Search My Heart O God by Dr. Mark A. Taylor

David wrote in Psalm 139 about the process of God ability to search us and know our hearts. In verses 13-14 of this song, as taken from the English Standard Version (ESV), the king writes, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well”.

Looking into the mirror is not always the best thing for some. They often look at the outward parts instead of the inward parts. They can find fault with what they feel is awkward or ugly in their own estimation when the true beauty of a person is found in the “Imago Dei” which is the Latin translation of "Image of God" as found in Genesis in the creation story. David says were fearfully and wonderfully made and this can be concluded to be in the image of God.

David knew this well. It was the way he was chosen to be king after all. He was an afterthought to everyone else but to God. One after one, his brothers were called to stand before the prophet Samuel and each time they were rejected by God. Even Samuel thought they were going to make spectacular kings, but only because of how they looked. God told him, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart”.

David became king because he had the heart God was looking for. We see this in the historical account of David sinning with Bathsheba and orchestrating Uriah’s death to cover it up. Once the prophet called him out, David wrote another song of repentance in Psalm 51 where he sang in verse 17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise”.

Later in scripture, David would be called a “A man after God’s own heart”. Not because he was perfect or never sinned, rather because he knew that God’s searching of his heart would produce healing and restoration.

Do you need healing? Do you need restoration? Then don’t be afraid to ask Jesus the same prayer David ask in Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting!

Prayer for today.

Lord Jesus, please hear the heart in me that You know so much better than I do. Please forgive me and make me righteous before You. My heart is broken before You and only You can create in a me a clean heart. Search me and know me and lead me where You want me to go and I will follow you all the days of my life. Amen.