“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?”
(Psalm 139:7)
The words of this psalm beautifully express the immense and boundless omnipresence of God. The question is asked, “Where would I flee from Your presence?” And the response comes back, “There is nowhere You can go where I am not.”
Regarding both questions in this passage, we only need to observe that they are not asked in reference to God’s knowledge or power, but rather about His essence. For these questions refer to His Spirit and His face (by which the essence of God is often indicated, as in Exodus 33:20, 23, cf. v. 18). Nothing is more clearly evident here than that God is immense and omnipresent in regard to His person, coexisting with every space and every creature in space.
God cannot be confined to any place, neither can He be excluded from any. And by default, therefore, He sees and knows all. He has full knowledge of the secret places, for He fills both heaven and earth. It therefore follows that His omnipresence and His omniscience are interchangeable. “All things are open and naked before him” (Hebrews 4:13).
His ability to see those acts committed in secret terrorizes the ungodly, but this same knowledge is joy to the righteous. David speaks with both wonder and gladness, “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there; if I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:7-10).
Throughout Scripture, the aid of the Spirit of God is also referenced in this context. “The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). Surely then, the Spirit knows the deepest things in man. He removes the fig leaves of excuses and presents us naked and bare before God. He also reveals to us the truth of God’s grace; and He does both infallibly. Therefore, His light and help are to be desired. Nathaniel Vincent said, “In whatever secret corner you are in, God is with you; all your sights and groans, your complaints and desires are taken notice of.”
He who is infinite cannot be restricted.[1] He who is independent cannot be bound. He who is omnipotent works everywhere and exists everywhere. And He who is most perfect cannot be robbed of the perfection of His immensity and omnipresence.
In light of these truths, consider the words of Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” The Christian walks by faith under the shelter of the presence of a God who does not simply watch but dwells, who does not just observe but abides. The believer’s closeness to God is grounded in the reality that there is no moment, place, or condition where the Lord is absent. Knowing this, the faithful can rest and move forward in confidence, trusting the One who is not only near but leading.
Contemplations:
- You are present in every danger. Lord, You are everywhere. In all my dangers and troubles, whether impending or currently pressing, You are present with me. And not only by Your essence but also by Your grace.
- You walk with me in every circumstance. If I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, there is no evil that I should fear, “For You are with me, and Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4; Isaiah 43:1-2; Romans 8:31). In what circumstances? Namely (1) in loneliness, in the farthest part of the seas (Psalm 139:9-10); (2) in exile and on dangerous journeys (Genesis 39:2); (3) in prison (Genesis 39:21); (4) in the persecutions of enemies oppressing the godly (Psalm 46:5); (5) in diseases, and even in death itself, when all others fail (Psalm 23:4).
- Your presence sustains me. I must keep this truth in my heart as it will sustain my soul: the immense God is at my right hand (Psalm 16:8). He tells me, “I will never leave You nor forsake You” (Hebrews 13:5).
- Your nearness defeats my fears. Augustine said, “What adversary do You fear, since God the King is in You as Your portion?” And likewise, “What man do You fear, You who have been set in the bosom of God?” Keep me continually aware, Lord, of Your utter and constant nearness.
Prayer (Confession)
Lord, I confess how often I’ve lived as if Your nearness depended on how I felt or what I saw. I’ve spoken words in secret and nursed thoughts in darkness, forgetting that Your eyes are never shut and Your Spirit is never distant. I have excused sin in the quiet corners of my life, hoping it might be hidden. But nothing is hidden from You.
You fill heaven and earth. My every step is under Your gaze, my every breath sustained by Your will. I have run from Your commands while standing in Your presence. I have feared men while being held by Your hand. Forgive me for this foolishness, Lord. Forgive me for living as though You are not who You say You are—omniscient, omnipresent, and just.
I’ve treated Your holiness as if it bends for me. I’ve ignored Your voice when it whispered conviction, and I’ve hardened myself when the Spirit pressed in with truth. I’ve let the busyness of life distract me from Your presence, even though You’ve never once turned away. How can I plead ignorance when You have written Your Word so clearly? How can I say I didn’t know when Your Spirit has lit the path before me again and again?
I do not want to live another day as if You are far from me. Draw near to me, not because You ever left, but because I need eyes to see and a heart to feel Your nearness. Remind me that in my loneliest hour, in my weakest moment, You are still present. And not only to observe, but to help, to comfort, and to lead.
Forgive my doubting heart. Forgive the arrogance that believes You are like a man, changing with circumstance, drifting in and out. You are not distant. You are not silent. You are the Lord, always near, always holy, always seeing, always loving, always just. I confess that I’ve not worshipped You in light of Your immensity, Your nearness, and Your power. Renew in me a trembling joy that knows You are here.
Let my soul no longer flee from Your presence but rest under the shadow of Your wings. Let Your Spirit bring the Word to bear on every inch of my conscience. And when I stray, bring me back by Your kindness. I confess that I need You in every place I go, in every thought I think, in every work I do.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Psalm 139:7:
Eph. 4:6; Jer. 23:24; 1 Kings 8:27; 1 Cor. 12:6.
[1] And right reason does not differ from this. For he who is, with respect to His essence: (1) infinite, cannot be restricted to any finite place; (2) independent, cannot be bound to one place by anyone; (3) a most simple act, thus cannot be in the potency of arriving at any place in which he is not present; (4) immutable, cannot be transferred from one place to another; (5) omnipotent, thus can work everywhere, and thus exists everywhere; (6) most perfect, for this reason cannot be robbed of the perfection of His immensity and omnipresence. Persuaded by these reasons, even the pagans believed “all things” to be “full of love.” Petrus van Mastricht, Faith in the Triune God, ed. Joel R. Beeke, trans. Todd M. Rester and Michael T. Spangler, vol. 2, Theoretical-Practical Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2019), 196.
