God’s Word Translation
Psalms 139:9
9If I climb upward on the rays of the morning sun ⌞or⌟ land on the most distant shore of the sea where the sun sets,
Psalms 139:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
- New International Version (NIV)If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
- English Standard Version (ESV)If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
- New King James Version (NKJV)If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Context of Psalms 139:9
7Where can I go ⌞to get away⌟ from your Spirit? Where can I run ⌞to get away⌟ from you? 8If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in hell, you are there. If I climb upward on the rays of the morning sun ⌞or⌟ land on the most distant shore of the sea where the sun sets, 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,”
Read all of Psalms 139Psalms 139:9 word by word
אֶשָּׂ֥א כַנְפֵי־שָׁ֑חַר אֶ֝שְׁכְּנָ֗ה בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית יָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 139:9
- Psalms 18:10He rode on one of the angels as he flew, and he soared on the wings of the wind.
- Psalms 19:6It rises from one end of the heavens. It circles around to the other. Nothing is hidden from its heat.
- Malachi 4:2“The Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings for you people who fear my name. You will go out and leap like calves let out of a stall.
- Psalms 74:16The day and the night are yours. You set the moon and the sun in their places.
- Isaiah 24:14They raise their voices. They shout for joy. From the sea they sing joyfully about the Lord’s majesty.
Commentaries on Psalms 139:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9If I take the wings of the morning - literally, “I will take the wings of the morning.” That is, I will take this as a supposable case; I will imagine what would occur, should I be able to take to myself the wings of the morning, and endeavor to escape “by flight” from the presence of God, or go where he could not pursue me, or where he would not be. The “wings of the morning” evidently mean that by which the light of the morning “seems to fly” - the most…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. 9rise on the wings of the dawn: This poetic expression describes traveling eastward, as far as the sunrise, if that were possible. the farthest sea: This expression takes the traveler in the opposite direction, far to the west.Read the comment
- Rashi on Tanakh · v. 9[If] I take up the wings of dawn If I take up for myself the wings of dawn, which shine at once from one end of the world to the other, so will I fly swiftly until I dwell at the end of the sea.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 139:9
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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