New: 29 April 2025
Fearfully &
Wonderfully Made
Psalm 139
I will give thanks to You,
For I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:14 NASB
Beautifully Created in His Image
Some people dislike themselves. They don't see themselves as beautiful. There are different reasons for it. Perhaps, they had deeply hurtful experiences in their childhood. Perhaps, they lacked affirmation and validation by a parent. Some women have suffered abuse and resent men. Some men have been emasculated by women and constantly feel inferior. People have been marred by betrayal of a loved one and struggle to trust people, which also caused a negative self-image. Often people suffering one way or another, have also negative self-talk, which adds to the misery. The list is long. The pain is real. And even though we can remove ourselves from toxic relationships and wrong environments, what is going on in our minds remains with us. Therefore, a healthy way of seeing ourselves is vital and important. But then there are people 'full of themselves,' a narcissistic self-love that is equally unhealthy and causes much harm in the family or circle of friends. The solution to all these distorted images is a healthy image of oneself as beautifully created by God in His image. God is beautiful and so are you! God is, figuratively speaking, a Potter—and His creations are 'fearfully and wonderfully made.'
The Omniscient God
God is omniscient, that is, all-knowing. 'You know it all,' David concluded after contemplating on God (Psalm 139:4b). God had searched and knew him (v 1). God knew his movements and words before he uttered them (vv 2-4). God has all around him (v 5), a realisation that was 'too wonderful' for David (v 6). It was a beautiful reassurance of God's love and goodness to him. Some people get scared when they are told that God knows everything, including our inner thoughts. God knows our very heart (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 44:21). He is the God of knowledge who weighs our actions and motives (1 Samuel 2:3; cf., Proverbs 16:2; 24:12). David knew that God's thoughts about him very vast in sum; it was precious to him (Psalm 139:17). What are human beings that God the Almighty is thoughtful about them? (Psalm 8:4) It is because we are His creation that we matter to God.
There was no place David could hide from God (Psalm 139:7-12). Why would he? God loved him and looked with favour upon him. God is a good God. He loves us, although not all our inner thoughts are pure and good. But a genuine heart before God seeks inner purity (Psalm 19:14), even if we have sinned (Psalm 51:10; E31). David asked God to search him and make his ways perfect (Psalm 139:23-24). God is faithful and true to forgive those who come to Him in genuine repentance (1 John 1:9—2:2; see A7). True, we will all be held accountable for every words that comes from our mouth and each of our actions, yet God seeks to sanctify us thoroughly (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) and is able to keep us from stumbling (Jude 24-25).
For You formed my inwards parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb...
when I was made in secret,
and skilfully wrought
in the depths of the earth.
How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
Psalm 139:13, 15, 17
Created with Design and Purpose
The omniscient God created us with design and purpose. The biblical worldview is not one of random evolution, but purposeful design. We are not 'highly-developed monkeys' without meaning and purpose in life. David knew that God had formed his inward parts, woven him in his mother's womb (Psalm 139:13). These beautiful poetic expressions of God's creation speak of design. We are no coincidence or accident. We are here by design and with purpose. This worldview contributes to a healthy image of self. The psalmist was grateful to God for making him 'fearfully and wonderfully' (v 14). Are you? Life is a gift; it comes from God. His works are wonderful and once our souls knows this very well, we can develop a healthy image of ourselves. It will neither be a denial of our intrinsic value, nor a selfish or narcissistic self-love. We can learn to love our neighbours as ourselves once we know who we are created in God's image. God is a skilful designer (v 15) and He has a plan and purpose for us (v 16). There is meaning to life (see A11) and no matter how we lived until now, we can embrace 'newness of life' in Christ (see A12) through reconciliation with God (see A8).
Jesus didn't just die to 'get us to heaven,' He wants us to live for God's purpose on earth. We were saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8) for the 'good works' God has prepared before He even created us (v 10). God knew Jeremiah before he was born and He appointed him for a purpose (Jeremiah 1:5). Not everyone is appointed to be a prophet to nations, like Jeremiah was, but we are all saved and created in Christ Jesus for good works, in what ever way that may differ for individuals (Ephesians 2:10). David was positively overwhelmed with the vastness of God's thoughts about him (Psalm 139:17-18). It is beautiful to know that God thinks about us! Many people don't get any recognition or even attention from others, yet God knows us. David had a zeal for God (vv 19-22) and lived in humility before Him.
'Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way' (Psalm 139:23-24)
These beautiful words conclude this special psalm. We must allow the good Creator to search us and have a healthy attitude towards our weaknesses. God doesn't want to condemn us; He wants to sanctify us. He wants us to become fully like Jesus (Romans 8:29) and walk like Christ walked (1 John 2:6; 2 John 9). We are called to be vessels for honour to the Master's use, saved and sanctified in Christ and ever conforming to His image! As we behold who the God is who created us, we are being changed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honour and some to dishonour. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honour, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
2 Timothy 2:20-21
Vessels for God's Glory
Isaiah spoke of God as potter in the context of His Fatherhood (Isaiah 64:8). The vessel should be humble towards the potter and not quarrel with the maker over his creation (Isaiah 45:9). Jeremiah also used the imagery of God as a potter (Jeremiah 18). In that context, what the vessel becomes depends n whether or not it chooses to obey God and live according to the Creator's instructions (the Torah). God, as Creator, can undo a vessel that chooses to disobey and dishonour the Maker.
In a similar way, Paul used the illustrations of different vessels to encouraged believers to be pure before God (2 Timothy 2:20-21). ln that way, they would become vessels for honour, sanctified and useful to the Master's use, prepared/equipped for good work! We can become vessels for God's glory through sanctification (vv 19, 22) and abiding in the truth (vv 15, 23-26). Sound teaching was a key concern for Paul (1 Timothy 1:5-11; 6:3; see Why Sound Doctrine Matters), believers being faithful to Scripture that is able to correct, protect and equip (2 Timothy 3:13-17). We, too, choose whether we wish to live as God, Creator as Potter, has predestined us to, or if we want to waste our lives on sinful things. The choice is ours; the consequences too.
Only a life dedicated to obeying the words of Christ is a house with wisdom and stability; all else will fail when the storms emerge (Matthew 7:24-27). As we understand who we are created in God's image and what good plans He has prepared for us, why would anyone miss the opportunity to serve God as a vessel for His glory? God is a good God who has good plans for each one of us. Embrace them and live for God's purpose in your life. Like David (Acts 13:22, 36), we can be people are His own heart, live according to God's will and serve God's purpose in our generation.