The Greatest Psalm

It’s called the “miracle of birth” for a reason

A Psalm of Creation

Many people love Psalm 139. It is my favorite of all the Psalms. It talks about how God was there in my mother’s womb, taking an active and deliberate part in forming me into the person I’d eventually become. Verse 13 says it beautifully: “For you formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” (ESV) It’s a beautiful image of a loving God doing His part to shape us even before we are born. And, if God is so involved from conception to birth, how could one justify interfering with that process? In Matthew 19:5 (The Message), Jesus gave us an image of how God views the union of a man and a woman in marriage. Jesus said, “Haven’t you read in your Bible that the Creator originally made man and woman for each other, male and female? And because of this, a man leaves father and mother and is firmly bonded to his wife, becoming one flesh—no longer two bodies but one. Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart.” Psalm 139 seems to add another dimension to that thought. In the womb, God joins together the sperm from the man and the egg from the woman and then knits them together into one, creating a new life.  That image is one reason why Christians are so opposed to abortion. Interfering with God’s work (desecrating his art) is never a good idea because the greatest art God ever created was and is a human baby!

Concern over Circumstances

Yet, many argue that we should (in certain situations) be allowed to interfere with this holy process of creation (presumably because we know better). So, let’s take a look from the baby’s perspective. How would you react if something bad happened to you in the womb? Maybe you were:

• Aborted: You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just that someone decided you didn’t matter, and they ended you – right in the middle of God forming you. This wasn’t something God decided; someone else made that call.

• Miscarried and died: Again, you didn’t do anything wrong, only this time, the delicate biology that guides this event failed you, and you died. What was God thinking? Since this is generally not what the parents wanted, our assumption is — God allowed this. Why? In my blog on suffering, this subject is covered in greater detail. The short answer is: suffering is not from God, but in difficult times, we need the faith to know He loves us and is always working for the greater good in our lives.

• Deformed, and your parents decided it was best for you not to suffer the challenges of living, so, in pain and agony, they aborted you. Was that the right decision? Would the baby have wanted their shot despite all the odds? We will only know when we meet God in heaven.

All the above things happen. Sometimes, we blame God, and sometimes we blame ourselves. Yet the Psalmist who wrote this Psalm praised God for being in control not just of the process of our formation, but in everything related to it. What does God know we’re missing when we blame Him for the outcomes in our lives, or substitute our will for His? Read on.

Reflecting and Resting on How Much God Knows Us

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, “God is in control.” But if we believe that, then why do we question Him, second-guess Him, and impose our will over His? If we believe that God loves us, then why don’t we trust Him in such devastating outcomes? Should we ever feel justified to override Him? Clearly, the Psalmist has already dealt with that question. Look at what he says (quoted from the EASY version unless otherwise noted):

• In verse 1: “Lord, you have tested me, so you know all about me.” God knows how we will respond to the trials of this world. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (MSG) says, “God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.” We are much stronger than we think.

• In verse 4/5: God further attests to how well He knows us by saying, “⁴ Lord, you know what I want to say, even before the words leave my mouth…I feel your hand on my shoulder.” You may not have had the experience of feeling God’s hand, but the truth is still the same – God knows everything there is to know about you! He knows exactly how you will respond to every situation. And, if you trust Him, God has a gift waiting for you in the next verse.

• In verse 6: “⁶ I am amazed at what you know; it is too much for me to understand.” Understanding the complex process of living is generally beyond our pay grade. We are seldom in control. Most things that happen, we are told, happen for a reason, but that reason escapes us. The only response that works is – to be amazed in God’s ability to take care of us – because He loves us and He does take care of us.

• In verse 13: “You formed the way I think and feel.” All we can do is come back to the one who made us and ask Him, “How am I supposed to deal with this?” Then, in prayer, understand that God made you the way you are for each and every moment you’ll ever experience in this life. And, if you seek Him in those moments, He’ll show you the way through.

• The Psalmist concludes by writing, “²³ God, examine me and know my mind. Test me and know all my worries. ²⁴ Make sure that I am not going the wrong way. Lead me on the path that has always been right.” Truer words were never spoken! Life is not easy! Seeking God for the course corrections we need along the way is the best advice we can get.

This Psalm is a guide providing light for our lives. God knows what trials we will face and how we will respond to them. We can “go it alone,” and suffer the consequences, or we can seek God and ask, “Am I going the wrong way?” Or, better, we can ask Him to “lead me on the path that has always been right.” The choice is yours.

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