In the light of our reexamination of God’s creation in Genesis, I thought this Psalm would an appropriate codicil. Perhaps there isn’t a distinct division, but generally speaking, in the first half of this Psalm we have a statement of David’s theology, and in the second half we have his position on anthropology. In the first half, David explores the subject of God. For example, we see the Lord’s omniscience – He knows all about me. “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me: it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” David explains that God’s omniscience is related to His omnipresence. “Thou compasset my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whether shall I flee from thy presence?” Beginning somewhat in verse 14 the psalmist explains what he believes about himself and men in general. “Anthropology” is the study of man. Together these two points, theology and anthropology, might be used as bookends for all the doctrines to which David adhered – and which we ought to believe as well.
Nearly every theology book that I’ve ever seen has begun with either the doctrine of God or with Bibliology. And there are good arguments for both: All things began with the Lord – obviously – so that is always a good place to begin. But then, the revelation of the really important aspects of Jehovah come from the pages of Bible. After beginning with either the Bible or God Himself, just about everything else in those theology books, in one way or other, tie the Creator to His creation – to us. Theology proper and anthropology could be considered the bookends of spiritual knowledge. In between come the doctrines of angels, eschatology (future things), ecclesiology (the church) and, of course, soteriology (the study of salvation).
It as a basic tenet of David’s theology that all men, including himself, were CREATED directly by God.
That is just what we have been studying in Genesis 1 and 2. And here David says, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”
When I was young, I was given a model called “The Visible Man.” I assume that these are still around, and if they aren’t, they certainly should be. It was a hard, clear plastic man, about 12 inches tall, with a seam which made the front come off. Then inside were replicas of the primary parts of human body: heart, lungs, intestines, stomach, etc. If I remember correctly, each piece was a different color. They all snugly fit together in the approximate place where they are found in the human body. But they could also all be removed. Many parents back in those days wanted their children to become doctors and nurses, so a knowledge of anatomy was important.
Whether the manufacturer meant it or not, that model taught many of us kids that the body is a marvelously engineered piece of living machinery. I wonder how long it took for its manufacturers to take it from concept, to production, to store shelves? And, without a doubt, it must have had a designer or perhaps a team of designers. It didn’t just accidentally pop out of the plastic molding machine one day, demanding that it be sold to parents around the world. There was intelligent design behind the creation of that educational toy. But “The Visible Man” isn’t even one percent as complicated as the real thing it was to represent. Only the major body parts where there, but there was no blood, no nervous system, and certainly no life.
David acknowledged that he knew, as does every one else – down in the depths of his soul – that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made. We have come from the mind and hand of an intelligent Creator. The accidental, or mutational development, of a human body is mathematically, logically, scientifically, morally, religiously, chronologically, spiritually and vitally impossible. Only through brainwashing, and the bludgeoning of the human soul, could anyone believe anything less than that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” directly by the Lord. And that fact knew David’s soul right well – very well – verse 14.
This doctrine of divine creation lays at the root of all proper theology and anthropology. It brings the creature into a proper relationship to the Creator. It establishes a basis for our worship and praise of that Creator – El Shaddai. And this is before we ever begin to examine all the other marvelous works of the Lord.
Another essential tenet of David’s anthropology – was man’s PRE-BIRTH LIFE.
Verse 13 – “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.” Verse 15 – “My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”
When he referred to “the lowest parts of the earth,” I think that David was expressing an euphemism. What goes on inside mother’s tummy is as mysterious as if it was a hundred miles below the surface of the earth or at the bottom of the depths of the sea. Relatively recently, with new technology that is available, are we learning about the development of babies. And I might add, there is nothing that we are learning which in any way detracts from what the Lord has revealed to us about His hand in that process. With every baby – millions and millions of them – born or lost every year around the world – With each and every baby, the omniscient God watches, sees and oversees every aspect its growth. He sees all the organs; all the commonalities and the uniquenesses; all the deformities and all the perfections and slight imperfections. In a metaphorical sense they all go into His book of records, making sure that every child is exactly as He has designed and ordained it. Initially, and even after birth, many organs and bodily systems are imperfect. But they are as the Lord intended. No one can read David’s words and say that the unborn baby is not a new, but as yet, hidden human being.
