God’s Word Translation
Psalms 139:12
12even the darkness is not too dark for you. Night is as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same ⌞to you⌟.
Psalms 139:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
- New International Version (NIV)even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
- English Standard Version (ESV)even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
Context of Psalms 139:12
10even there your hand would guide me and your right hand would hold on to me. 11If I say, “Let the darkness hide me and let the light around me turn into night,” even the darkness is not too dark for you. Night is as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same ⌞to you⌟. 13You alone created my inner being. You knitted me together inside my mother. 14I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made. Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this.
Read all of Psalms 139Psalms 139:12 word by word
גַּם־חֹשֶׁךְ֮ לֹֽא־יַחְשִׁ֪יךְ מִ֫מֶּ֥ךָ וְ֭לַיְלָה כַּיּ֣וֹם יָאִ֑יר כַּ֝חֲשֵׁיכָ֗ה כָּאוֹרָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Yea, the darknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
- hidethחָשַׁךְchâshak · to darkenH2821
- not from thee; but the nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- shinethאוֹר'ôr · to lightH215
- as the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- the darknessחֲשֵׁכָהchăshêkâh chăshêykâh · darknessH2825
- and the lightאוֹרָה'ôrâh · lightH219
Cross-references for Psalms 139:12
- Exodus 14:20between the Egyptian camp and the Israelite camp. The ⌞column of⌟ smoke was there when darkness came, and it lit up the night. Neither side came near the other all night long.
- Exodus 20:21The people kept their distance while Moses went closer to the dark cloud where God was.
- Job 26:6Sheol is naked in God’s presence, and Abaddon has no clothing.
- Job 34:22There’s no darkness or deep shadow where troublemakers can hide.
- Daniel 2:22He reveals deeply hidden things. He knows what is in the dark, and light lives with him.
- Hebrews 4:13No creature can hide from God. Everything is uncovered and exposed for him to see. We must answer to him.
Commentaries on Psalms 139:12
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee - Margin, as in Hebrew, “darkeneth not.” Darkness does not make darkness to thee. It makes things dark to us; not to him. So it is in natural darkness; so in moral darkness ness. It seems dark to us; it is not so to him. Things appear dark to us - disappointment, bereavement, trouble, care, losses; but all is light to God. The existence of sin and suffering on the earth seems dark to us; not to him, for he sees the…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. 7-12The psalmist shows wonder at God being everywhere at all times.Read the comment
- Rashi on Tanakh · v. 12Even there I have no asylum, for no darkness will obscure [anything] from You.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 139:12
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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