In Psalm 139, David's praying to God and he says, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” This speaks of the care and attention with which God has made us. By now, God has made billions of human beings, but we're not mass-produced. We're not churned out in a mechanistic way. Each one of us is individually handcrafted and there is something fearful about how we've been made. What God Has to Say about Our BodiesSam AllberryThe Bible has a lot to say about the body. Organized around three categories—creation, fall, redemption—this book by Sam Allberry provides readers with a balanced theology of the body as they seek to glorify God in everything they do. I’ve noticed that when someone has their first child and they hold them for the first time, there is a sense of awe. This baby is not intimidating, and certainly is not better than them in anything yet. But there's a sense of awe and fearfulness because they are suddenly aware of how precious and awesome this bundle is in their arms. There's something fearful about us and that actually doesn't change when we grow up and are no longer as baby-ish as we once were. There is something so intricate and meaningful about how God has made us that we really should be in awe of that fact. David goes on to say, “I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
It's actually worth saying something of God's unique creative capabilities in how each of us has been made. We should not take our existence for granted. We should not take one another's existence for granted. The human body is not just a human body. It is an extraordinary work of art by the God of all creation. It's a unique work of art. However we might be tempted to see ourselves, God actually sees us in a very different kind of way. Sam Allberry is the author of What God Has to Say about Our Bodies: How the Gospel Is Good News for Our Physical Selves.  Sam Allberry speaks around the world as a preacher and apologist, and is the author of 7 Myths about Singleness and Why Does God Care Who I Sleep With? Related Articles 5 Myths about Body Image Sam Allberry Unrealistic standards of beauty are being pushed on us almost
constantly by the media, and the cumulative effect is that it can leave us thinking about our bodies in a seriously distorted way. C.S. Lewis and the Role of the Physical Body in Prayer Joe Rigney Prayer, whether it is confession, supplication, thanksgiving, or adoration, always involves a surrender, an embracing of God’s ever-present presence. Steward Your Body for the Glory of God Sam Allberry The fact that God has made us physical means that attending to our physical life is not unspiritual; our bodies are not unspiritual. Podcast: Why Your Physical Body Matters to God (Sam Allberry) Sam Allberry talks about the eternal significance of
our physical bodies, how it relates to our identity, and why our bodies matter here and now. Related ResourcesCrossway is a not-for-profit Christian ministry that exists solely for the purpose of proclaiming the gospel through publishing gospel-centered, Bible-centered content. Learn more or donate today at crossway.org/about. Want to learn more about your identity in Christ? I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Beautiful words, right? Honestly, the whole passage where this verse comes from is full of beautiful words and meaning. But what does “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” mean? Could it be as simple as it sounds? God thinks I’m wonderful and uh…I guess fearful all at the same time. I get it, easy peasy. Ha, close but no cigar. The meaning behind this famous verse is incredibly simplistic and also oceans deep. Which could also be true for the entire Bible, which is why we love this extraordinary book so darn much, right? Keeps us on our toes… But the meaning behind Psalm 139:14, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” is honestly ridiculously revelatory. No joke, my sense of self-worth bumped up like, 3 notches after doing this study. I hope it’ll do the same for you because it doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from, you my friend, are fearfully and wonderfully made. Let’s dive in! Fearfully and Wonderfully Made MeaningHave you ever looked in the mirror and told yourself that you are average, inadequate, or not enough? If so, then you’re not seeing yourself the way God sees you. You are not seeing yourself as a result of God’s divine creation. Listen to what God says about you:
This verse is nestled inside of Psalm 139 which might just be one of my favorite psalms because it is full of meaning and comforting passages about how God is an ever-present presence in our lives. God is constantly aware of our problems and needs. However, the key verse we want to highlight is, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made”. This is probably not a new verse for you. Maybe you’ve heard it before at church, or at least seen it on Pinterest boards, Instagram posts, or perhaps even t-shirts. But, what does I am fearfully and wonderfully made even mean? In Psalm 139:14, the psalmist, David, is praising God because he is overwhelmed by the majesty of a God who could create him in such an intricate and unique way. David is in complete awe of our amazing God. However, to say, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” while praising God is kind of an odd thing to do, right? So, let’s look a bit closer at what’s going on here. The word “wonderfully” is the Hebrew word “pala”, which means to be separate, distinguished, or unique. Basically it means that God made you to be special. No, I’m not trying to flatter you, it really means that! There is no one else like you. You are the only you that God has ever created. God made you to be