June 28, 2023: Psalm 139:3 - God Knows the Motives of Our Heart

“You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.” - Psalm 139:3

God is omniscient, which is all-knowing, omnipresent, meaning He is everywhere, and He is omnipotent, which is almighty or infinite in power. In this verse of the psalm, David acknowledges God’s omniscience. God knows which path we choose, where we go on that path, and why we choose to go the way that we did, knowing the motives of our heart. He knows when we lie down to go to sleep and the thoughts that go through our minds before falling asleep.

When Israel’s king Saul disobeyed God’s commands when Israel was at war with its enemies that were on every side of them and had defeated them and in his pride had set up a monument for himself, God rejected Saul as king, regretting that He had set him up as king. God sent the prophet Samuel, who had grieved over the actions of Saul, to confront Saul regarding his actions. When Saul saw Samuel, he told Samuel, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD,” which was a lie, for he had not done all that God had commanded him to do after he had defeated his enemies. Two times Saul mades excuses for what he had done, even blaming the people for part of his decision. Samuel then said to Saul:

“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of the rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he also has rejected you from being king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)

During the course of Saul’s conversation with Samuel, Saul said to him two times, “The LORD your God.” (1 Samuel 15:15, 21). Clearly, if Saul truly believed in God with his heart, he would have said "The LORD my God,” but he didn’t. Then, Saul truly stated that he had sinned by transgressing God’s commandment and had done so because he was fearful of the people and obeyed their voice instead of God’s. He then asked Samuel to pardon him. Notice that Saul did not confess to God Himself that he had sinned against Him. Saul simply wanted to make a statement that he had sinned and move on with being king, and he wanted Samuel to go with him to worship the LORD. However Samuel told Saul:

“I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” (1 Samuel 15:26)

As Samuel turned away to leave, Saul took the edge of Samuel’s robe and it tore. Then Samuel said to him:

“The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.” (1 Samuel 15:28)

Saul then stated again that he had sinned and asked Samuel to honor him before the elders of Israel and go with him to worship God. However, just as Saul had done twice already, he said, “…that I may worship the LORD your God” (1 Samuel 15:30). It was evident that Saul did not believe in God and did not want to worship Him; rather, he only wanted the benefits and blessings that God had bestowed upon him as of king of Israel but in his heart, he did not believe. God knew Saul’s heart and the motivations of it; that his motivation was self and not God.

As instructed by God, Samuel then went on to anoint the next king. However, the king was definitely not one any human being, including Samuel, would have chosen. Humans tend to want people who are in charge to be strong in word, physical stature, and in power, and one who will lead them on paths that most of the time are not in alignment with the path God wants us to take. God told Samuel to go to a man named Jesse, a Bethlehemite, telling Samuel, “For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.” (1 Samuel 16:1) . Fearing what would happen if king Saul heard what Samuel would do if he found out, God reassured him to go to Jesse and take a heifer with him and say, “‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.’” (1 Samuel 16:2-3)

Samuel did as God instructed him to do. He consecrated Jesse and all his sons and then invited all of them to the sacrifice. Jesse had eight sons, and the first son, Eliab, was brought to Samuel. Samuel looked upon him and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him!” (1 Samuel 16:6) However, God told Samuel:

“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Six more sons of Jesse were brought before Samuel, and God said He had not chosen them. Samuel then asked Jesse if all the young men were there. Jesse told him:

“There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.” (1 Samuel 16:11)

Samuel told Jesse to bring him that son, and Jesse did. Then God told Samuel, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” (1 Samuel 16:12) Samuel did anoint David “in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.” (1 Samuel 16:13)

It is interesting that David was the eighth son of Jesse. I don’t believe this is any coincidence, as the number eight in the Bible has deep significance. Per Biblestudy.org:

(See: https://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/8.html)

• The number 8 represents new beginning, meaning a new order or creation, and man's true 'born again' event when he is resurrected from the dead into eternal life.

• Eight is also an integral part of Jesus' sacrifice. Like the Passover lamb, Jesus was selected as the Lamb to take away man's sins on Nisan 10 (April 1, 30 A.D. - John 12: 28 - 29). He was crucified on Nisan 14 (Wednesday, April 5 in 30 A.D.). His resurrection occurred three complete days after he was buried, which was at the end of the weekly Sabbath day that fell on Nisan 17. Nisan 17 was day 8, counting inclusively, from the time Christ was selected as man's sacrificial Lamb. All this bears record of Jesus' perfect sacrifice and His complete victory over death.

• Boys were to be circumcised on the 8th day. The number 8 symbolizes circumcision of the heart through Christ and the receiving of the Holy Spirit (Romans 2:28 - 29, Colossians 2:11 - 13). Those in Christ are becoming a new creation, with godly character being created by the power of God's Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:10; 4:23 - 24).

