ATTRIBUTES CALLING For PRAISE—Psalm 139:13-16
or
ME!
Attention:
YaHWeH has an intensely perfect knowledge of the crown of His creation(man) which this Psalm attempts to disclose to the reader. A very notable Psalm for that very reason. YaHWeH knows more regarding us— details of....our actions, manner, thoughts, creation than we can possibly ever know ourselves.
David’s very design & creation was awe-inspiring for the Psalmist.
My very existence is awe-inspiring.
Why am I awe-inspiring?
What about me inspires awe?
3 attributes of my existence inspiring awe.
1—An attribute calling me to praise my Creator is...
My FORMATION(:13)
Explanation: (:13) Composition/Knit together
:13—“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.”
YaHWeH(“the LORD”) actually is the one who “formed” our being.
YaHWeH is “the acknowledged lord & possessor of my most secret self”—Charles Spurgeon
YaHWeH Himself brought about the minute interweaving & enclosing of my entire & unique body complete with a unique soul & spirit intact, animated by His very breath(Gen. 2:7).
Gen. 2:7—“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, & breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; & man became a living being.”
God accomplished this woven masterpiece within the “womb” of every person’s mother.
“Formed/Possessed”—hnq kaw-naw'—1) To get, acquire, create, buy, possess. Strong–a primitive root; To erect, i.e. Create; by extension, To procure, especially by purchase (causatively, Sell); by implication To own.
“Inward Parts/Reins/Inmost being”—hylk kil-yaw' or twylk(plural)—1) Kidneys—1a) Of physical organ (lit.), 1b) Of seat of emotion & affection (fig.), 1c) Of sacrificial animals; 2) (TWOT) Reins. Strong—A kidney (as an essential organ); figuratively, The mind (as the interior self).
“Covered/Weave/Knit together”—Kko saw-kak'—1) (Qal) To hedge, fence about, shut in; 2) To block, overshadow, screen, stop the approach, shut off, cover; 3) (Qal) To cover, lay over; 4) To weave together. Strong—a primitive root; properly, To entwine as a screen; by implication, To fence in, cover over, (figuratively) Protect.
“Womb”—Njb beh'-ten—1) Belly, womb, body.. Strong—from an unused root probably meaning to be hollow; The belly, especially The womb; also The bosom or body of anything.
Argumentation:
Job 10:8—“‘Your hands have made me and fashioned me, An intricate unity; ...”
Isa. 43:7—“Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.””
Isa. 64:8—“But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.”
Jer 18:3-6—“Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the LORD. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!”
Rom. 9:20-21—“But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?”
Illustration:
Alisha’s Father’s Day Card/Tremendous artistic talent/Took a blank piece of card stock/Took various paints/Various paint brushes/Applied various techniques/Produced a cohesive & magnificent art-piece for her dad/FORMATION
Application:
?Your FORMATION inspire Praise for your Maker?
?Your Attributes call you to Praise your Creator?
2—An attribute calling me to praise my Creator is...
My CONSTITUTION(:14-16a)
Explanation: (:14-16a) Uniqueness/Makeup/Complexity
:14—“I will praise You, for I am fearfully & wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully & wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works,...”
As a result of the personal recognition of my created makeup, I am compelled to “praise” my Maker. I “praise” Him specifically because the very makeup of my life immediately draws me to “fear” & “wonder.”
“Fearfully made”—Due to the fragility of the human condition. Due to the complexities of fetal development—bringing me into the world from conception— as well as the micro-to-macro intricacies in the interconnectedness of my body’s physical makeup thru all stages. Any minute thing can bring about the death of this body, however there is nothing which can eradicate the soul.
1)My perspective—There is a reverential “fear” connected to my existence & survival & thriving with joy.
2) YaHWeH’s perspective—There is also the reverence/“fear” for our being which God must experience in knowing that in my autonomy comes either condemnation or salvation which He knows from the beginning. Also the interrelatedness & intercommunication & particularly the interaction among people with one another is “fear” generating.
“Wonderfully made”—I am not only vastly & uniquely different from the remainder of creation but I am even unique among mankind as is every person. I am thus separated/marked out/set apart by God with the intention of His unique direction & use. Therefore my purpose is separate from all others. Only thru relationship with each other coupled with God, can mankind fulfill his God-ordained destiny.
“They are works within my own self, yet are they beyond my understanding, & appear to me as so many miracles of skill & power. We need not go to the ends of the earth for marvels, nor even across our own threshold; they abound in our own bodies.”—Charles Spurgeon
All your “works” YaHWeH, are awe inspiring, being seen especially from the standpoint of the me You have constructed.
“And that my soul knows very well.”
Not just our physical insides but the very depth of our spiritual being as well. His word separates “even to the division of soul & spirit, & of joints & marrow, & is a discerner of the thoughts & intents of the heart.” Therefore it is obvious that the originator & owner of that word does indeed have that capacity as well. This is why He is our God. This also hints at the fact that we are formed with Divine purpose for a unique purpose.
Heb. 4:12-13—“For the word of God is living & powerful, & sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul & spirit, & of joints & marrow, & is a discerner of the thoughts & intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked & open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
In the very depth of the core of my being, I see & am overwhelmingly aware that His works in me are entirely “Marvelous”!
This is thereby a description of not merely simple(complex) biological import but the humanly imperceptibly complex melding of physical with spiritual by the one Who is Himself self-existent.
Therefore, though I have been made with the capability for autonomy & independence, I am rather the independent & free agent who is the possession of YaHWeH. Being a free agent, I therefore stand in need of YaHWeH’s revealing Himself to me. I must continually seek relationship to sustain my intended place in Him.
Some ancient & thereby modern day philosophies consider the body entirely separate from the spirit & soul so that anything done in the body does not effect either of the others. Rampant hedonism results with zero guilt because there is no accountability to either man or God.
“Praise”—hdy yaw-daw'—1) To throw, shoot, cast—1a) (Qal) To shoot (arrows). 1b) (Piel) To cast, cast down, throw down, 1c) (Hiphil)—1c1) To give thanks, laud, praise, 1c2) To confess, confess (the name of God), 1d) (Hithpael)—1d1) To confess (sin), 1d2) To give thanks.
“Fearfully made”—ary yaw-ray'—1) To fear, revere, be afraid; 2) (TWOT) To shoot, pour. Strong—To fear; morally, To revere; caus. To frighten:-- Affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, --fully, --ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), X see, terrible (act, --ness, thing). (CONT...)2—An attribute calling me to praise my Creator is...
My CONSTITUTION(:14-16a)
“Wonderfully made”—hlp paw-law'—V.—1) To be distinct, marked out, be separated, be distinguished—1a) (Niphal)—1a1) To be distinct, be separated, be distinguished, 1a2) To be wonderful, 1b) (Hiphil) To make separate, set apart. Strong—To distinguish (literally or figuratively):-- Put a difference, show marvelous, separate, set apart, sever, make wonderfully. Used 7X.
“Marvelous/Wonderful”—alp paw-law'—V.—1) To be marvelous, be wonderful, be surpassing, be extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action. Strong—a primitive root; properly, perhaps To separate, i.e. Distinguish (literally or figuratively); by implication, To be (causatively, make) great, difficult, wonderful. Used 71X.
“Works”—hsem mah-as-eh'—1) Deed, work. Strong—An action (good or bad); generally, A transaction; abstractly, Activity; by implication, A product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) Property.
“Soul”—vpn neh'-fesh—1) Soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion—1a) That which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man. Strong—properly, A breathing creature, i.e. Animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental).
“Knows”—edy yaw-dah'—1) To know. Strong—a primitive root; To know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically & inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; & causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.).
“Very well”—dam meh-od'—Adv.—1) Exceedingly, much; Subst—2) Might, force, abundance; N. m.—3) Muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly.
:15—“My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.”
Even my skeleton, which I cannot observe outright was never “hidden” from YaHWeH’s intimate knowledge.
I was secretly fashioned—in human experience—yet I was never hidden from YaHWeH.
All my multitudinous & varied features(inward & outward, miniscule & large) were indeed woven together as a cloth is woven—intricately complex, yet precisely gathered & intertwined.
“In the lowest parts of the earth.”
The “lowest part of the earth,” in the rest of Scripture, signifies the grave, or rather non-existence & separation from that which is living on the earth.(Ps. 63:9; Isa. 44:23; Ezek. 26:20 & 32:24; Eph. 4:9) In other words death would be for me were it not for the grace of YaHWeH to impart life to me. A poetic way of describing the fragility of my beginnings & the absence of anyone’s observance & knowledge.
It can possibly signify the place from which I sprang(as does a plant) in my mother’s womb. It is the place from which I drew sustenance, the source of my physical strength. The absolutely inescapable substrate by which God has determined I arise. Hidden from the eyes of those living on earth.
The first man(Adam) was formed of the dust of the earth. I too was formed with him, in a sense which only God can fathom.
“Frame”—Mue o'-tsem—1) Power, bones, might. Strong—Power; hence, body. Used 3X.
From—Mue aw-tsam'— 1) to be vast, be numerous, be mighty. Strong—to bind fast, i.e. close (the eyes); intransitively, to be (causatively, make) powerful or numerous; denominatively (from Mue) to crunch the bones.
“Hidden”—dxk kaw-khad'—1) To hide, conceal, cut off, cut down, make desolate, kick. Strong—a primitive root; To secret, by act or word; hence (intensively) To destroy.
“Made”—hse aw-saw'—1) To do, fashion, accomplish, make; 2) (Piel) To press, squeeze. Strong—a primitive root; To do or make, in the broadest sense & widest application.
“Secret”—rto say'-ther—N. m.—1) Covering, shelter, hiding place, secrecy—1a) Covering, cover, 1b) Hiding place, shelter, secret place, 1c) Secrecy—1c1) Secrecy (of tongue being slanderous) N. f.—2) Shelter, protection. Strong—A cover (in a good or a bad, a literal or a figurative sense).
