Let’s read those beloved words in Psalm 139:13-17, “For You created my innermost parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You

when I was made in secret, and skillfully formed in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my formless substance; and IN YOUR BOOK WERE WRITTEN ALL THE DAYS THAT WERE ORDAINED FOR ME, when as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God! How vast is the sum of them!” (NASB).

While we cannot comment on all the precious points in these verses, let’s look at a few particular points in this portion.

  • MY FRAME WAS NOT HIDDEN FROM YOU WHEN I WAS MADE IN SECRET – Our God, who sees all and knows all, saw us when we were first formed in our mother’s womb.  Even before our mothers knew she was pregnant, the Lord knew.  We were not hidden from Him, although, at one point, we were hidden from all the world.
  • YOUR EYES HAVE SEEN MY FORMLESS SUBSTANCE – This “formless substance” is defined as ‘a wrapped (and unformed mass, i.e. as the embryo)’.  When we were just an embryo, when we were yet formed well enough to even resemble a human form, the Lord saw us and knew us. 
  • IN YOUR BOOK WERE WRITTEN ALL THE DAYS THAT WERE ORDAINED FOR ME – What a comforting thought for believers!  The Lord has, according to His loving and sovereign will, determined just how long we will live on the earth.  Job expressed a similar thought in Job 14:5, “Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; and You have set his limits so that he cannot pass.”

What are we to think about this?  Does this mean that every death is appointed and directed by God…including every murder and every suicide?  Should we not pray for healing if our day of death is predetermined by God?

It is not fair, nor is it scriptural to ascribe evil deeds to the Lord.  We read in James 1:13, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.”  Our God DOES NOT SIN, neither does He tempt, or cause, anyone else to sin.  Our God, who knows and declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), knows how each of us will live and how and when each of us will die.  Although, He knows if we will die by suicide, or by murder, or by tragedy, that does not necessarily mean that God directed those acts. 

Should we pray for healing for ourselves or others, since the Lord has ordained the very day we shall die?  Yes, we should pray for this.  We do not know the Lord’s mind in these things, and we should pray for the Lord’s will in every situation.  We are assured that “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16).  The Lord desires that we pray about all things and according to His perfect and holy will, He will answer accordingly.  And isn’t that what we really desire…God’s perfect and holy will? 

Understanding how the Lord has given each of us a certain time to dwell on this earth, it is proper that we should continuously seek His will.  David wrote in Psalm 31:15, “My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.”  James wrote in James 4:13-14, “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”  Both of these men realized the hand of God in their lives, and also realized life could end today or tomorrow.  Therefore, it is wise and proper that we commend our needs to Him…the One who does know what tomorrow will bring. 

Is it possible that our lives could end before this predetermined time the Lord has given us?  No, it is not possible.  I will close with a quote from George Whitefield, that 18th century writer, who stated, “We are immortal until our work on earth is done.”  I believe that to be true and scriptural.  (CC)  (704.2)