Psalm 139: 17, 18
In Psalm 139 David clearly and definitely established the truth that God sees us and that our life is unto Him an open book that reveals in the smallest detail what we are and do. But most wonderful and important is how He looks upon us. What are His thoughts when He looks upon us? Does He look at us or upon us?
In awesome language David expresses the truth of how God looks upon us in love. He writes in verses 17 and 18, "How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake l am still with Thee."
Because God designed not only the human body with its amazing members and faculties, but also the body of Christ, the church, and sees us as members thereof, it certainly is true what David writes. God has precious thoughts toward us! For all the blessings of salvation tell us how much He loves us. What love of God it is that sent His only begotten Son to the torments of hell that we might have the precious blessings of heaven! That Son is His most precious possession. And yet He sent Him to hellish agonies that we might have a more glorious life than Adam had, and one which has everlasting blessings that cannot come to an end.
So precious are these thoughts of God toward us that we cannot count them any more than we can count the grains of sand on a given beach. Still more, David tells us, and correctly so, that after we have begun trying to count them, we will become weary and fall asleep. And when we awake from sleep, we will still be busy, if we are going to count and evaluate them all. For they are everlasting blessings. And our versification states it beautifully in these words (PRC Psalter):
Thy thoughts, O God, how manifold,
More precious unto me than gold!
I muse on their infinity,
Awaking I am still with Thee.
We cannot hide from God; but that too is a blessing. For His thoughts penetrate the night of sin and bring us blessings from the kingdom of light. How precious then God's thoughts toward us are in Christ!
Read: Psalm 40
Psalter versification: #383:3
Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
Song for Meditation: Psalter #161
Why not sing along??
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Job 4 ; Job 5 ; Job 6 ; Job 7:1-21
I Corinthians 14:18-40
Psalm 37:30-40
Proverbs 21:27
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Quote for Reflection:
"To be at peace with the world, the flesh and the devil, is to be at enmity with God, and in the broad way that leadeth to destruction. We have no choice or option. We must either fight or be lost." ~ J.C. Ryle
Additional Info
- Date: 22-August
Heys, John A.
Rev. John A. Heys was born on March 16, 1910 in Grand Rapids, MI. He was ordained and installed into the ministry at Hope, Walker, MI in 1941. He later served at Hull, Iowa beginning in 1955. In 1959 he accepted the call to serve the South Holland, IL Protestant Reformed Church. He received and accepted the call to Holland, Michigan Protestant Reformed Church in 1967. He retired from the active ministry in 1980. He entered into glory on February 16, 1998.