Praying Scripture, Psalm 139by Teri Lynne Underwood

.Your Turn ~ Praying Scripture
 Praying Scripture, Psalm 139by Teri Lynne Underwood


.One of my {Teri Lynne} favorite passages to use in my prayer time is Psalm 139. Today, I’d like to take you through that process and encourage you to pray through this passage as well.


Psalm 139 (NLT)
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.Father, I have no secrets from You … there is nothing hidden from Your sight. You know me – every thing about me, from my fears and insecurities to my dreams and longings. You see my heart … the darkness of the sin in me and the joy I have in my salvation. It’s all out there … plain as day … exposed.You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.
What a beautiful and scary truth! That You are “familiar with all my ways” and know my every thought. Even when it seems as though You are far away, it’s not true. You are always here with me, guiding and directing me … even giving me times of rest. You even force rest upon me when I fail to heed Your guidance. I don’t understand how it’s true – but I am thankful that I am never lost from Your sight, I never fall off Your radar.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. Ouch! Lord, You know my words and my thoughts … how sinful they can be … and how often I fail to control my tongue. I ask You to help me with this … teach me how to take my thoughts captive and to bridle my tongue. I don’t want to be deceived and have worthless religion (James 1:26). I cry out the words of the Psalmist, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You” (Psalm 19:14). Forgive me for being careless with my words … and with my manner as well. Forgive me for the times and ways my nonverbal communication has hurt others.
You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!
I am overwhelmed, God! ”Your hand of blessing” … I certainly do not deserve that. The knowledge that You have offered me a relationship with You is amazing … and that You would give Your Son to pay the price for my sin is too great for me to ever comprehend. Teach me to find joy in that truth! And to be ready at all times to share that same promise of salvation with others.
I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength support me.
Thank you! What peace I have from knowing I can never escape from Your love … that it is not dependent on me … but wholly rests in Your character and Your promise.
I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night – but even in the darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you.
You are unchanging, eternal … always. And in You is light and life … and I am, again, overwhelmed by the great mercy You offer me … the grace You extend. In You there is no darkness (I John 1:5) and Your Word is a lamp to my path (Psalm 119:105). Help me to follow Your light always … thank You for Your Son who is the Light of the World (John 8:12).
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complete! Your workmanship is marvelous – and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
You KNOW me … You have always known me … and You created me to be ME. Teach me to be content in who I am and not to wrestle with envy and jealousy over how You made someone else. Help me understand my identity in You alone … and to celebrate the life you have laid out just for me.
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!
Precious … Your thoughts about me are precious for I am precious to You.
O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers! They blaspheme you; your enemies take your name in vain. O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you? Shouldn’t I despise those who resist you? Yes, I hate them with complete hatred, for your enemies are my enemies.
Lord, give me discernment about people and motives. Help me learn to reject those attitudes and behaviors that contradict Your Word. Teach me to seek Your justice in all things and to faithfully point others to Your truth.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Lord, search those hidden places … lead me to You … give me courage to confess the sins in my heart and my life and strength to turn from them. Amen.