Psalm 139:14 (NASB)

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

Bible Commentary

Psalm 139:14 is a well-known Bible verse, which displays King David’s meditation on the miracle of creation – the human body and soul.

God not only created the human body, but He has created every individual, unique soul–the mind and emotions inside the body. They exist together, intertwined, each no less important than the other.

Neither the body nor the soul have life without the breath of God. Genesis 2:7 says, “Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

Some Hebrew meanings for the word “breath” here are: wind, inspiration, soul, spirit.

So, the human body was formed from the dust of the ground—physical from physical; But the human soul and spirit comes from the breath of God—intangible from intangible. God gives us more clues than this, however. In Psalm 139:14, David describes God’s works.

The word “fearfully” in Hebrew means: revere, be afraid, reverence. So God wove into the fabric of our human souls a mechanism that would help us to revere, or fear Him.

The Miracle of Creation

There are many instances from the Bible where God instructs His people to fear Him (Deuteronomy 4:10). However, with free will, it is our choice to obey or not (Deuteronomy 30:19).

The word “wonderfully” in Hebrew means: distinguish, set apart, put a difference.

Just put some thought into how many people are in the world, and consider our similarities being made in the image of God, yet each person is uniquely their own, with his or her own temperament, physical characteristics and style—inside and out.

No wonder King David was praising God for His marvelous works—the miracle of creation.

The word “marvelous” in Psalm 139:14 in Hebrew means: distinguish, difficult, wonderful, miracles.

Have you ever studied your fingertip, knowing that your fingerprint is completely unique? Or have you considered the shape of the color pigments in your eye? There is so much evidence of God’s miracle of creation!

If we would only slow down and dwell upon Him, we would be in awe as we allow Him to show us His marvelous works. Psalm 111:2 says, “Great are the works of the Lord; They are studied by all who delight in them.”

It takes time and some self-discipline to study the Word of God and meditate on His creation, but oh, how sweet are the rewards of seeing God and the miracle of His creation. How satisfying to reflect on and recognize just how much precision and care went into creating your human body and soul.

He made us in His image, then breathed His very life into us because He desires a mutual, reciprocal relationship with us, His children. Delight His heart, revere and praise Him as David did, for the wonderful miracle of you.

Study the Bible verse of Psalm 139:14, and catch a glimpse of the magnitude of your Heavenly Father’s tender loving care for you.