God's Thoughts Concerning Us
G. F. Humphreys. Psalm 139:17-24 How precious also are your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the sum of them!… : — To think is to exercise the prerogative of an immortal soul; thus are we distinguished from the lower animals, who certainly cannot carry on any continued process of thought. By this power we reflect the image of God. The human intellect is man's crowning possession, that which makes him immortal. But if it is so wonderful, the power and possibility of thought to man, what shall we say of the thought of God? It is this fact which has inspired this sublime psalm and culminates in our text. No wonder David was carried out of himself at the thought of God's thoughts concerning man. The infinite shone in upon him, and ha caught a vision of the limitless expanse beyond. Of these thoughts he declares — I. THEY ARE PRECIOUS. "How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God;" costly, highly valuable. Who shall measure the value of God's thoughts to man? What currency could express their preciousness? For His thoughts are not vagrant like ours, going a-wool-gathering hither and yon, without direction or purpose. Every one becomes a creation, a star, a living creature, a cataract, a gleaming cliff, a beautiful human soul. II. THE SUM OF THEM IS GREAT. Great in their totality. The summary of them is beyond us. If we consider them in their generic outline they are great. We may fathom one little fact in God's world, a single thought, bug how can the human mind take in the whole outline? Who knows the mind of God? What can we do with our finite minds to compass divinity? How vain and weak is man face to face with the Author of all life. How humble and reverent it should make us when we consider the works of His hands and our own feeble undertakings. "How great is the sum of them." III. THEY ARE INCOMPREHENSIBLE. David felt as Milton after him, that he was only picking up shells on the shore of that vast ocean he must sail so soon. How wonderful is life, in its minute forms. What delicate beauty. What exquisite harmony. What undeviating law runs through all life. (G. F. Humphreys.) Parallel Verses KJV: How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! WEB: How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!