Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: From Textbook Answer to Deeply Rooted Truth

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” –Psalm 139

This verse is prominent in writing and discussions about a woman’s worth. Many women know this verse by heart. Some are truly comforted by the truth it reveals. But for me, I didn’t exactly know what “fearfully” and “wonderfully” meant. I knew this was the “textbook” answer to my questions about my worth, but what is it those words so readily retrievable in my mind actually mean? How can they affect the way I live and view myself?

With this combination of curiosity, confusion, and potential comfort, I decided to look into the meaning and truth of these words.

I do believe we have a Maker. Though I have questioned this in the past, the complexity of human life, to me, is beyond the capabilities of chance. So I know I was made. But what is this “fearfully” and “wonderfully” business?

Here’s what I have found in the dictionary and my heart as I explored and expressed this through art:

Fearfully. I always thought fear was a negative thing. Scared. Frightened. Afraid. Timid. Anxious. But an alternate definition of fearful is this: “full of awe or reverence.” Not only are we to fear the Lord, but when He made us, He was (and is!) full of awe and reverence for us. He admires His work in us. This is amazing to me. We were created with heartfelt interest and respect. The Lord has a lot on His plate, but He still takes interest in us!

Wonderfully. Now this one has a positive connotation. But what exactly does it mean beyond really good? What I found is this: We were created as unique, marvelous, and set apart individuals. We are not mass-produced. Every detail of us is planned. We are complex, yet complete.

Here are my final thoughts. We are known and loved. We weren’t created and then forgotten. We have a Maker who takes continual interest in us. We were created to give praise, honor, and worship to Him.

Although I need a constant reminder of these words and their meanings, they are no longer just a textbook answer, but a solid truth in my life.

This personally created visual reminder hangs on my wall, right next to this gem, sent to me by Wonderfully Made with the purchase of a book.

What does “fearfully and wonderfully made” mean to you? Are there any truths that you want to look into more deeply?