What does Psalm 139:16 mean by, “Your eyes saw my unformed body”?

Psalm 139:16 is a beautiful declaration of God’s intimate knowledge and sovereign care over our lives: “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Here, David articulates God’s involvement in our creation and purpose. The truth that “your eyes saw my unformed body” prompts readers to reflect on God’s omniscience, intentional design, and providential care for His people.

Your eyes saw my unformed body emphasizes God’s omniscience. God sees and knows us before our bodies are formed. David marvels at God’s all-encompassing knowledge, describing it as reaching beyond time and space: “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether” (Psalm 139:4, ESV).

God’s ability to see our unformed bodies confirms His presence in the earliest moments of our lives. His vision extends to every stage of our existence, including prenatal. This is a marvelous truth! God knows us better than we know ourselves.

God seeing our unformed bodies also reveals His intentionality in crafting us. Psalm 139:13 says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb” (ESV). Knitting or weaving (NASB) is a deliberate process; no aspect of our formation is accidental. An intentional Designer created our bodies.

God designs our bodies, and He also designs our talents, gifts, and purposes. In Ephesians 2:10, Paul writes, “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (ESV). We are not random products of nature but are cherished possessions of a purposeful God.

God is sovereign over every moment of existence. “All the days ordained for me,” says David, “were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16, ESV). God sees our unformed bodies and directs the course of our lives.

God’s sovereignty is a comforting reminder. Even in uncertain and difficult times, He is in control. “The heart of man plans his way,” writes Solomon, “but the Lord establishes his steps” (Proverbs 16:9, ESV). When we trust in God’s plan rather than our finite understanding, we can be assured that our lives will be aligned with God’s perfect will.

God directs our lives because He cares about us. Incredibly, the Creator of the universe is intimately involved in our lives! Jesus says, “Even the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30, ESV). We are not overlooked but under the watchful care of the one who saw our unformed bodies. He will watch over us until we take our final breath: “The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore” (Psalm 121:7–8, ESV).

Knowing God sees our unformed bodies changes how we see ourselves and others. Life is sacred and should be honored. Everyone is seen, known, and loved by God. Therefore, we should live purposefully and trust God’s plan.

Like David, we should draw near to God in praise and worship: “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:14, ESV).