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

6Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension; it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it. 7Where can I go to escape your spirit? Where can I flee to escape your presence? If I were to ascend to heaven, you would be there. If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be. 9If I were to fly away on the wings of the dawn, and settle down on the other side of the sea, 10even there your hand would guide me, your right hand would grab hold of me.

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 a lament for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: “‘You were the sealer of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
• Amos 9:2Even if they could dig down into the netherworld, my hand would pull them up from there. Even if they could climb up to heaven, I would drag them down from there.
• Obadiah 1:4Even if you were to soar high like an eagle, even if you were to make your nest among the stars, I can bring you down even from there!” says the Lord.
• Job 26:6The underworld is naked before God; the place of destruction lies uncovered.
• Job 34:21For his eyes are on the ways of an individual, he observes all a person’s steps.
• Proverbs 15:11Death and Destruction are before the Lord – how much more the hearts of humans!
• Jonah 2:2and said, “I called out to the Lord from my distress, and he answered me; from the belly of Sheol I cried out for help, 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