I thought I’d dig a little into Psalms in these daily blogs for a while. I only intend to take a verse or so and just develop it a little to see what it is saying, hopefully without taking it out of context.
And I’m starting today with Psalm 139:16
Psalm 139 is one of those massive Psalms of David that cover so much in a relatively few verses. And there right in the middle of it we read these words –
Psa 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
Firstly, it speaks without question to reality of human life, and therefor the sanctity of life, before birth: David says “Your eyes saw my unformed substance” and the word he uses gò‚lem translated “unformed” occurs only here in the Bible, although the associated verb occurs in 2 Kings 2:8 where speaking of Elijah taking his cloak it says he “wrapped it up” In other words the word speaks to something being folded up or undeveloped or not it’s natural shape and is a clear picture of the embryo or foetus in the womb.
In a generation and a land that is set on denying the rights of the unborn, and especially the ethical right to life, God is clear, He “saw my unformed substance” – He had a full and conscious and detailed knowledge of me as a person while I was as yet unrecognisable as a human being in my mother’s womb.
And that is then followed by in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. In other words, while I was not yet born, before anyone else knows anything about me, God has already a complete and perfect record of the detail of every single day of the life that I will in time live!
Friend, like the whole of this Psalm this is either a frightening thought or a very comforting thought depending on your relationship with God. If you are not at peace with God through Jesus Christ, what a frightening prospect: one day you will stand before the God who already knows every detail on every moment of every day of your life, and He will call you to account for it!
But if you are at peace with Him through the blood of Christ, then what comfort! In the midst of Coronavirus, with children going back to school, with restrictions being eased with all of the attendant concerns, with the protests in the USA overflowing to other countries as well – God knows the most minute detail of all that will happen as it bears upon you and your life! Nothing is hid from Him! And if you are His child then He is totally committed to all things working together for your good!
He knows your good days, your bad days, your days of frustration, your days of disappointment as well as your days of joy and delight. As we move into yet another month of uncertainty, praise God that He knows it all, and knows you perfectly.