Psalms 139:16

Psalms 139:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
• New International Version (NIV)Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

Context of Psalms 139:16

14I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15My frame was not hidden from You, When I was being formed in secret, And intricately and skillfully formed [as if embroidered with many colors] in the depths of the earth. Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were appointed for me, When as yet there was not one of them [even taking shape]. 17How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18If I could count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.

Psalms 139:16 word by word

גָּלְמִ֤י׀ רָ֘א֤וּ עֵינֶ֗יךָ וְעַֽל־סִפְרְךָ֮ כֻּלָּ֪ם יִכָּ֫תֵ֥בוּ יָמִ֥ים יֻצָּ֑רוּ וְל֖וֹ אֶחָ֣ד בָּהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• did seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• my substance, yet being unperfectגֹּ֫לֶםgôlem · embryoH1564
• and in thy bookסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: bookH5612
• were writtenכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
• in continuanceיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• were fashionedיָצַרyâtsar · to form: formedH3335
• noneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259

Cross-references for Psalms 139:16

• Psalms 56:8You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not recorded in Your book?
• Malachi 3:16Then those who feared the Lord [with awe-filled reverence] spoke to one another; and the Lord paid attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who fear the Lord [with an attitude of reverence and respect] and who esteem His name.
• Revelation 20:12And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged according to what they had done as written in the books [that is, everything done while on earth].

Commentaries on Psalms 139:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect - This whole verse is very obscure, but the “idea” in this expression clearly is, “Before I had shape or form thou didst see what I was to be.” The single word in the original translated “my substance, yet being unperfect,” is גלם gôlem It occurs only in this place, though the verb - גלם gâlam - is found in 2 Kings 2:8, where it is used in reference to the mantle of Elijah: And Elijah took his mantle…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-16Verses 7-16 We cannot see God, but he can see us. The psalmist did not desire to go from the Lord. Whither can I go? In the most distant corners of the world, in heaven, or in hell, I cannot go out of thy reach. No veil can hide us from God; not the thickest darkness. No disguise can save any person or action from being seen in the true light by him. Secret haunts of sin are as open before God as the most open villanies. On the other hand, the believer…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-24In this wisdom psalm, the psalmist opens every part of his life to God. He invites God to examine his thoughts, actions, and words. Even though life is difficult, he wants to grow in wisdom so that he does not share in the judgment of the wicked (Psalm 141:5; 142:3; 143:8, 10; 144:3–4). The psalmist also knows that he cannot escape from the Lord. His stress fades as he remembers that God has cared for him with love, even before he was born (Psalm…Read the comment
• Rashi on Tanakh · v. 16Your eyes saw my unformed body From the time that You created the world, Your eyes saw all the forms of the coming generations.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 139:16

• Book
• God Continued...
• Physiology

In the dictionaries

• Attain
• Continuance
• Count
• Cover
• Curiously
• Fearfully
• Hold
• Sum
• Uprising
• Wonderfully

Commentaries on Psalms 139

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings