Psalms 139:15
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Original Language Analysis
לֹא
H3808
לֹא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
1 of 10
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
נִכְחַ֥ד
was not hid
H3582
נִכְחַ֥ד
was not hid
Strong's:
H3582
Word #:
2 of 10
to secrete, by act or word; hence (intensively) to destroy
מִ֫מֶּ֥ךָּ
H4480
מִ֫מֶּ֥ךָּ
Strong's:
H4480
Word #:
4 of 10
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
אֲשֶׁר
H834
אֲשֶׁר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
5 of 10
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
עֻשֵּׂ֥יתִי
from thee when I was made
H6213
עֻשֵּׂ֥יתִי
from thee when I was made
Strong's:
H6213
Word #:
6 of 10
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
בַסֵּ֑תֶר
in secret
H5643
בַסֵּ֑תֶר
in secret
Strong's:
H5643
Word #:
7 of 10
a cover (in a good or a bad, a literal or a figurative sense)
רֻ֝קַּ֗מְתִּי
and curiously wrought
H7551
רֻ֝קַּ֗מְתִּי
and curiously wrought
Strong's:
H7551
Word #:
8 of 10
to variegate color, i.e., embroider; by implication, to fabricate
Cross References
Ecclesiastes 11:5As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.Psalms 139:13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.Psalms 63:9But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
Historical Context
Without modern embryology, David used poetic metaphor to describe prenatal development. The image of being 'wrought' in earth's depths may reflect ancient understanding of the womb as connected to creation's primal elements. Job 10:8-11 similarly describes God's intricate creative work in utero.
Questions for Reflection
- What does God's intimate knowledge of your 'secret' formation reveal about what He knows of your hidden struggles and inner life today?
- How does the 'embroidered' complexity of human design point to intentional divine purpose rather than random chance?
- In what ways are you still being 'curiously wrought' by God through sanctification?
Analysis & Commentary
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Substance (עֹצֶם, otsem) means bone, frame, or essence—the structural foundation of personhood. Made in secret (בַּסֵּתֶר, ba-sether) describes the hidden, mysterious process of gestation. Curiously wrought (רָקַם, raqam) is an embroiderer's term: variegated, intricately woven with colors—depicting the complexity of human development.
The lowest parts of the earth is poetic imagery comparing the womb's darkness to the depths of creation, echoing God's forming Adam from dust (Genesis 2:7). Though embryonic development is hidden from human eyes, nothing is concealed from God's gaze. This verse celebrates both the hiddenness and the divine visibility of prenatal life.