“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:13-14)
Psalm 139 is a profound and introspective psalm that explores the omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence of God. It is attributed to King David and is often considered a psalm of praise and awe for the Creator’s intimate knowledge of humanity.
God is omniscient. The omniscience of God is illustrated throughout the biblical narrative. As theologian A.W. Tozer once said, “God knows instantly and effortlessly all matter and all matters, all mind and every mind, all spirit and all spirits, all being and every being, all creaturehood and all creatures, every plurality and all pluralities, all law and every law, all relations, all causes, all thoughts, all mysteries, all enigmas, all feelings, all desires, every unuttered secret, all thrones and dominions, all personalities, all things visible and invisible in heaven and in earth, motion, space, time, life, death, good, evil, heaven, and hell.”
God’s omnipotence. God’s omnipotence, as highlighted by pastor John Piper, is seen in God’s ability to create the universe and sustain it by the power of God’s word. “By faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Hebrews 11:3, ESV). The psalmist echoes this sentiment, declaring, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth, all their host” (Psalm 33:6, ESV).
God is omnipresent. The omnipresence of God is beautifully depicted in various biblical accounts. In the book of Psalms, David reflects on the ubiquity of God, proclaiming, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” (Psalm 139:7-8, ESV). Theologian J.I. Packer emphasizes, “God’s omnipresence means, on the one hand, that nothing in creation can be hidden from God; on the other hand, no location or situation can prevent God being known and present.”
These characteristics of God give us a reason to shout now because any challenges, obstacles, barriers, struggles, tragedies, or calamities that may happen to us along life’s journey have already been thought about, seen, and overcome by God. We can shout now because we are divinely formed in our mother’s womb. We can shout now because we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We can shout now because God created us with the end in mind. And that end is a victorious one.
David expressed gratitude for the marvelous workmanship of God in us. “Fearfully and wonderfully made” highlights the uniqueness and complexity of human beings. The creation of each person is marked by reverence, awe, and extraordinary craftsmanship. Each of us have been uniquely created by God. We don’t need to imitate anyone else. We simply need to tap into God’s divine revelation for us!
Finally, as Charles Spurgeon, a renowned 19th-century preacher notes: “There is no part of us that is an accident; God knew what God was doing. When God made us, God did it fearfully and wonderfully. God felt an awe, as it were, of God’s own work, and God pronounced it “very good.” Therefore, we don’t have to wait until the battle is over, we can “Shout Now!”
Dr. Preston T. Adams, III
Founding and Senior Pastor, Amazing Grace Christian Church (Indianapolis)
Twitter: @DrPrestonTAdams
