Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

Chapter 8: Psalms 131–150

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Psalm 139 with Augustine – Searching for Runaways Where can I go from your Spirit? (v. 7). Where in the world can anyone flee from that Spirit who fills the world? The psalmist seeks a place to flee from the wrath of God. What place will shelter God’s runaway? People who shelter runaways ask from whom they have fled; and when they find anyone a slave of some master less powerful than themselves, they shelter them without fear, saying, “they do not have a master who can track them down.” But when they are told of a powerful master, they either do not shelter the runaway, or they shelter them with great fear, because even someone with power can be deceived. Where is God absent? Who can deceive or hide from God? From whom does God not demand his runaway? Where will that runaway go from the face of God? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there (v. 8). At length, miserable runaway, you have learned that you cannot make yourself far from the one you flee. Behold, he is everywhere; where will you go? If by sinning I go down to the depths of wickedness, and do not confess, saying, “Who sees me?” you are also present to punish. Where will I go to flee from your presence, that is, to find you not angry? If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you (vv. 11–12). Thanks to him who searched for me when I was a runaway, who struck my back with strokes of punishment, who by calling me brought me back from destruction, who made my night light.