God rejected the sons of Jesse whom man would have chosen because God looked at the heart. God looked at David’s heart and not his outwardly appearance. This David was the shepherd of the sheep, and it is this David from whom Jesus, the Good Shepherd, would come, and His kingdom will be set up and it will last forever, as prophesied in Isaiah 9:6-7:

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

It was this David, who before he became king and while Saul was still ruling as king, would have boldness as a lion because of his strong faith in God and was not fearful of men and what they could do to him. His boldness and courage in the Lord was fully shown when Israel was battling their enemy the Philistines. One of the Philistines was a giant named Goliath, who stood approximately 9 feet 9 inches tall. While taking food to his brothers and their captain who were at the camp near the Philistines in battle array, David had left his sheep with a keeper, and heard the men talking about this Philistine who had said he had come to defy the armies of Israel. David said to them, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26) David’s words were reported to king Saul, and he sent for David. When David came to Saul, David said to him:

“Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:32)

But Saul told David he was just a youth and could not fight this man of war, but David persisted, saying:

“‘Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. Moreover David said, ‘The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the LORD be with you!’” (1 Samuel 17:34-37)

Oh, what beautiful words David spoke, and they were also prophetic words, symbolizing the coming Messiah who would keep His Father’s sheep - all who put their faith in Him for salvation of sins - and give His life for His sheep. What a beautiful connection between David the anointed king and to Jesus, God’s Anointed One and the King of kings. David was willing to put his life on the line for his sheep no matter how big or small the threat was, whether an animal that threatened his father’s sheep or this uncircumcised Philistine who defied the armies of the living God.

Saul then clothed David in his armor but it was too big for David and he couldn’t walk in it so David took it off. Instead of being armored by man’s armor, David took up the armor of God in the name the Lord. He took his shepherd’s staff and chose five smooth stones from the brook, put them in his shepherd’s bag, and with his sling in his hand, he set off toward the Philistine. It is very interesting that David never referred to Goliath by his name, for it meant “champion,” and this uncircumcised Philistine was no champion in the sight of David; only one who defied the armies of the living God. When David came upon him, the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” (1 Samuel 17:43) The Bible tells us:

“And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, ‘Come to me and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!’ Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:43-47)

When the Philistine came to meet David, without any hesitation David hurried toward the Philistine army to meet the Philistine. David took one smooth stone out of his bag and shot it with his sling toward the uncircumcised Philistine, striking him on his forehead and killing him. He then cut off his head with the Philistine’s own sword. When the Philistine army saw what had happened, they fled in fear.

David had put his faith and trust in God to direct his path even as a young man when he was likely in his teens, when without fearing what man - even a giant - could do to him, he boldly in his faith confronted and killed the uncircumcised Philistine.

David would later become the king of Israel, but prior to becoming king he would suffer many things because king Saul resented David and was full of envy and persecuted and tried to kill him. Through that persecution, we have many of the beautiful psalms that David wrote in the book of Psalms, including Psalm 40, which is a psalm that emphasizes the importance of persevering in our faith in the midst of our trials of life. Below is this beautiful psalm, likely written at the end of his life:

“I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth - praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD.

Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; my ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, ‘Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.’

I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness in the great assembly; indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O LORD, You Yourself know. I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.

Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD; let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart fails me.

Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me! Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who seek to destroy my life; let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish me evil. Let them be confounded because of their shame, who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let such as love Your salvation say continually, ‘The LORD be magnified!’ But I am poor and needy; yet the LORD thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God.” (Psalm 40)

David wasn’t perfect, and he committed many sins, including committing adultery with Bathsheba and getting her pregnant and trying to cover it up by having her husband killed by putting him at the front line of a dangerous battle. But David repented and turned back to God, and unlike Saul’s false repentance, David’s was true, it was from the heart, saying to the prophet Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Samuel 12:13) Nathan then told David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” (2 Samuel 12:13-14)

David also wrote about his sin in Psalm 51:

“For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight…” (Psalm 51:3-4)

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit with me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:10-11)

While David’s child with Bathsheba did indeed die, God blessed them with a son, Solomon, who would build the first Jewish temple of God, and it would be from the lineage of Solomon whom Jesus would be born.

David went on to become the greatest earthly king that Israel ever had, and it is through his bloodline that Jesus Christ - the King of kings and Lord of lords - was born through the Holy Spirit. David trusted in the Lord all the remaining days of his life. David’s example shows us that none of us are perfect, even David, but when we sin against God and acknowledge with our heart that it is He whom we have sinned against, the Lord is quick to forgive us, and that is why He sent Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to redeem all who put their trust in Him to forgive us of our sins. Of David, the apostle Luke, the author of the book of Acts, wrote:

“And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them Saul the son Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all my will.’ From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior - Jesus…” (Acts 13:21-23)

How many of us are like David and currently facing the “Goliaths” in our own lives? Let us be like David and put our trust in the Lord, no matter how big the giant is, no matter how intimidating it may be. God can do a mighty work in our lives if we don’t see the problem before us but we see the power of the living God, in whom we should put all our trust.

When we decide to put our faith and trust in God, as David did when he was a young man, when we decide to follow God’s path, the path that leads to righteousness through believing in His Son Jesus Christ, we have all we need to slay the giant in our lives with one smooth stone, a stone that is packed with the power of Almighty God.

I leave you with the words of David from another beautiful psalm of his, from Psalm 31:

“Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD.” (Psalm 31:23-24) ✝️