EVERY life matters!

May 3, 2022 (Tuesday)

 

Our culture has debated the beginning of life. Many opponents of abortion will proof-text their stand with Psalm 139:13, "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb." [ESV] It seems simple. I agree that it is this simple. However, we have to acknowledge the further context of these words.

 

Before our text, David has demonstrated how complete God’s knowledge and presence is in our existence. Between verses 13 and 16, he addresses the beginning of human life. Maybe more precisely, the beginning of an individual’s existence. In verse 13, the picture is that we are "knitted together" in our "mother’s womb."

 

The KJV uses "possessed my reigns." The idea is to emphasize that God owns our inmost parts. The word translated as "reigns" means our kidneys. The Jewish understanding of "kidneys" is the place of desire and longing (Treasury of David). It would be equivalent to our metaphysical concept of "heart." Modern translations emphasize the workmanship of God. In our cultural understanding, the person who creates something owns the rights to it.

 

In the next verse, David expresses awe. "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." [Psalm 139:14 ESV] Basically, David, acknowledges this is beyond human understanding. Some people would understand our existence as merely animalistic. Yet, David notes the existence of his soul, responding to the awe of God in creating another soul.

 

David continues, "My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth." [Psalm 139:15 ESV] Our "frame" means our skeleton (bones). In the womb, we cannot see the growing child. Modern technology does allow us to see some aspects of development, which should deepen our awe and wonder at the child developing in a mother’s womb. Most commentators understood "depths of the earth" to refer to the womb. It also looks back at creation, where Adam was created out of the earth.

 

In Psalm 139:16, David completes the picture of the absolute knowledge of God: "Your eyes saw my embryo, and on your scroll every day was written that was being formed for me, before any one of them had yet happened." [CEB] Again, we have the idea of humans enjoying a principle of life beyond physical life. God knows every one of our days long before any of them come into existence.

 

Every life is precious to God because every life is designed by God for a purpose.