“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I
flee from your presence?”
Psalm 139:7 (NIV)
It seems to me that Amos turned Psalm 139:7 thru 12 on its head in a powerful way to cause shock among his listeners. Just compare Amos 9:1b thru 4 to Psalm 139:7-12 for a moment;
Amos 9:1b thru 4
Not one will get away, none will escape.
2 Though they dig down to the depths below, from there my hand will take them.
Though they climb up to the heavens above, from there I will bring them down.
3 Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, there I will hunt them down and seize them.
Though they hide from my eyes at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them.
4 Though they are driven into exile by their enemies, there I will command the sword to slay them.
“I will keep my eye on them for harm and not for good.”
Psalm 139:7-12
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
Now this conjecture occurred to me for the simple reason that Psalm 139 has been very powerful in my life, and so as I read Amos 9 it reminded me of Psalm 139 and yet the message of Amos 9 affected me in a terrible way rather than the comfort I receive from Psalm 139.
The same attributes of God - His omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence are on display in both passages, yet with two diametrically opposed results.
Those of us who prefer to be the recipient of the blessings of Psalm 139 would do well to start each day with the prayer at the end of this wonderful Psalm.
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