“Skillfully wrought/Curiously wrought/Woven together”—Mqr raw-kam'—1) To variegate, mix colors—1a) (Qal) Variegator (worker in colors) (participle), 1b) (Pual) To be skillfully wrought or woven. Used 9X.
“Lowest part”—ytxt takh-tee'—1) Low, lower, lowest. Strong—Lowermost; as noun(feminine plural) The depths (figuratively, a pit, the womb).
“Earth”—Ura eh'-rets—1) Land, earth. Strong—from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; The earth (at large, or partitively a land).
:16—“Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed...”
YaHWeH foresaw my very fetal substance my formation.
“Saw”—har raw-aw'—1) To see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider. Strong—a primitive root; To see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct & implied, transitive, intransitive & causative).
“Substance, being yet unformed/Unformed substance/Unformed body”—Mlg go'-lem—1) Embryo, fetus. Strong—A wrapped (& unformed mass, i.e. as the embryo).
Argumentation:
1Cor. 6:20—“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body & in your spirit, which are God’s.”
1Thess. 5:23—“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; & may your whole spirit, soul, & body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Jas. 2:26—“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
Heb. 4:12-13—“For the word of God is living & powerful, & sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul & spirit, & of joints & marrow, & is a discerner of the thoughts & intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked & open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
Illustration:
Bushmen in Southern Africa(South Africa, Angola, Zamibia, Mozambique, Namibia, etc.)/Use rope to capture birds & other animals/Where did the rope come from?/Within minutes they can braid a rope from single fibers stripped from a sansevieria plant/CONSTITUTION(make-up)
Molecular scientists discover the composition on a molecular level/CONSTITUTION(make-up)
Discovery of the makeup of any body part/How it accomplishes its function(s)/Yet more than the sum of our parts!
This is what fascinates, baffles & drives the scientist, biologist, surgeon, internist, etc.
Application:
?Your CONSTITUTION inspire Praise for your Maker?
?Your Attributes call you to Praise your Creator?
3—An attribute calling me to praise my Creator is...
My DESIGN(:16b-d)
Explanation: (:16b-d) Intent/Purpose
:16—“...And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.”
YaHWeH also foreordained a destiny for me.
My very “days” were ordered in writing & thereby set in His determination. He did this long before any part of me had physical existence, much less had been knit together.
“Book”—rpo say'-fer—N. f.—1) Book; N. m.—2) Missive, document, writing, book. Strong—properly, Writing (the art or a document); by implication, A book.
“Days”—Mwy yome—1) Day, time, year. Strong—from an unused root meaning to be hot; A day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (A space of time defined by an associated term), [often used adverb].
“Fashioned”—ruy yaw-tsar'—1) To form, fashion, frame. Strong—probably identical with 03334 (through the squeezing into shape); ([compare 03331]); To mold into a form; especially as a potter; figuratively, To determine (i.e. Form a resolution).
From—ruy yaw-tsar'; a primitive root; to press (intransitive), i.e. be narrow; figuratively, be in distress.
“None”—dxa ekh-awd'—1) One (number). Strong—properly, United, i.e. One; or (as an ordinal) first.
Argumentation:
We are made for relationship with God:
Gen. 1:26-28—“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, & over the cattle, over all the earth & over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male & female He created them. Then God blessed them, & God said to them, “Be fruitful & multiply; fill the earth & subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, & over every living thing that moves on the earth.””
Gen. 2:7-9—“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, & breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; & man became a living being. The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, & there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight & good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, & the tree of the knowledge of good & evil.”
His special treasure/peculiar/
Lk. 12:4-9—““And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, & after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.”
*Eccl. 11:13-14—“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God & keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”
Prov. 1:7—“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom & instruction.”
*Eph 2:10—“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
1Pet. 2:17—“Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
Col. 3:2-4—“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, & your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
Gal. 2:20—““I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; & the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me & gave Himself for me.”
1Pet. 1:3—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
Ps. 90:12—“So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Eph 5:15-16—“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
Heb. 2:6-11, 14—3:1—“But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory & honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory & honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things & by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies & those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,”.... “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh & blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, & release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful & faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle & High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,”
1Cor. 7:29-31—“But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, & those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.”
*Titus 2:11-14—“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness & worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, & godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope & glorious appearing of our great God & Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed & purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
Illustration:
Automobiles are made for specific types of service: Sports Cars—Sedans—Mini Vans—Limousines—Trucks: Light Pickup Trucks—½ ton Pickup Trucks—2 Ton Trucks—Cement—Sewage—Gasoline—Water—Box—Dump—18 wheelers of various usage/All are DESIGNed for specific tasks
Application:
?Your DESIGN inspire Praise for your Maker?
?Your Attributes call you to Praise your Creator?
?For what were YOU DESIGNED?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
An attribute calling me to praise my Creator is...
1. My FORMATION(:13) Composition/Knit together
2. My CONSTITUTION(:14-16a) Uniqueness/Makeup/Complexity
3. My DESIGN(:16b-d) Intent/Purpose
Presented 06/26/2011pm to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
