Psalm 139:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

NIV: See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

NASB: And see if there is any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

CSB: See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

NLT: Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

KJV: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

NKJV: And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

David asked the Lord to see if any grievous way was in his heart or mind. "Grievous" here means something which causes pain or sorrow. This is the kind of pain that results from being afflicted because of sin. David wanted his conscience to be free of pain, and of any sense of offending God. Sin has natural, negative consequences. Proverbs 13:15 assures us that "the way of the transgressors is hard" (KJV).

In this passage, David also asks God to lead him "in the way everlasting." As David uses it here, this might mean the ancient way that godly men of the past followed. This was the way that led ultimately to everlasting life, not as something to be gained by works but entered by grace. The apostle Paul pursued the way God's will had laid out for him, and at the end of his life he anticipated entering everlasting life in heaven. He testified, "The time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:6–8).

Like David, we should ask the Lord to lead us in this "way everlasting."

Psalm 139:17–24 emphasizes God's justice. Prior sections of this psalm bore witness to God's omniscience (Psalm 139:1–6), His omnipresence (Psalm 139:7–12), and His omnipotence (Psalm 139:13–16). David rejoices in God's thoughts and nearness, but despises the wicked around him. He longs for God to slay them. He sees God's enemies as his own enemies, but is acutely aware of the possibility that sin dwells in him. Therefore, he asks God to search him and lead him in the way everlasting.

In this psalm David marvels at God's amazing characteristics. God knows everything about him: where he goes, all David's thoughts and everything about his conduct. The Lord knows what David will say even before David says it. There is no place David can go that God isn't already present. David marvels at God's creative work in the womb. He is thankful for God's innumerable thoughts for him and for God's presence day and night. Finally, David's thoughts turn to the wicked. He considers them God's enemies and his, and longs for God to slay them. David is disgusted by evil people because they rail against God and take His name in vain. He asks God to search his heart to see if any sin is there, and he asks God to lead him in the way everlasting.

This psalm of David lies in the fifth division of Psalms, Psalms 107—150. It discloses information about God's omniscience: He knows everything. It explains His omnipresence: that He is everywhere. It declares His omnipotence: He formed every part of human beings. It also describes His holiness: He judges the wicked and searches the heart. These attributes reflect common themes across both the Old and New Testaments.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.