Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
The opening of Psalm 139 describes a God who knows the Psalmist, David. This God is inescapable. There are no secrets. He knows all about David, when he does things, where he will go, everything.
In many situations, having someone know us this well would be creepy. The only way we would ever be comfortable with it is if we have complete trust in the one who knows us. Imagine the difference between being God’s favored child and being an enemy of this God! For those who don’t trust him but approach him with suspicion or fear, this is a terrible situation. There is no possibility of standing in opposition to this God.
How does the Psalmist view his relationship to God? Rather than treating it with fear and despair, David wonders at the attentive care of God his savior. There’s no fear here. No enmity. No doubt. The Lord visits David, moment by moment, with his loving attention. He promises, in the New Testament, to care for all who trust Jesus in precisely the same way. This is what the Scripture means about perfect love casting out fear. The job is done. God is present. And he cares for his people.
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