Draw Close to God

“O Jehovah, . . . You Know Me”

“NO GREATER burden can be born[e] by an individual than to know no one cares or understands.”a Can you relate to those words? Have you ever felt that no one cares about or understands what you are going through, let alone how you feel? If so, you may find comfort in this: Jehovah cares so deeply about his worshippers that he takes note of all that happens to them as they go about their daily life. David’s words at Psalm 139 assure us of this truth.

Confident of God’s interest in him, David says: “O Jehovah, you have searched through me, and you know me.” (Verse 1) David uses a beautiful word picture here. The Hebrew verb rendered “search through” can refer to digging for ore (Job 28:3), exploring a land (Judges 18:2), or examining the facts of a legal case (Deuteronomy 13:14). Yes, Jehovah knows us so well that it is as though he has examined every aspect and every corner of our existence. By using the pronoun “me,” David teaches us that God has a personal interest in his servants. He searches them through and comes to know them as individuals.

David enlarges on the thoroughness of God’s searching, saying: “You yourself have come to know my sitting down and my rising up. You have considered my thought from far off.” (Verse 2) In a sense, Jehovah is “far off,” residing in the heavens. Yet, he knows when we sit down, perhaps at the end of a long day, and when we rise up in the morning and go about our daily life. He also knows our thoughts, desires, and intentions. Does David feel threatened by such close scrutiny? On the contrary, he invites it. (Verses 23, 24) Why is that?

David knows that Jehovah has a positive motive in scrutinizing His worshippers. David alludes to this motive, writing: “My journeying and my lying outstretched you have measured off, and you have become familiar even with all my ways.” (Verse 3) Each day, Jehovah sees ‘all our ways’​—our mistakes as well as our good works. Does he focus on the bad or on the good? The Hebrew term rendered “measure off” can mean to “sift,” or “winnow,” much the way a farmer winnows out the useless chaff in his quest for the valuable grain. The phrase “become familiar” translates a Hebrew word that can mean “to cherish.” When examining the things his worshippers say and do each day, Jehovah treasures the good. Why? He cherishes their efforts to please him.

Psalm 139 teaches us that Jehovah deeply cares about his worshippers. He searches through them and watches over them as they go about their lives each day. He thus knows the problems they face, and he understands the pain of mind and heart that may result from these hardships. Are you moved to worship such a caring God? If you are, you can be sure of this: Jehovah will never “forget your work and the love you showed for his name.”​—Hebrews 6:10.

Suggested Bible reading for September:

◼ Psalms 119-150

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