Psalm 139:8 He's There

Psalm 139:8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

Rightly famous, Psalm 139 is a strange psalm in some ways. It is famous for what it says about the omniscience, omnipresence and indeed the omnipotence of God in the first 18 verses (and verses 23, 24). Most people forget about the imprecatory storm that brews up in verses 19-22. Rightly read, the verses either side of the storm are only a meditation. The actual prayer is pretty much in verses 19-22. The main thing the psalm teaches then is not the "omnis" of God but the need to take great care in all things that we do not sin against God, which is so easy to do. Having said that, there are things to learn or at least infer from the whole psalm. So, concentrating just on verse 8, we may speak about God's immensity and omnipresence - the fact that it is not possible to be away from the presence of God. The psalmist imagines going up to the heavens. God is there, of course. Indeed, the Bible teaches us that is where his throne is, where he dwells. That is to say that in heaven his presence is most known. The psalm likes contrasts (sit, rise; going out, lying down; behind and before). Having spoken of God's presence in the heavens above he then turns his attention to the depths beneath. Even if he made his bed there, God would still be present. Even in hell itself there is such a thing as the presence of God - that is no doubt what makes it the place of torture that it is to sinners. Annihilation would be a preferred alternaive. Wherever we go, whatever we do, whatever happens, always God is there. As Francis Schaeffer once put it, he is "The God who is there". That is why he is a terror to those bent on evil and such a blessing to those he saves. He is there.