Sept. 10, 2025
God Knows Me; God Tests Me
Psalm 139 is an intensely intimate composition by David, providing comfort and assurance of God’s omnipotent knowledge and care for us. So when we come to verses 19–22, where David asks God to slay the wicked, we often skim over the seemingly strange intrusion. In this message, Alistair Begg turns our attention to David’s puzzling plea, which highlights our own predicament with judgment and evil.
13For you eformed my inward parts;
you fknitted me together in my mother's womb.
14I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.1
gWonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15hMy frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in ithe depths of the earth.
16Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your jbook were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
17How precious to me are your kthoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18lIf I would count them, they are more than mthe sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.
19Oh that you would nslay the wicked, O God!
O omen of blood, pdepart from me!
20They qspeak against you with malicious intent;
your enemies rtake your name in vain.2
21sDo I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
And do I not tloathe those who urise up against you?
22I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23Search me, O God, and know my heart!
vTry me and know my thoughts!3
24And see if there be any grievous way in me,
Copyright © 2026, Alistair Begg. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
