During Yom Kippur, we face the challenge of trying to rid ourselves of the mundane in order to experience a glimpse of total purity. We fast and refrain from activities that enhance our bodies in order to live up to the those ideals that are non-tangible.....being created in God's Image.
The challenge is that as physical beings, we are pulled to the material world. Being in this space is what we know and what makes us feel comfortable.
This psalm is a reminder that even if we think our actions are private, God sees and knows us intimately. We hope and pray that we are worthy of God's mercy and righteousness, and that we will continue to receive the blessing of life, having God's faith in us.
(א) לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ לְדָוִ֣ד מִזְמ֑וֹר יְהוָ֥ה חֲ֝קַרְתַּ֗נִי וַתֵּדָֽע׃ (ב) אַתָּ֣ה יָ֭דַעְתָּ שִׁבְתִּ֣י וְקוּמִ֑י בַּ֥נְתָּה לְ֝רֵעִ֗י מֵרָחֽוֹק׃ (ג) אָרְחִ֣י וְרִבְעִ֣י זֵרִ֑יתָ וְֽכָל־דְּרָכַ֥י הִסְכַּֽנְתָּה׃ (ד) כִּ֤י אֵ֣ין מִ֭לָּה בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֑י הֵ֥ן יְ֝הוָ֗ה יָדַ֥עְתָּ כֻלָּֽהּ׃ (ה) אָח֣וֹר וָקֶ֣דֶם צַרְתָּ֑נִי וַתָּ֖שֶׁת עָלַ֣י כַּפֶּֽכָה׃ (ו) פלאיה [פְּלִ֣יאָֽה] דַ֣עַת מִמֶּ֑נִּי נִ֝שְׂגְּבָ֗ה לֹא־א֥וּכַֽל לָֽהּ׃ (ז) אָ֭נָ֥ה אֵלֵ֣ךְ מֵרוּחֶ֑ךָ וְ֝אָ֗נָה מִפָּנֶ֥יךָ אֶבְרָֽח׃ (ח) אִם־אֶסַּ֣ק שָׁ֭מַיִם שָׁ֣ם אָ֑תָּה וְאַצִּ֖יעָה שְּׁא֣וֹל הִנֶּֽךָּ׃ (ט) אֶשָּׂ֥א כַנְפֵי־שָׁ֑חַר אֶ֝שְׁכְּנָ֗ה בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית יָֽם׃ (י) גַּם־שָׁ֭ם יָדְךָ֣ תַנְחֵ֑נִי וְֽתֹאחֲזֵ֥נִי יְמִינֶֽךָ׃ (יא) וָ֭אֹמַר אַךְ־חֹ֣שֶׁךְ יְשׁוּפֵ֑נִי וְ֝לַ֗יְלָה א֣וֹר בַּעֲדֵֽנִי׃ (יב) גַּם־חֹשֶׁךְ֮ לֹֽא־יַחְשִׁ֪יךְ מִ֫מֶּ֥ךָ וְ֭לַיְלָה כַּיּ֣וֹם יָאִ֑יר כַּ֝חֲשֵׁיכָ֗ה כָּאוֹרָֽה׃ (יג) כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה קָנִ֣יתָ כִלְיֹתָ֑י תְּ֝סֻכֵּ֗נִי בְּבֶ֣טֶן אִמִּֽי׃ (יד) אֽוֹדְךָ֗ עַ֤ל כִּ֥י נוֹרָא֗וֹת נִ֫פְלֵ֥יתִי נִפְלָאִ֥ים מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י יֹדַ֥עַת מְאֹֽד׃ (טו) לֹא־נִכְחַ֥ד עָצְמִ֗י מִ֫מֶּ֥ךָּ אֲשֶׁר־עֻשֵּׂ֥יתִי בַסֵּ֑תֶר רֻ֝קַּ֗מְתִּי בְּֽתַחְתִּיּ֥וֹת אָֽרֶץ׃ (טז) גָּלְמִ֤י ׀ רָ֘א֤וּ עֵינֶ֗יךָ וְעַֽל־סִפְרְךָ֮ כֻּלָּ֪ם יִכָּ֫תֵ֥בוּ יָמִ֥ים יֻצָּ֑רוּ ולא [וְל֖וֹ] אֶחָ֣ד בָּהֶֽם׃ (יז) וְלִ֗י מַה־יָּקְר֣וּ רֵעֶ֣יךָ אֵ֑ל מֶ֥ה עָ֝צְמוּ רָאשֵׁיהֶֽם׃ (יח) אֶ֭סְפְּרֵם מֵח֣וֹל יִרְבּ֑וּן הֱ֝קִיצֹ֗תִי וְעוֹדִ֥י עִמָּֽךְ׃ (כג) חָקְרֵ֣נִי אֵ֭ל וְדַ֣ע לְבָבִ֑י בְּ֝חָנֵ֗נִי וְדַ֣ע שַׂרְעַפָּֽי׃ (כד) וּרְאֵ֗ה אִם־דֶּֽרֶךְ־עֹ֥צֶב בִּ֑י וּ֝נְחֵ֗נִי בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ עוֹלָֽם׃
(1) For the leader. Of David. A psalm. O LORD, You have examined me and know me. (2) When I sit down or stand up You know it; You discern my thoughts from afar. (3) You observe my walking and reclining, and are familiar with all my ways. (4) There is not a word on my tongue but that You, O LORD, know it well. (5) You hedge me before and behind; You lay Your hand upon me. (6) It is beyond my knowledge; it is a mystery; I cannot fathom it. (7) Where can I escape from Your spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? (8) If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I descend to Sheol, You are there too. (9) If I take wing with the dawn to come to rest on the western horizon, (10) even there Your hand will be guiding me, Your right hand will be holding me fast. (11) If I say, “Surely darkness will conceal me, night will provide me with cover,” (12) darkness is not dark for You; night is as light as day; darkness and light are the same. (13) It was You who created my conscience; You fashioned me in my mother’s womb. (14) I praise You, for I am awesomely, wondrously made; Your work is wonderful; I know it very well. (15) My frame was not concealed from You when I was shaped in a hidden place, knit together in the recesses of the earth. (16) Your eyes saw my unformed limbs; they were all recorded in Your book; in due time they were formed, to the very last one of them. (17) How weighty Your thoughts seem to me, O God, how great their number! (18) I count them—they exceed the grains of sand; I end—but am still with You. (23) Examine me, O God, and know my mind; probe me and know my thoughts. (24) See if I have vexatious ways, and guide me in ways everlasting.
What does it mean to you that "God examines you and knows you"? What is or is not difficult about that concept for you?
What times in your life do you wish were hidden from God?
What talents and abilities do you have, as one of God's creations, that you think would bring joy to God---as a parent gets nachas from a child?
What do you love that God knows about you?
What do you most fear that God knows about you?
What have you resisted or avoided doing in your life that is difficult for you to think about in terms of "God knows all about you"?