Origin of Life
Lesson 4
Psalm 139 PRESENTS THE LORD'S ACTIVITY IN THE WOMB
THE UNBORN REVEALS THE CHARACTER OF GOD.
In the
first 16 verses of Psalm 139, David surveys his life in four stages: (1) past,
(2) present, (3) future,
and then (4) before birth.
Thus
from his unborn status in the womb to adulthood he has the same personal identity. In this way he affirms a direct continuity
between his pre and post-birth existence.
As you read
this Psalm don't miss the sense of intimacy here! David is focused on God's
personal involvement with his life, in the same way that we noted in Psa. 51:5b. There David begins his life with conception,
not with his birth.
The character and activity of God is the central thought.
His omniscience and omnipresence are presented first and then illustrated by
His care and wisdom in the development of the unborn child in the womb.
Psa 139:2 God knows our every move.
The idea
of sitting down and rising up is a figure of speech which states two opposites
to indicate a totality.
The
bottom line is this. God knows everything there is to know about each of us.
His searching us and knowing us even extends to our thoughts, motives, words,
as well as deeds.
David now [v.2b] begins to give details of the omniscience
of God.
The
statement that God knows our thoughts from afar means that He knows our
thoughts while they are yet un-thought.
God knows our every habit [139:3]
The
words path and lying down both come at the beginning of verse 3, and indicate the
all-encompassing knowledge of God related to every aspect of our life.
The word scrutinize literally translated means to sift or to
winnow. It carries the idea of careful and thorough analysis with great
attention to all details.
God knows our every word [139:4]
The fact
that God knows our words before they are on our tongue means He knows what we
are going to say before we say it.
God knows our destiny [139:5]
The fact that God encloses us behind and before means He knows us on
all sides.
God
knows our past and God knows our future.
God Is Incomprehensible or The Awesomeness of who God is!
[139:6].
Contemplation
of the omniscience of God is possible,
and yet at the same time far beyond what the finite human mind can take in.
The idea
revolves around one single word translated wonderful, pela' [yalp].
It should not be surprising that in its usage it often
speaks of things beyond human capability!
Whatever
it is used of or linked to is so extraordinary that it can only be explained as
being related to God!
Here in
vs:6 it is related to David's coming to an
understanding, an awareness of God's character.
Some of the important uses of the word, pela'. yalp
#1 Almost
exclusively of God's acts for
Therefore it refers to His acts
for His people, Psa. 78:32 [wondrous works].
Things
like, bringing them out of
making
the waters of the
delivery
in battle, pela';
making
the water come from the rock, pela';
#2 When it does get applied to
men, in those contexts, it then refers to something beyond man's ability or
comprehension. Dt 17:8
#3 In the Psalms, it is used many times, (37) for the
various acts of God! In each case it refers to something man cannot do!
In the
Psalms these statements of God's works are often connected with 4 verbs of
speaking, i.e. proclaim, teach, tell, and declare.
Some
examples: Ps 9:1; 26:7; 75:1; 96:3
#4 Psa. 119:18; 129 used to refer to the Word, His testimonies,
the revelation of what God has done, the things which are far beyond human
ability or capacity.
The Wonder of the Omnipresence of God; 139:7-12
The
question asked in verse 7 does not express a wish or a desire that David has.
He is not trying, as Adam did in the garden, to get away from God.
The
question does not flow from guilt as it did for Adam, but rather from awe and
reverence.
The answers to his question are given in vs:8-12.
#1 God is everywhere up and everywhere down [139:8]
The point
is comforting in showing us that God is as much present with us in death as in
life.
#2 God is everywhere East and
everywhere West. [139:9-10]
When the
Omnipresence of God is understood it is something that is very encouraging! No
matter where you are, His hand will lead you!
What
David is saying here is that he sees no time or place that he is not surrounded
by God.
#3 Even darkness can not hide God [139:11-12]
God
needs nothing external to Himself for perception. He needs nothing outside of Himself. He does not need light as we do.
Its
important to understand the character of God and His awesomeness before we get
to analyzing what occurs in the womb.
We must
conclude then that any destruction of the unborn by man is an unwarranted and
careless attack against God's creative work.
When
you get to Psalm 139:13 you find that there is nowhere to go
to avoid the presence of God, not even the womb!
In verses
13-14 David now turns to consider God's power and skill. And the particular
phase of divine omnipotence he chooses to focus on is the marvelous development
of a baby in his mother's womb.
David
describes the formation of the unborn with exquisite delicacy and beauty.
For You
formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb.
Think of
the brain, for instance, with its capacity for recording facts, sounds, odors,
sights, touch, pain, with its ability to recall, and coupled with the soul you
have the power to analyze facts, the ability for making decisions and solving
problems.
The verb
translated “formed” comes
from a word whose usual meaning is to originate something, and thus own it, you
made it, therefore
its yours is the idea. (hn"q')
The words
inward parts translate a single Hebrew word that means kidneys, (hy"l.Ki) [kiljah], the innermost part of man which is used metaphorically for emotions, as in Jer.
We are Woven.
Job also uses the word for weaving in
connection with the physical development of the child saying, “Clothe me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and
sinews.” [
The idea
of weaving or knitting is a metaphor that expresses purpose, orderly development, and ultimately a
beautiful finished product.
By using, “form” and “weave me” in verse 13
David is saying that the formation of a living person in the womb is an
extraordinary display of God's personal handiwork.
Here is a plain affirmation that the growth of the unborn is neither haphazard nor automatic but a divine work of creative skill.