The word “reins,” in verse 13, comes from an Hebrew word which is most often translated “kidneys.” And if you look up all 31 verses where this word is used, you’ll see that “kidney,” or something very similar to it, is the thought – even when it is translated “reins.” (If I remember correctly, the kidneys in the “Visible Man” were produced as a pair.) When David used the word, I think that he was referring simply to those parts of our anatomy which are essential to life. And he was saying that even before he came out of his mothers womb, it was the Lord who possessed, controlled and regulated his life.
Sadly, we have among us several mothers who have lost babies before birth. None of them wished that child to die. But the life, the reins, of that unborn child are in the hand of the Lord – not in the hand of that mother. David, and all thinking people, realize that.
This knowledge that God is both omniscient and omnipotent doesn’t discourage David in the slightest.
In fact, they are another encouragement for him to worship the Lord. “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.”
If the Lord knows and controls what goes on in the wombs of all the world’s mothers… Is it any more difficult for the Lord to know what goes on in the mind of the fathers of those babies? And if the Lord knows what is in our minds, wouldn’t it be easy for Him to know what goes on in our hearts? By “heart” I’m not referring the red-colored organ in the middle of the “Visible Man’s” chest. If God can know our thoughts, he can also know the “intents” of those thoughts. Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The word “intents” means “meditations,” “thoughts” or “plans” of those hearts.
This could be, and perhaps should be, a frightening thing for the wicked man to consider. It often is, so, for the most part, they refuse to consider it very hard. But for the righteous man, thinking upon the omniscience of the Lord should provoke us to worship. To realize that our God – our Saviour – is completely and minutely aware of every event, every plan and every hope – should be extremely comforting. To know that the God we worship is in control of all the forces of nature, like a captain on a parade ground, or a general on a game-board battlefield, should be extremely uplifting. “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose,” because all things are under His complete control.
There was also an article in David’s statement of faith which declared that God will JUDGE the wicked.
“Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.” In our church doctrinal statement, one article reads: “We believe that the wicked are they who do not believe in Christ Jesus; they are condemned because of unbelief and corrupted by the god of this world; that the unjust spurn the privileges of God’s grace, choosing the life of sin and rebellion; and that eternal damnation is their inescapable portion.”
David was so sure of God’s judgment upon the wicked, that he didn’t even want to be standing close to them, just in case that judgment was soon. He didn’t want to be known as a friend to the wicked. He certainly didn’t want to be thought of as confederate wih them. “Depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.”
“For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.” Notice that David’s sanctified hatred of this evil group of people was based upon their hatred of God. What some wicked man does to us isn’t a tithe as important as what that deed is against the holy God. David justifies his emotions by comparing them to the Lord.
The last doctrine to which David refers comes from and relates to the other four. Because the Lord is my Maker and the Creator of humanity, and because He is also the Judge of those created beings who rebel against His authority….
I vow to LIVE SUBMISSIVELY before the Lord.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
The God who can see that baby two days after her conception, can certainly see me today. And with that thought in mind, I willingly lay myself open before His omniscient eye. I don’t want anyone to think that I am the least bit resistant to the Lord’s searching examination. A polygraph test will not be necessary, Lord. Sodium Pentothal will not be necessary to extract the truth from this heart. Hypnotism will not be required. Not only do I open my heart, but I open my mind to you as well. “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.”
But it’s not out of pride that I say this, Lord. I’m not trying to tell you, or anyone else, that I consider myself to be above sin and perfectly righteous. I’m laying bare my heart in order to facilitate a thorough cleaning by YOUR omnipotent and grace-filled heart. Acknowledging that the wicked will be eternally judged, not only do I refuse to join them, but I want to make sure that my heart isn’t secretly allied with them. Only, if the Lord frees us are we truly free. Only, if the Lord cleanses us are we truly clean.
David acknowledges here the Lord’s creatorship, omniscience, authority and majesty. Only God can create life and souls, and only God can cleanse a soul befouled by sin. Lord, work your miracles upon us once again.