Psalms 139:8

Psalms 139:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
• New International Version (NIV)If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
• New King James Version (NKJV)If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

Context of Psalms 139:8

6You know so much about me, it is wonderful. I cannot understand it. My thoughts cannot reach as high as that! 7Is there anywhere that I can go to run away from your Spirit? Anywhere that I go, you are already there! If I go up to heaven, you would be there. If I dig deep down into the ground to reach Sheol, you would be there too. 9If I fly away to where the sun rises in the east, or to the other side of the sea in the west, you would be there. 10You would use your hand to lead me. Your strong right hand would keep me safe.

Psalms 139:8 word by word

אִם־אֶסַּ֣ק שָׁ֭מַיִם שָׁ֣ם אָ֑תָּה וְאַצִּ֖יעָה שְּׁא֣וֹל הִנֶּֽךָּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If I ascend upסָלֵקnâsaq · to ascendH5266
• into heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• there: if I make my bedיָצַעyatsa‛ · to layH3331
• in hellשְׁאוֹלshe'ôl she'ôl · hell: SheolH7585

Cross-references for Psalms 139:8

• Ezekiel 28:12‘Son of man, sing this funeral song about the king of Tyre. Tell him, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: At one time, you were the example of a good man. You were completely wise and beautiful.
• Amos 9:2They might try to dig deep into the earth to save themselves. But my strong hand will pull them out of there. They might climb up into the sky. But I will pull them down from there.
• Obadiah 1:4You may be like a strong bird that flies high. And you may make your home in the highest places among the stars. But I will bring you down from there.’ That is what the Lord says.
• Job 26:6God sees everything that happens in the place of dead people. Nothing can hide that terrible place from him.
• Job 34:21He watches the way that each person lives. He sees what they do every day.
• Proverbs 15:11The Lord sees clearly into the deep hole of death. So you can be sure that he knows people's secret thoughts.
• Jonah 2:2He said, ‘When I was in trouble, I called out to the Lord, and he answered my prayer. Yes, I called out to you for help from the deep hole of death, and you heard my prayer.

Commentaries on Psalms 139:8

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8If I ascend up into heaven - The word “heaven” here, in the original is in the plural number - “heavens,” - and includes all that there is above the earth - the highest worlds. If I make my bed - Properly, “If I strew or spread my couch.” If I should seek that as the place where to lie down. In hell - Hebrew, “Sheol.” See the notes at Isaiah 14:9, where the word is fully explained. The word here refers to the under-world - the abodes of the dead; and, in…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-16Verses 7-16 We cannot see God, but he can see us. The psalmist did not desire to go from the Lord. Whither can I go? In the most distant corners of the world, in heaven, or in hell, I cannot go out of thy reach. No veil can hide us from God; not the thickest darkness. No disguise can save any person or action from being seen in the true light by him. Secret haunts of sin are as open before God as the most open villanies. On the other hand, the believer…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8if I make my bed in Sheol: God has complete access to all he has created, even the most hidden or hard-to-reach places.Read the comment
• Rashi on Tanakh · v. 8and if I make my bed Heb. ואציעה, an expression of a spread (מצע) and a bed.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 139:8

• God Continued...
• Heart
• Hell

In the dictionaries

• Attain
• Continuance
• Count
• Cover
• Curiously
• Fearfully
• Hades
• Hold
• Sum
• Uprising

Commentaries on Psalms 139

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings