Abortion. The Author of Life.

^13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 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” (Psalm 139:13-16 ESV).

“David no doubt means figuratively to express the inconceivable skill which appears in the formation of the human body. When we examine it \,even to the nails on our fingers, there is nothing which could be altered as at something disjointed or put out of place; We need not then wonder if God, who formed man so perfectly in the womb, should have an exact knowledge of him after he is ushered into the world,” explains John Calvin.

Psalm 139:16 says, “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” This text reveals to us that God not only knows our life prior to our birth but also how long our life will be following our birth.

The word eyes (ʿǎ·yin) refers to God’s understanding and knowledge. The word saw (rā·ʾā(h) also means to understand and to perceive. Both the noun and verb harmonize each other.

With perfect omniscience the LORD understood and comprehended David’s unformed substance. The phrase unformed substance (gō·lěm) refers to the human embryo or fetus. God perceived life in David’s developing body in his mother’s womb.

What follows in the text is David’s reference to the length of his life. He wrote, “in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me.” Book (sē·p̄ěr) is a scroll or document. This symbolizes God’s wise counsel in determining how long David would live. This would include the everyday details (Psalm 139:1-4).

“God prerecorded all the days of the psalmist before he was even born. This statement may mean that God determined how long he would live. God marvelously planned out his life,” states Dr. John Walvoord.

Job 14:5 says, “If his days are determined, the number of his months is with you; you have appointed his boundaries, and he cannot cross them.”

Psalm 56:8 says, “You have kept count of my wanderings. Put my tears in your bottle; are they not in your book?”

Deuteronomy 32:39 (ESV) says, “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.”  

All of life is in the sovereign control of God. Therefore, His creation must obey the One who is the author of life. Unfortunately, the fallen world does not and lives in rebellion against the giver of life.

May each believer in Christ resolve to live this day to the honor and glory of the One, True God of life. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!    

The His Word Today Weekly Podcast begins Monday, September 5 featuring expository messages from the Epistle to the Ephesians.