Keraia
Psalm 139

Psalm 139:16

You Have Searched Me and Known Me · Psalm 139:1–24
Read Psalm 139

Translations

Modern
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.
Traditional
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.
Literal
Your eyes saw my unformed body, and in Your book all of them were written—the days fashioned for me, and not one was yet among them!
Latin
Imperfectum meum viderunt oculi tui, et in libro tuo omnes scribentur. Dies formabuntur, et nemo in eis.

Original

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

Notes

Psalms 139:1–24

In this wisdom psalm, the psalmist opens every part of his life to God. He invites God to examine his thoughts, actions, and words. Even though life is difficult, he wants to grow in wisdom so that he does not share in the judgment of the wicked (Psalm 141:5; 142:3; 143:8, 10; 144:3–4).

The psalmist also knows that he cannot escape from the Lord. His stress fades as he remembers that God has cared for him with love, even before he was born (Psalm 139:13–18). He ends by asking God to keep examining him and to guide him on the path of wisdom (Psalm 139:23–24).

Psalms 138:1–145:21

In this final group of psalms of David, psalms of praise and wisdom (Psalms 138–139, 145) form a frame around five psalms of lament (Psalms 140–144).

Glossary

Foreknowledge Imprecatory Psalms Music Psalms, Book of Work

Topics

Being Yourself Book of Remembrance Books: Memorials of God's Providence Early Death God: Knowledge of How Long we Will Live Physiology: General Scriptures Concerning The Fetus Time to Die When Life Begins