Connect Jeremiah 23:23 with Psalm 139:7-10 on God's presence everywhere.

Setting the Context

God’s Word leaves no doubt: He is both near and far, filling heaven and earth. Jeremiah 23:23 and Psalm 139:7-10 declare this truth from two angles—one from the prophet’s warning, the other from the psalmist’s worship.

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Jeremiah 23:23 — God Nearby, Not Far Away

“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away?”

• Jeremiah speaks into a climate of false prophecy; people acted as though God saw only what was close at hand.

• The question exposes that error: the LORD is everywhere, so no scheme or secret escapes Him (compare v. 24).

• Literal takeaway: God’s presence is not limited by distance, geography, or human perception.

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Psalm 139:7-10 — No Place Beyond His Reach

“Where can I go to escape 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.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there Your hand will guide me;

Your right hand will hold me fast.”

• David moves from rhetorical questions (v. 7) to sweeping examples (vv. 8-9) and a comforting conclusion (v. 10).

• Heaven, Sheol, sunrise horizons, distant seas—every direction is already occupied by God.

• The same hand that upholds creation personally “holds me fast,” turning omnipresence into intimate care.

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Connecting the Passages

• Jeremiah emphasizes God’s comprehensive oversight; Psalm 139 personalizes that same reality.

• Together they show:

– God’s presence is inescapable to the unfaithful (Jeremiah 23).

– God’s presence is inescapably comforting to the faithful (Psalm 139).

• The same truth both warns and reassures—depend­ing on one’s heart posture.

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Implications for Everyday Life

• Integrity: Hidden sin is impossible (Proverbs 15:3; Hebrews 4:13). Repent quickly, walk openly.

• Security: You are never alone—on commutes, in hospital rooms, during sleepless nights (Isaiah 41:10).

• Guidance: His omnipresence pairs with His promise, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). Expect direction even in unfamiliar places.

• Worship: Whether in a church sanctuary or a kitchen sink moment, every space becomes holy ground (Acts 17:27-28).

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Additional Scriptural Witness

• 1 Kings 8:27 — “The highest heavens cannot contain You.”

• Psalm 33:13-15 — He observes “all the inhabitants of the earth.”

• Revelation 1:8 — “I am the Alpha and the Omega… who is, and was, and is to come, the Almighty.”

Wherever you stand today—Jeremiah’s street or David’s shoreline—you stand in the very presence of the living God.