Psalm 139:23,24 – Room in the Inn

Here is my fairly literal translation of these verses:

²³Thoroughly search me, O God, and know my heart. Examine me and know my disquieting thoughts, ²⁴and see if [there be any] troubling way in me and personally lead me in [the] way of [the] ages.

Interestingly, here is one of those Bible passages where it pays to dig in to the Hebrew word meanings. As always, it is not that they mean something different than typical English translations, but rather that they mean so much more. Hebrew in particular was a picture language. They painted pictures even as they spoke. I have often found it virtually impossible to translate Hebrew passages and express in English the depth and width and color of what they are saying. Such is profoundly the case here.

English translations of this Psalm invariably begin with “Search me, O God, and know my heart…” which is a perfectly accurate translation. But the Hebrew word for “search” “always connotes a diligent, difficult probing” (TWOT#729). In its noun form, it even borders on the impossible! So, understanding the Hebrew, David is not asking for just a superficial searching. He is saying to God, “Open every door, look under every book, literally turn my heart upside down searching its every corner.”

Then he adds “Try me …” The word “try” means “to examine” where interestingly, in the OT, God is usually the subject and He is specifically examining spiritual or religious things. Then it is “Try me and know my thoughts,” where again it is more than just thoughts. It is particularly my “disquieting thoughts.” One can almost hear Jesus saying, “They that are whole need not a physician, but them that are sick.” David is not asking God to just know his thoughts in general. He wants God to particularly know his disquieting thoughts – the ones that cause him trouble, the ones that need a physician! They that are whole need not a physician – but the rest of us and our beleaguered hearts need the Physician!

This idea carries on to verse 24 where He particularly asks the Lord to “See if there be any wicked way in me.” Once again, “wicked” way is a perfectly accurate translation, but the word means more. The word yabetz comes from a root meaning “to hurt, to trouble.” K&D describe it as “the way that leads to pain, torture, … the inward and outward consequences of sin.” It is wickedness but not just in the sense of wrong but in the sense of bringing into one’s life torment, regret, shame, sorrow, and all the pain and trouble that sin incurs. It is the same root word that is used in the name of Jabez and his prayer which is a play on his name and the word: Now Jabez (Yabetz) … prayed, “O that Thou wouldst bless me indeed … and keep me from pain (yabetz) that it might not pain (yabetz) me” (I Chron 4:10). Though so often alluring, sin and its effects always bring pain and trouble.

Like Jabez, David longed to be delivered from the self-inflicted way of trouble and pain, so here he asks the Lord instead to “lead me in the way everlasting.” Once more, the word “lead” is much more personal than simply “lead.” It pictures someone actually personally conducting another along a path. TWOT #1341 says, “[It is] far more than guidance. It is that God be before them showing the way.” It is used of the Lord leading Israel through the desert, where His presence actually went with them as the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. David is asking for the Lord’s very present and personal guidance. The Lord’s leading is in fact so personal, He calls it “carrying” us – “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isaiah 46:4).

Now, what to make of all this? Gracious! I think I could write a book from these two verses. I’ll try to restrain myself to a few paragraphs.

Several commentators noted how brave David is to invite the All-Seeing Eye into a heart he knew to be “desperately wicked and deceitful above all things.” On the one hand, I see what they’re saying, but on the other hand I don’t think it was a matter of bravery at all. We’re back to how we see God. If we see Him as rumbling thunder looking for sinners to blast with divine judgment, then yeah, it would be brave (probably foolish) to invite such a God in. But I like what William Arnot said, “…the eye of the compassionate Physician I shall gladly admit into this place of disease; for He comes from heaven to earth that He may heal such a sin-sick soul as mine.” As quoted above, Jesus said, “They that are whole need not a physician,” but those who truly see their heart would, like Arnot, implore the Great Physician come. As Donald Cargill said, “Those who know themselves best fear themselves most.” To me He is the gentle Shepherd, who “restoreth my soul.” I’m glad to my sin He is the infinitely powerful conquering King! Marantha! Come, Lord Jesus. “Adam’s image now efface, Stamp Thine image in its place!” I think truly knowing Him it is not bravery to invite Him in. Why wouldn’t I long to crawl into His inviting lap, burrow my face into His big chest, and hide from it all wrapped in His big strong arms?? He alone can save me. He alone can deliver me.

I think it quite clear this is where David’s heart is going in this Psalm. Earlier (v.17) he said, “And to me how precious are Your thoughts, O God. How great is the sum of them”. Now he invites Him in to “see if there be any troublesome way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” David wants to be healed. He didn’t see God’s presence as a threat but rather as the only hope for his sin-sick heart. Am I brave to ask the doctor to remove the tumor from my side? Then neither do I think it bravery to invite in El Rapha – God the Healer, Him who comes “with healing in His wings”.

I need Him to search me, know my heart, and examine me. And to what end? To make sure my way is the right one. I have many times run across this matter of my “way.” “There is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is the way of death” (Prov 14:12). “Thus saith the Lord: Stand in the ways and see and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk in it, and ye shall find rest for your souls” (Jer 6:16). I need Him to help me see where in my life I am choosing the ways of trouble and to show me instead that good old way, the way everlasting, that in fact I might walk in it. Jesus asked Bartimaeus, “What would you have me do for you?” and he replied, “Lord, I would have my sight.” And so it remains. In His light we see light. I want to go the right way. But sin darkens my eyes, allures me down bypath meadow, and leaves me to die in the dungeon of despair. William Howels said, “Every sin is a devil and may say, ‘My name is Legion, for we are many.’” But there is a Savior! He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life …” (Jn 14:6). The angel told Joseph to name the baby Jesus, “…for He shall save His people from their sins.” (Mt 1:21).

It’s probably no coincidence that tomorrow is Christmas day. Once again we’ll celebrate the birth of the One mighty to save. May we all not see Him as rumbling thunder but as the Great Physician. May we all find room in our hearts for Him who would come to search out the demons of our sins, cast them out, deliver us from ourselves and lead us in that everlasting way, that, rather than the pain of sin, we might know love and joy and peace.

Merry Christmas! Lord lead us.