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When Critics Ask (1960)

Psalms 139:13-16

Can it be inferred from this verse that the Bible considers abortion to be murder?

PROBLEM: According to this passage, God looks upon the unborn as a human being. However, if the unborn is fully human, then abortion would be the willful killing of the innocent—murder. Does this passage indicate that God considers abortion to be murder?

SOLUTION: Yes. Several other passages reinforce this position. First, the unborn are known intimately and called out by God. In Jeremiah 1:5, God says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Second, the unborn are said to possess personal characteristics—sin, as in Psalms 51:5; or joy, as in Luke 1:44.

Third, anyone who harms the unborn receives the same punishment for harm done to an adult. Elsewhere (see comments on Exodus 21:22-23), equal punishment is given for harm done to a woman or to the child she carries. God looks upon the unborn as fully human. And the willful taking of an innocent human life is murder.

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See also Psalms 139:13-16 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 139:13. _THOU HAST POSSESSED MY REINS_] As the Hebrews believed that the _reins_ were the first part of the human fetus that is formed, it may here mean, thou hast laid the foundation of...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    FOR THOU HAST POSSESSED MY REINS - The word here rendered “possessed” means properly to “set upright,” to “erect,” and hence, the derivative of the verb is applied to a cane or reed, as being erect. T...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 139 In the Divine Presence _ 1. His omniscience (Psalms 139:1)_ 2. His omnipresence (Psalms 139:7) 3. Praising Him ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    CXXXIX. GOD IS EVERYWHERE: HE KNOWS EVERYTHING OH THAT HE WOULD DESTROY THE WICKED. This Ps. is among the most spiritual productions of the OT. It deals with the mystery of Divine providence, a theme...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    COVERED. woven me together. Compare Job 10:8; Job 10:11....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    For it was thou that didst form my reins] Thou is emphatic. The connexion of thought expressed by _for_is not obvious; but it appears to give a reason for the intimate knowledge of which the preceding...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    God must know the Psalmist perfectly, for He ordered the first beginnings of his life, and foresaw all his destiny....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THOU HAST POSSESSED MY REINS, &C.— Or, _Thou hast formed my reins; thou hast compacted me._...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 139 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE An Individual submits Himself to Jehovah's All-Searching Eye. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 139:1-6, Jehovah's Knowledge considered as Taking into View every Form of Human...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. FOR THOU (EMPHATIC) HAST POSSESSED MY REINS. The "For" implies, it is no wonder that nothing appertaining to me is hidden...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    139:13 me (c-10) Or 'thou didst knit me together,' as Job 10:11 . See also 'hedged in,' Job 3:23 , and 'cover,' Psalms 91:4 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    POSSESSED] rather, 'formed,' or 'created.' REINS] the kidneys, seat of thought, feeling, etc., according to Hebrew belief. COVERED ME] rather, 'woven me together,' like a piece of cloth, with bones,...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    One of the very greatest of the Pss. No grander tribute has ever been paid to the omniscience and omnipresence of God. The Ps. is ascribed to David, but the Hebrew is decisive in favour of a date very...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 107:150 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING PSALMS 139 Jesus said, "Your Father (God) knows how many hairs there are on your head!" ...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    FOR... — The mystery of birth regarded as one of the greatest mysteries (see Ecclesiastes 11:5), is a proof of God’s omniscience. POSSESSED. — The context seems to require _formed, fashioned,_ as, acc...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    כִּֽי ־אַ֭תָּה קָנִ֣יתָ כִלְיֹתָ֑י תְּ֝סֻכֵּ֗נִי בְּ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 139:1 THIS is the noblest utterance in the Psalter of pure contemplative theism, animated and not crushed by the thought of God's omniscience and omnipresence. No less striking than the unequal...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE ALL-SEEING GOD Psalms 139:1 The psalmist speaks as if there were only two beings in the universe-God and himself. In all literature there is no nobler conception of the divine attributes. _ God'...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The conception of intimate personal relation between God and man is perhaps more remarkably and forcefully dealt with in this song than in any other in the whole collection. The great facts are first...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    For thou hast (h) possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. (h) You have made me in all parts and therefore must know me....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _I know. Hebrew, "thou knowest." But some copies read more accurately. (Houbigant) --- Poor. Thus, in the end, was Lazarus treated. [Luke xvi. 22.] (Worthington)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    I would not make a chasm in the reading of these verses, because the latter of them, according to my view, throw a light upon the former. It may, no doubt, be truly said by David, and by every man lik...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    13._For thou hast possessed my reins _Apparently he prosecutes the same subject, though he carries it out somewhat farther, declaring that we need not be surprised at God’s knowledge of the most secre...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 139 shows the complete exercise of heart that belongs to God's ways. Though the faithfulness of God perfects all His purposed blessing, not a thought escapes God. There is, morally speaking, no...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    FOR THOU HAST POSSESSED MY REINS,.... His thoughts and counsels, the reins being the seat of instruction and counsel; hence God is called the trier of the reins, and searcher of the hearts of the chil...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. Ver. 13. _For thou hast possessed my reins_] The seat of mine affections. Thoughts kindle affections, and these cause thoug...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Thou hast possessed_ Or, _thou dost possess, my reins_ The most inward and hidden part of my body, supposed also to be the seat of men's lusts and passions: thou dwellest in them, thou art the owner...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-16 We cannot see God, but he can see us. The psalmist did not desire to go from the Lord. Whither can I go? In the most distant corners of the world, in heaven, or in hell, I cannot go out of thy r...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THOU HAST POSSESSED; or, _thou dost possess_; thou dwellest in them, thou art the Owner and Governor of them, and therefore must needs know them. Or, THOU HAST FORMED, as some of the ancients and othe...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 139:13 formed H7069 (H8804) parts H3629 covered H5526 (H8799) mothers H517 womb H990 For thou -...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 139:1. _O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me._ «Thou hast explored me, as men dig in mines, and make subterranean excavations. Thou hast searched into my secret parts, and known me.» P...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 139:1. _O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me._ God does not need to «search» us, for that implies a want of knowledge, a knowledge obtained by search. But the meaning of the text is, th...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    May the all-seeing God, of whom this Psalm speaks, look down upon us and bless us richly while we read it! Psalms 139:1. _O LORD thou hast searched me, and known me._ «Known me perfectly, far better...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    In this Psalm, David praises God by specially dwelling upon the one attribute of omniscience. If we really wish to praise God, we must think of him as he is, and it is the best praise that we can rend...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    This is a Psalm we can never read too often. It will be to us one of the greatest safeguards against sin if we have its teaching constantly before our mind's eye, and the teaching of this Psalm is sim...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Meditation upon the doctrines of God's omniscience and omnipresence. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: The God with whom we have to do has a perfect knowledge of us and all the motions a...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    This psalm is entitled, a _psalm of David._ All the Versions agree with the Hebrew in this. It must be regarded as one of the sublimest representations of the Divinity, and particularly with regard to...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _For Thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb._ GOD AS THE CREATOR OF MAN I. He created man, who is a wonder to man’s self (verses 13, 14). II. He created man, who come...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me._ GOD’S EXHAUSTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF MAN This lyric has always been the subject of praise. Aben Ezra said there was none like it in the five books. Lord Brough...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 139:1. The closing request of this hymn (“search me, O God, and know my heart”) echoes the opening statement. This highlights the psalm’s theme: God’s knowledge of his peopl...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 139:13 These verses illustrate the point of vv. Psalms 139:11 by describing a particular “dark place” where the Lord saw and cared for the singer, namely, his...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION “Nowhere,” says Perowne, “are the great attributes of God—His omniscience, His omnipresence, His omnipotence, set forth so strikingly as they are in this magnificent Psalm. Nowhere is the...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION A song of praise to God for his omniscience, his omnipresence, and his marvelous powers, ending with a prayer for the destruction of the wicked, and for the purifying from evil of the psalm...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Psa 139:1-24, another psalm of David to the chief musician. As David offers this prayer really unto God, declaring, first of all, O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me (Psalms 139:1). Recogniz...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Isaiah 44:2; Isaiah 46:3; Jeremiah 1:5; Job 10:9; Job 31:15;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THOU GOD SEEST ME _Selections from Psalms 139:1_ INTRODUCTORY WORDS The world today needs a new vision of the Deity of Christ. Our Lord Jesus has been dragged down from His place of authority and p...

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