Psalm 139 is one of my favorite passages in all of Scripture. It’s beautiful, poetic, and deeply personal. It reminds us that God knows everything about us — not just what we do, but what we think, what we feel, what we say (and even what we almost say).

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

Psalm 139:1–3 (NIV)

If you’re anything like me, that thought can sometimes make you squirm. When I do, say, or — gulp — think something I know isn’t what God wants from me, my first instinct is often to hide.

Of course, that’s absurd. How do you hide from the God who made the universe, who “knit you together in your mother’s womb,” and who “knows the words you’ll speak before they’re on your tongue”? (Psalm 139:13–16, 4)

Hiding From God

It’s not a new instinct. Adam and Eve tried it first. After eating the forbidden fruit, their eyes were opened — and their first move was to hide from God among the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:8).

I can relate to that. When I fall short, my first thought is often to avoid prayer, avoid Scripture, avoid that gentle voice in my conscience reminding me that I’ve drifted.

But the right thing to do — the thing I’m still learning to do consistently — is pause, confess, and turn back to God, seeking forgiveness.

When we come to Him honestly, we don’t find condemnation; we find grace.

Known Completely — Loved Completely

Here’s what amazes me most: God knows everything about us — our public selves and our private ones, the parts we share and the parts we hide — and yet He loves us anyway.

Sometimes I worry that if anyone else knew me as well as God does, they wouldn’t want anything to do with me. But that’s not true of God.

He knows every failure, every secret, every unkind thought — and still, He calls me His child. He loves me enough to have sent His Son to take the punishment for my sin, so that nothing could ever separate me from His love.

That’s why, instead of trying to hide from God, we should learn to hide in Him.

Hiding In God

The psalmist paints a very different picture of hiding — not one of shame and avoidance, but of refuge and safety.

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Psalm 32:7 (NIV)

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.

Psalm 57:1 (NIV)

You are my refuge and my shield;
I have put my hope in your word.

Psalm 119:114 (NIV)

When life gets hard, when temptation strikes, or when fear creeps in — we can run to Him, not from Him.

In His presence, we find both forgiveness and protection.

He is not waiting to scold us; He’s waiting to shelter us.

Two Things We Can Do

So, what does this mean for us? Practically speaking, how can we live this in our daily lives? Here are a couple of thoughts:

1. When you mess up, turn to God — not away from Him.
   Confess, repent, and receive His forgiveness. Hiding never helps, but humility always heals.
2. When life gets hard, hide in God — not in distractions or despair.
   He is our refuge, our fortress, and our safe place.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1 (NIV)

The same God who knows everything about you is the God who loves you most. And the best part? You never have to hide from Him again.

There’s a saying, “You can run, but you can’t hide.” But why would you want to hide from the One who knows you best and loves you most?