Psalm 139 16

Psalm 139:16 kjv

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 139:16 nkjv

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

Psalm 139:16 niv

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:16 esv

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.

Psalm 139:16 nlt

You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

Psalm 139 verses

Psalm 139 16 Meaning

Psalm 139:16 reveals God's comprehensive and intimate knowledge of every individual, even before their physical existence fully forms. It states that God's eyes observed the Psalmist's unformed substance, implying that even the most embryonic stages of life are fully known to Him. Furthermore, it asserts that all the days of one's life were "written" in God's divine "book" before any of them had come to pass. This conveys a profound truth about divine foreknowledge, purposeful design, and sovereign care over the entire span and course of an individual's life, from conception to its completion.

Psalm 139 16 Context

Psalm 139 is a magnificent hymn that profoundly explores God's omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence. The first section (vv. 1-6) marvels at God's perfect knowledge of David's thoughts, words, and ways. The second section (vv. 7-12) celebrates God's omnipresence, showing that there is no place one can go to escape His presence. Verse 139:16 falls within the third section (vv. 13-18), which shifts focus to God's marvelous creative power, specifically His intricate formation of the psalmist in the womb. Verses 13-15 speak of God knitting and weaving the individual's body. Verse 16 extends this divine knowledge and activity from the physical formation to the pre-planned course and span of life itself. The historical context reflects an ancient Near Eastern understanding of creation where deity's power over life was a central theme, contrasting the chaotic and unpredictable nature of pagan gods with Yahweh's orderly, personal, and purposeful creation.

Psalm 139 16 Word analysis

• Thy eyes did see my substance:
• "Thy eyes": Highlights God's complete perception, omniscience, and intimate awareness, nothing is hidden from Him.
• "see": Signifies divine observation and knowledge.
• "my substance" (גָּלְמִ֥י - golmi): This significant Hebrew term refers to an unformed mass, raw material, or embryonic/fetal state. It points to the earliest, yet undeveloped, stage of human life. It conveys that even before form is complete, God perfectly sees and knows.
• yet being unperfect:
• This phrase describes the golmi as incomplete or unshaped, underscoring its rudimentary form. It emphasizes that God's knowledge and involvement predate full development.
• and in thy book all my members were written,
• "in thy book" (סִפְרֶ֑ךָ - sip̄əreḵā): Refers to a divine scroll or record. This metaphor suggests a predetermined plan, a blueprint, or a pre-existent design for an individual's life. It signifies an intentional and organized divine will.
• "all my members" (כֻּלָּ֖ם - kullām): Literally "all of them," referring to the "days" mentioned immediately after. While in Hebrew "members" could relate to parts, in this context it means all aspects or "all the days" (which were fashioned). This signifies a comprehensive scope—every single detail and event of life is included.
• "were written" (כָּת֣וּב - kāthūv): Indicates an accomplished act of inscribing or recording. This is a definitive action, showing God's settled and specific decree concerning one's life.
• which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
• "which in continuance were fashioned" (יָמִ֗ים יֻצְּרוּ - yāmîm yuṣṣərū): Literally, "days were formed." This means the sequence of days, the very events and span of one's life, were intricately designed and prepared by God. "Fashioned" (from yāṣar, to form or create) reiterates God's creative activity applied not just to the body, but to the entirety of one's life journey.
• "when as yet there was none of them" (וְלֹ֣א אֶחָ֥ד בָּהֶֽם - wəlo’ ’eḥāḏ bāhem): Meaning, before any of those days actually existed or took place. This is a powerful statement about God's eternal perspective and sovereignty. The entire sequence of one's life, from beginning to end, is fully known and decreed by God before any part of it unfolds in time.

• Word Group Analysis:
• "Thy eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect": This phrase emphasizes God's knowledge from the absolute earliest, undeveloped stage of life, highlighting the sacredness and value of life even in the womb, and God's perfect, complete understanding of the individual's foundational being.
• "and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned": This conveys the idea of a divine blueprint, a detailed pre-conceived plan or scroll where the entirety of one's existence – their days and experiences – are laid out before time, crafted by God.
• "when as yet there was none of them": This profound declaration speaks to God's transcendent sovereignty and eternal perspective. His knowledge and plan exist prior to the temporal unfolding of life. Every moment of existence, past, present, and future, is within God's known and ordained design. This polemically stands against the idea of a chaotic universe or arbitrary fate, instead proclaiming a God who meticulously plans with loving care.

Psalm 139 16 Bonus section

This verse provides foundational biblical support for the sanctity of human life from conception, as it emphasizes God's personal knowledge and active formation of an individual even when they are "unperfect." It implies that life's value and identity are inherent, originating from God's foreknowledge and design, not from post-birth development or societal recognition. The concept of God having a "book" where days are "written" speaks to an eternal record, highlighting that individual existence is not a fleeting, insignificant moment in cosmic history, but a carefully purposed part of God's grand design. It underscores God's omniscient detail-oriented planning, which extends to every single moment and facet of an individual's journey.

Psalm 139 16 Commentary

Psalm 139:16 stands as a monumental declaration of God's intimate, personal, and meticulous involvement in the life of every human being. It moves beyond simply God knowing a person, asserting that God actively authors their life's narrative. From the first flicker of potential, "my substance yet being unperfect," God sees and knows the individual fully. This knowledge is not passive observation, but active inscription: "in thy book all my members were written." This divine "book" metaphorically represents God's detailed, sovereign plan for one's life, pre-ordained down to the "days" themselves. Before a single moment unfolds, God has fashioned and laid out the sequence of life events. This implies both a profound security in God's care and a purposeful meaning for existence. It means one's life is not an accident but a divine intention. Practically, this verse encourages trust in God's providence through life's unpredictable twists, acknowledging that God works all things according to His purpose (Rom 8:28, Eph 1:11). For instance, an unexpected job loss or a challenging health issue might be perceived differently through the lens of God having "written" and "fashioned" our days, including the difficult ones, for a greater, unrevealed purpose. It imbues human life with inherent value and design, from its nascent stage.