Psalms 139:1-24
"God is light" (1 John 1:5). "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight" (read Hebrews 4:13). It is a frightening thing for a sinner to feel that holy gaze constantly upon him, revealing all his most intimate thoughts and discovering his most secret motives! At first only one thought occurs to him: to run away from this terrible beam of light. But this light penetrates the darkness where he tries to hide (v. 11), reaches him at the ends of the earth, extends right into his distant past . . . (Genesis 3:8; John 3:19). It is foolish to think that you can escape from God. It is also foolish to run away from the One who can guarantee your happiness. When you are ill, you never think of hiding any of the symptoms from your doctor. You know very well that it is in your interest to tell him everything that you feel if you want to be cured. So why act differently when God wants to save your soul and deliver you from sin? Confess to Him all the different evils which are eating away inside you. Let His light examine your conscience. May your prayer be that of vv. 23, 24: "Search me, O God" and search me again! Put everything in my life back into place. Don’t let me get caught up "in some wicked (or grievous) way" (grievous for me and to the Lord). But "lead me in the way everlasting"!