New Living Translation
Psalms 139:11
11I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—
Psalms 139:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
- New International Version (NIV)If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
- English Standard Version (ESV)If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,"
- New King James Version (NKJV)If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me;
Context of Psalms 139:11
9If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, 10even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— 12but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. 13You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Read all of Psalms 139Psalms 139:11 word by word
וָ֭אֹמַר אַךְ־חֹ֣שֶׁךְ יְשׁוּפֵ֑נִי וְ֝לַ֗יְלָה א֣וֹר בַּעֲדֵֽנִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 139:11
- Psalms 10:11The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us! He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!”
- Psalms 94:7“The Lord isn’t looking,” they say, “and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”
- Job 22:12“God is so great—higher than the heavens, higher than the farthest stars.
- Isaiah 29:15What sorrow awaits those who try to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their evil deeds in the dark! “The Lord can’t see us,” they say. “He doesn’t know what’s going on!”
- Jeremiah 23:24Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” says the Lord.
- Job 12:22“He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness; he brings light to the deepest gloom.
Commentaries on Psalms 139:11
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me - If I seek to find refuge in the darkness of the night so that God would not see me. The word rendered “cover” - שׁוף shûph - means properly to snap, to gape after; then, to lie in wait for; and then, to attack, or fall upon anyone, unexpectedly. It is rendered “bruise” (twice) in Genesis 3:15, “He shall “bruise” thy head, and thou shalt “bruise” his heel;” “breaketh” in Job 9:17, “He “breaketh” me with a…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. 11I said, “Darkness will darken me” If I said, “I will be hidden in the darkness, and the darkness will envelop me so that You will not see me.” יְשׁוּפֵנִי is an expression of נֶשֶׁף, evening.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 139:11
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
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