Genesis 3:9 & Psalm 139:7-8: God's pursuit.
Connect Genesis 3:9 with Psalm 139:7-8 on God's presence and pursuit.

Setting the Scene in Eden

Genesis 3:9—“But the LORD God called out to the man, ‘Where are you?’”

• The question follows Adam and Eve’s sin. They have hidden, covering themselves with fig leaves.

• God’s “Where are you?” is not because He lacks information. The omniscient Creator knows their location. The inquiry exposes their spiritual distance and invites them back into relationship.

• Right from humanity’s first failure, God takes the initiative. He moves toward sinners instead of abandoning them.


David Sings the Same Reality

Psalm 139:7-8—“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.”

• Centuries after Eden, David affirms that God’s presence is inescapable.

• Whether in the highest heavens or the deepest grave, God is already present, actively involved, and fully aware.


God’s Pursuing Nature Unveiled

Genesis 3 shows pursuit in the midst of sin.

Psalm 139 shows pursuit in every possible location.

• Together, they display a God who seeks, surrounds, and sustains His people—never passive, never distant.


Key Parallels

• Initiation—God calls first (Genesis 3:9) and is already wherever we might flee (Psalm 139:7-8).

• Omnipresence—Eden’s garden and David’s extremes both sit under the same all-seeing eye.

• Grace—The question “Where are you?” offers restoration; the song “You are there” offers assurance.


Implications for Us Today

• We cannot hide sin from God, but we also cannot outrun His mercy.

• Confession becomes safe because the One who already knows still calls, “Where are you?”

• Comfort flows from knowing God’s presence is constant—whether on the mountaintop of success or in the valley of regret.

• Daily life is lived coram Deo (“before the face of God”), inviting honesty, repentance, and joyful dependence.

How can Genesis 3:9 guide us in recognizing our spiritual condition today?
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