt His heart, that we would confess and be cleansed to walk in His everlasting way of righteousness.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
²⁴ And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way, (139:23-24).

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, (1 John 1:9).

We must never forget, our heart can be easily deceived, deceiving us in the process. Let us ask the Lord to do His wonderful work in our heart that we would grow in our knowledge and faith as we trust His Intimate Scrutiny of All Our Ways

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well, (139:14).

Let’s Grow Together!