“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways” (Psalm 139:1-3).
In the Christus Gardens Museum in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, there was a fascinating sculpture of the face of Jesus etched concavely into a large marble stone. The sculpture’s captivating aspect was how Jesus’ eyes seemed to follow you as you moved around the gardens.
Psalm 139 tells us that God sees us every moment of the day. He sees us when we sit and when we stand. He reads our inner thoughts. He knows when we arrive and when we return. He anticipates what we’re going to say before we say it. He guides our steps even when we’re not aware of it.
The Psalmist reminds us that there is no place we can go where God does not see exactly what we are doing. If we travel to outer space, He is there. If we descend into the deepest coal mine, He is there. If we venture to the far side of the ocean, God is there, guiding us with His right hand. Even if we try to hide in the darkest night, it is futile, for darkness is as light to Him.
God even saw us in our mother’s womb before we were born. “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body….” (Psalm 139:15-16a). The Lord not only knows our birthday but also the day we will die, “…all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (v. 16b).
When we think about God’s constant surveillance, our initial reaction is often one of guilt and fear. “Oh no! God knows my wicked thoughts and sees the evil deeds that no one else knows about!” Perhaps your mother tried to motivate you to righteousness by warning, “Remember, God is watching you!”
That is true. Adam and Eve could not hide their sin from God. The people of Noah’s day learned that “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on earth had become.” The Book of Joshua, Chapter 7, tells how Achan hid the spoils from Jericho in his tent but could not hide them from God’s all-seeing eyes. King David discovered that God completely knew his “secret” sin with Bathsheba.
God does see all our sins and will ultimately hold us accountable. The fear of God’s judgment should motivate us toward righteousness and authenticity. But have you ever considered the positive aspect of God observing our every move? Do you ever give thanks that there is nowhere you can go where God is not watching out for your best interest?
Job said, “He does not take His eyes off the righteous” (Job 36:7). In other words, “God loves you so much that He can’t take His eyes off you!” Psalm 34:15 tells us, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry.” Like a caring parent who uses a camera to monitor an infant’s room around the clock, God is tenderly watching you!
God sees when you hurt, even when no one else notices. God sees your positive motives even when the results turn out negatively. God sees the future and promises to provide if you trust Him. God sees the quiet promise of your heart and honors it. “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9a).
Just as Jesus saw exactly what Nathaniel was doing under the fig tree and commended him for having no pretense, the Lord also sees the positive things we do when no one else does. He promises, “Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:4).
How reassuring it is to know that we can never be beyond God’s watchful eye. He carefully monitors our every move, desiring to protect, guide, and provide for those He loves. That is why David could pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). And that is why the hymn writer penned, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”
