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 you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing. You knew me thoroughly; 15my bones were not hidden from you, when I was made in secret and sewed together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. All the days ordained for me were recorded in your scroll before one of them came into existence. 17How difficult it is for me to fathom your thoughts about me, O God! How vast is their sum total! 18If I tried to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. Even if I finished counting them, I would still have to contend 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 keep track of my misery. Put my tears in your leather container! Are they not recorded in your scroll?
• Malachi 3:16Then those who respected the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord took notice. A scroll was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the Lord and honored his name.
• Revelation 20:12And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then books were opened, and another book was opened – the book of life. So the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.

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