What does it mean when it talks of God seeing us when we were being formed and it says "in the darkest part of the earth?
Psalms 139:15
AMP - 15 My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery].
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In my opinion, "the darkest part of the earth" does not carry any type of negative connotation. David is just using this metaphor to emphasize the intricate and wondrous development of the fetus in the womb as being done in as inaccessible or unobservable a manner as if it were occurring in the depths of the earth. Even in such a location, we are visible to God, and are not hidden from His knowledge.
I use this verse as a parallel to Genesis 1:2; and the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the deep. Earth relating to the substance that we were created from can suggest that Genesis 1:2; & Psalm 139:15, 16; are both relating to life inside of the womb. "Curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth" can easily be seen as the conception and development of a fetus. This concept is not far-fetched as Jews already understand this and is what Jesus was alluding to in his response to Nicodemus. John 3:10; Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? To better understand the new birth we should have a good knowledge of what takes place within the womb before birth. We live in a liquid environment, surrounded by water in darkness just as the earth was in the beginning. In the same way that the earth returned to it's former condition during the flood, we must return to the way we were before we were born. The earth that emerged from the deluge was a new heaven and a new earth. Everything from the former earth had passed away. Thus when we emerge from the waters of baptism everything from our former life has passed away and we are new creatures. This may not fit in with what is commonly taught but you only need to read what the scriptures have to say.
My opinion is that the phrase depths of the earth may be metaphorical (euphemistic) or it may reflect a prescientific belief about the origins of the embryo deep beneath the earth’s surface. Job 1:21 also closely associates the mother’s womb with the earth.
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