special, distinguished, and unique. But this verse doesn’t end with you simply being wonderfully made, it says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. The “wonderfully” part might be easier to understand without needing a deeper level of explanation. But the fearfully part?! That’s a very interesting word for David to use isn’t it? The word “fearfully” used in this passage of scripture is the Hebrew word “yare”, which is the same word the Bible uses when referring to have a “fear of the Lord”. When the Bible speaks of “fearing the Lord”, it doesn’t mean we are to be terrified of God. We aren’t to be constantly walking on eggshells, quivering in fear before God. Instead, what “fear of the Lord” is referring to is we are to have a respect and reverence for God. Here’s a few examples of how the fear of the Lord is used in the Bible in reference to respecting and revering God:
In these verses the word “fear” isn’t used in reference to being absolutely terrified of God, but instead to have a deep respect and reverence for God. We follow God and obey God because we respect His ways and who He is. We stand in awe of how great and mighty our God is and we come to Him in praise because He is worthy of our praise. Praising God because God is worthy of our praise is exactly what David is doing in Psalm 139:14. David is coming to the Lord saying, “Lord, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made!”. It may sound ever so slightly self-absorbed but it’s actually not at all. It’s like David is saying, “Lord, how great is your work, except your “work” is me! Therefore, how great am I? However, I am only great because it is the greatness of God that makes me great. In the same way, I am only wonderful because God’s wonderfulness makes me wonderful. Make sense? You see, it was God that created your innermost being and it was God that knitted you together in your mother’s womb. Psalm 139 says:
So what David is saying is, “Lord, I praise you because of how amazing you made me!”. David is praising God, because of how amazing God made David to be. Every single person is a masterpiece of God. Think about it, there’s seven billion people on the planet, but there is no one else with your finger print, or with your retina scan. You are unique. You are an original design. Diamonds are expensive because they are rare, but you’re not rare. You’re the only one that exists. Or will ever exist!! That makes you priceless. You are a masterpiece. You are a priceless work of art. It is because God is wonderful, that we are wonderful. Now let’s take it one step further, it is because we are to fear God that we are fearfully made. Remember the word “fearfully” here is the Hebrew word “yare” which means to respect, to revere, to honor, to stand in awe of, and to be afraid of. So, when God says you are fearfully made, what He means is when God made you, He made you full of respect, reverence, honor, and awe.
Everything that we are first comes from the source of everything that He is. We are made in the image of God. Read More: What Does It Mean to Be Made in the Image of God? Remember that when David wrote Psalm 139:14, David was praising God, because of how amazing God created David to be. However, what is the opposite of praise? It’s criticism. So, when we say we are worthless, not enough, or insignificant, we are not only criticizing ourselves, but we are also criticizing the God who made us! Think about that. When you criticize yourself, you are also criticizing the God who made you. But God doesn’t make mistakes. Psalm 18 says:
God’s way is perfect, and His Word is flawless. That means when God’s Word says that He created your innermost being, then that means God designed you exactly the way He wanted you to be.
When God’s Word says you are His masterpiece, then you really are His masterpiece.
When you look at yourself and everything that makes you (your giftings, your anointings, and your talents), you should stand in awe of what God has created in you. You should thank Him and honor Him for everything He has given you, and the gift of life He has bestowed upon you. To be fearfully and wonderfully made is not just a feel-good Bible verse, there is real power and authority that comes with being fearfully and wonderfully made. The same Spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.
Never give into the lie that you are anything less than the most wonderful reflection of our glorious God, who is worthy of honor and praise. Remember, you are made in the image and likeness of God. So, just as David did, give God all the glory and praise because of how fearfully and wonderfully He has made you! More Resources for Understanding What it Means to Be Fearfully & Wonderfully Made My signature course, Passport from Heaven will also help you understand what it means to be fearfully and wonderfully made! In it I do a deep dive on what the Bible says about your identity in Christ, and how knowing these truths will quite literally change your life. As you can tell, I am very passionate about it. If you’re interested, click here to check it out! Bible Study Resources!
Just for fun, here’s some of my favorite Bible study tools that have really helped me in understanding the Word of God: Favorite Bibles and Commentaries:
Favorite Books and Devotionals:
Bible Journaling Supplies:
Read More The 10 Most Accurate Bible Translations Bible Overview: Summary of the Entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation How Do I Know God Loves Me? Like this post? Pin it for later! Have more questions about the verse “I am fearfully and wonderfully made”? Let me know in the comments below! |
Bible verse about being fearfully and wonderfully made
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