Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect - the as yet unshaped 'embryonic substance;' literally, 'something rolled together;' a cloak;-Hebrew, golem, an embryo as yet not unfolded.
And in thy book all (my members) were written, (which) in continuance were fashioned, when (as yet there was) none of them. The English version supplies the ellipses with "my members," implied in "my substance" just spoken of. "Thy book" is the book of God's fore-ordering purpose. The same holds good in the case of the body of Christ, the Church, chosen in Him before the foundation of the world; because "we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones" (Ephesians 5:30; Ephesians 1:4). The development of this eternal purpose in time is gradual, the members being formed in union with the one Head and the one Body successively by the Spirit of God, the Author of spiritual as well as of natural life. The Chaldaic Targum supplies the ellipsis with 'days:' 'In the book of thy memory were written all my days.' In the book of God's predestination (Malachi 3:16; Psalms 56:8), as distinguished from the actual execution, were written all my days, both their number (Job 14:5), and what events were to befall me in them, "(which) in continuance were fashioned" - literally, '(which in) days were fashioned;' i:e., not all in one day, but in successive development. Two hundred and seventy-three days generally pass in the gestation, Hengstenberg translates, 'In thy book were they all written (namely), the days (which) were formed' - i:e., divinely pre-destined to be. The English version gives the more natural sense to the Hebrew, yatzar, "fashioned:" members, not days, can be said to be formed or fashioned.
When (as yet there was) none of them - (Romans 9:11.)