“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Ps. 139.14

As Chris Tomlin sings, “You and I were made to worship.” I think David has two meanings here, a poetic double entendre. First, I praise you because you have made me to be a creature of praise – worship is in keeping with my most fundamental nature.

Second, I recognize how wonderful it is that you have made me and thus I desire to praise you. Either or both is a sufficient argument against total depravity as understood in the TULIP confession (bearing in mind that what TULIP wants is to protect us from thinking along Pelagian lines). I am fallen and sinful, yes I am, but the goodness of my created nature remains. Praise God.

It is likely that you already know this little verse by heart, but remembering the sort of extended meditation we’re doing here, take time with each word this week and really dig into what this statement means – and what it means specifically in your own life (you are quite well made after all). You can even try using the first part of the verse and filling in your own ending: I praise you because ________. See how many ways you can think of to fill in the blank.

I think you will be surprised at how differently your week goes when you fill it with praise to the God who made you a creature of praise.