'My substance was not hid from thee,
when I was made in secret,
and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.'
(Psalm 139:15)
'And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction
unto the LORD, and He heard me;
out of the belly of hell cried I,
and Thou heardest my voice.'
(Jonah 2:2)
'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte,
and when he is made,
ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.'
(Matthew 23:15)
Hello
@Base12,
Are you sure you were not intending to quote Psalm 139:8, and not v.15, because at least that has the word, 'hell' within it.
'If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there:
if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there.'
(Psalm139:8)
* The Hebrew word translated,
'hell', in Psalm 139:8 and in Jonah 2:2. is '
Sheol' or '
Hades', which refers to the place of the dead, or the grave.
* Jonah was in the place of the dead (Sheol) inside the belly of the whale, for all within it would be consumed.
* In Matthew 23:15, the Greek word translated,
'hell' is
'Gehenna', which refers to the fire of end-time judgement.
* Psalm 138:15 that you refer to has a context, which should be included in your consideration, David prayed to God:-
'For Thou hast possessed my reins:
Thou hast covered me
in my mother's womb.
I will praise Thee;
.. for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
....
marvellous are Thy works;
......
and that my soul knoweth right well.
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,
...... as yet there was none of them.'
(Psalm 139:13-16)
* Looking back at God's works (
I believe it possible that) David was looking back beyond the womb to the time when God in His foreknowledge knew David, though afar off in terms of time; when David did not yet have substance: when he (
in Adam) had yet to be
'fashioned' or formed from the earth. and (
in Adam) have the breath of life breathed into him and become a living soul. This David in awe and wonder acknowledges, to the glory of God's omniscience.
Praise God!
* As you can see I do not share your thinking in regard to these verses.
Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris