What does "when I awake, I am still with You" reveal about God? Setting the Scene Psalm 139 celebrates God’s exhaustive knowledge of and intimate involvement with His people. David marvels that God’s thoughts toward him are innumerable, then concludes: “Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with You.” (Psalm 139:18) The Phrase Under the Microscope • David falls asleep overwhelmed by God’s thoughts and awakens to find nothing has changed: the Lord’s presence remains undiminished. • The verb “am still” underscores continuity—no lapse, gap, or interruption in God’s nearness. • The statement is literal: whether conscious or unconscious, day or night, God is there. What This Reveals about God 1. Constant Presence • Psalm 139:7-10 affirms there is nowhere to flee from His Spirit; verse 18 echoes that truth on a daily scale. • Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” parallels the promise experienced upon waking. 2. Unceasing Vigilance • Psalm 121:3-4, “He who watches over you will neither slumber nor sleep.” While David sleeps, God watches. • Isaiah 27:3 pictures the Lord guarding His vineyard “day and night, lest any harm come to it.” 3. Personal Commitment • God’s thoughts are not abstract; they are directed “toward me” (verse 17). The ongoing presence in verse 18 proves He owns His people relationally. • John 10:27-28 shows this commitment fulfilled in Christ, who gives eternal life and keeps His sheep secure. 4. Daily Renewal • Lamentations 3:22-23, “His compassions never fail; they are new every morning.” Awakening to God reinforces the fresh arrival of mercy. • Each sunrise testifies that God has carried the sleeper through the night and now supplies strength for the new day. 5. Sovereign Sustaining Power • Acts 17:28, “In Him we live and move and have our being.” Continued existence after sleep is evidence of His sustaining hand. • Colossians 1:17 declares, “in Him all things hold together”; verse 18 personalizes that cosmic truth for an individual believer. Practical Takeaways for Today • Expect God’s presence to be as real at dawn as it is in devotional times; He does not ebb and flow with human awareness. • Rest becomes an act of trust, recognizing that the Lord stands guard throughout the night. • Morning gratitude should rise naturally: every awakening confirms God’s faithful watch. • Anxiety may be surrendered; if God keeps company with His people in their most vulnerable state, He will surely guide the waking hours. The simple phrase “when I awake, I am still with You” distills a profound reality: God’s faithful, personal, and protective presence spans every moment, making each new day a fresh encounter with the same unchanging Lord. |
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