2. God Who Made Me “Knowing My God” Series, Part 3 Psalm 139:13-18

3. PSALM 139: DAVID’S CONFESSION OF FAITH ABOUT GOD Psalm 139 is about FAITH.  It is NOT an objective list of God’s attributes.  Rather, it is David’s personal confession on his experiential knowledge of God.  “Knowing My God” Series is a study on Psalm 139—the four confessions of David’s faith about God: vs.1-6Part 1: God Who Knows Me vs.7-12Part 2: God Who Is with Me vs.13-18Part 3: God Who Made Me vs.19-24Part 4: God Who Guides Me

4. PSALM 139: DAVID’S CONFESSION OF FAITH ABOUT GOD Psalm 139 is about FAITH.  It is NOT an objective list of God’s attributes.  Rather, it is David’s personal confession on his experiential knowledge of God.  “Knowing My God” Series is a study on Psalm 139—the four confessions of David’s faith about God: vs.1-6Part 1: God Who Knows Me vs.7-12Part 2: God Who Is with Me vs.13-18Part 3: God Who Made Me [TODAY] vs.19-24Part 4: God Who Guides Me

5. PSALM 139: DAVID’S CONFESSION OF FAITH ABOUT GOD What is FAITH according to David’s confessions so far?  Faith is to personally know God who knows everything about me (vs. 1-6). Therefore, we are to passionately pursue God who pursued us first.  Faith is to experientially know the presence of God wherever I go, whatever I do (vs. 7-12). Therefore, we are to choose to live in the presence of God at all times.

6. DAVID’S SELF-DISCOVERY IN KNOWING GOD WHO MADE HIM 1)Who made me?: “God formed and knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. (v.13)  The reason why God knows everything about David is that God made him—from the inward parts to the outer body to the spirit.  The Creator God is not only the source of life but also the designer of the purpose of life [i.e., God not man is the center of a human life].  In faith, we must also realize that it is not a random cosmic coincidence but GOD who made us in his infinite wisdom and purpose.

7. 11You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. 12You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit. Job 10:11-12 You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. St. Augustine

8. DAVID’S SELF-DISCOVERY IN KNOWING GOD WHO MADE HIM 2)How was I made?: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made by God.” 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. (vs.14-15)

9. DAVID’S SELF-DISCOVERY IN KNOWING GOD WHO MADE HIM 2)How was I made?: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made by God.”  David outburst with praise to God. Why? David realizes the wonder and sanctity of a human life—his identity is found in his Creator God.  God was intrinsically involved God was in making David from Day One of his conception—this is why Scripture condemns abortion (Ex. 21:22-25).  Our faith must also lead us to see our infinite worth in God because God is our CREATOR (v.13) and as our ABBA Father (Rom. 8:15).

10. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Psalm 72:18 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 [NIV]

11. DAVID’S SELF-DISCOVERY IN KNOWING GOD WHO MADE HIM 3)How valued am I in God?: “I am awestruck by God’s perpetual attention and precious thoughts of me!” 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. (vs.16-18)

12. DAVID’S SELF-DISCOVERY IN KNOWING GOD WHO MADE HIM 3)How valued am I in God?: “I am awestruck by God’s perpetual attention and precious thoughts of me!”  David is awestruck by how God made him with such careful thoughts—that the infinite almighty God thinks of him with perpetual attention!  Here David sees not only his true identity (that he belongs to God) but his true wroth (that he is treasured by God).  In faith, we must also see ourselves from how God sees and thinks of us—it is the true source of self-worth and abiding presence of God.

13. You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you!... How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep! Psalm 40:5a; 90:5 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

14. God’s Thoughts Draw Us Nearer to Him But, alas! Our thoughts of God are a very poor help to us in drawing us nearer to him, they flag, and tire, and soon die; but the thoughts of God toward us are strong, like God himself is, and these, like so many unbreakable cords firmly fastened to us, are drawing us ever nearer to him. Thought leads to action, and God’s thinking of us leads to the practical action of drawing us nearer to himself. So the fact that he is continually thinking of us encourages us to believe that we shall one day be close to him, and be fitted to be close to him, being perfectly conformed to the image of Christ, and drawn into the closest possible fellowship with God. And the nearer we get to God, the more precious will his thoughts of us become to us. - Charles H. Spurgeon

15. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE 1.Find your true IDENTITY & WORTH in God.  Turn away from the worldly ways of seeking self-esteem and self-identity.  Surrender all of your failures, hang-ups and inadequacies to God and find humble confidence in God. 2.Thank God for HIS FEARFUL & WONDERFUL WORK in making you.  Meditate on how God has designed, formed, and purposed you in making you.  Burst out a praise to God! Rejoice in God to whom you belong! 3.Think ON GOD’S THOUGHTS OF YOU to draw near to God.  Think with Scripture that reveals God’s thoughts of you.  Abide in the presence of God by clinging to God’s thoughts.