Looking Out For You

Let's move on the verse 3 in our Psalm 139 series!


"You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways." (Psalm 139:3, NIV)


Why don't we start by looking at 'discern'- "to measure off, discern"

and 'going out'- "travel, keeps company"


Think about it. The Lord measures off where you go, whether it's to the mailbox, or to church, school, sports practice or games, along with everywhere else you've ever been and ever will be. Someone pays a lot of attention if He knows every single place where you've been. People might know when you go to church, and probably a lot of people know when you go to school, but when you walk to the mailbox? Play outside? Leave your room? Get on the computer? Turn on the TV? Just to name a few.

His loving eyes are constantly upon you. Please notice that I said 'loving'. God is not watching you so that He can point out every little thing you do wrong. Not at all! Instead, He is watching over you.

May I give an example?

You have a puppy named Muffin. Because you love her, you allow her to sniff and roam as she pleases all over your yard. However, you make sure that she doesn't get outside your fenced-in backyard, or your electric fence. You know that if she does, she could be run over in the road, she might not have enough to eat, some bigger animals might get her, etc. You're trying to keep her safe.

God does the same things with us. He allows us to enjoy ourselves within his boundaries, but watches over us to keep us from stepping outside them. He doesn't want us to be hurt. He knows that all we need is what He has to offer us and outside his boundaries we can't have those things. It is so awesome that He cares for us so much that He will give us just the right amount of freedom in his boundaries.

"Familiar with all my ways." This phrase is kind of self-explanatory.

The Lord is familiar with your ways, such as what time your alarm is set for, whether you like to stay up late or get up early, shy or out-going, what you want to do/be when you "grow up", what dreams you have(He gave them to you in the first place!), what your favorite book/movie/Bible verse is, even when you might not even know yourself! These are just a few examples. God knows you inside-out. He "is familiar with all my(your) ways." Only our God could do that.

Look at it this way. If you knew someone who knew all your thoughts that you had ever thought and ever will think, all your favorites, how many hairs are on your head(Matthew 10:30), knows all your friends and family(immediate and extended) members then you would think that that person was amazing! Take God--he knows those very things (and much, much more!) about you, and your family and friends, along with every person who has ever lived and every person who ever will live. Now that's amazing!!!


The New American Standard Bible(NASB) says verse 3 this way:

"You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways."


Remember today that the Lord scrutinizes you, not because He's the pointer-out-of-all-the-mistakes-I-make, but because He's the wanter-to-keep-me-safe-within-His-boundaries, as well as the Lover of your life! He loves you...He knows you...He's the best person to be looking out for you!


~Princess Gloria




NOTE: Word meanings taken from 'The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance' by Edward W. Goodrick and John R. Kohlenberger III.