Psalm 139:15

15 My bones, which thou madest in secret were not hidden from thee, nor my substance, in the lowest parts of the earth.

Psalm 139:15 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 139:15

My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret,
&c.] Or "my bone" ^F14; everyone of his bones, which are the substantial parts of the body, the strength of it; and so some render it "my strength" ^F15; those, though covered with skin and flesh yet, being done by the Lord himself, were not hid from him; nor the manner of their production and growth, which being done in secret is a secret to men; for they know not how the bones grow in the womb of her that is with child, ( Ecclesiastes 11:5 ) ; but God does;

[and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth;
or formed in my mother's womb, as the Targum, and so Jarchi, like a curious piece of needlework or embroidery, as the word ^F16 signifies; and such is the contexture of the human body, and so nicely and curiously are all its parts put together, bones, muscles, arteries, veins, nerves, and fibres, as exceed the most curious piece of needlework, or the finest embroidery that ever was made by the hands of men; and all this done in the dark shop of nature, in the "ovarium", where there is no more light to work by than in the lowest parts of the earth. The same phrase is used of Christ's descent into this world, into the womb of the virgin, where his human nature was curiously wrought by the finger of the blessed Spirit, ( Ephesians 4:9 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

F14 (ymue) "os meum", V. L. Vatablus, Gejerus, "ossa mea", Piscator; "apparatio ossium meorum", Cocceius.
F15 "Robur meum", Tigurine version; "vis mea", Junius & Tremellius.
F16 (ytmqr) "velut opere phrygio effingerer", Tigurine version; "velut acupictur sum", Grotius.

Psalm 139:15 In-Context

13 For thou, O Lord, hast possessed my reins; thou hast helped me from my mother’s womb.

14 I will give thee thanks; for thou art fearfully wondrous; wondrous are thy works; and my soul knows it well.

15 My bones, which thou madest in secret were not hidden from thee, nor my substance, in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Thine eyes saw my unwrought substance, and all men shall be written in thy book; they shall be formed by day, though there should for a time be no one among them.

17 But thy friends, O God, have been greatly honoured by me; their rule has been greatly strengthened.