Psalms 139:11 Meaning and Explanation
“If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Darkness cannot conceal the psalmist from God's sight.
The Context of Psalms 139:11
The psalmist considers darkness as a potential hiding place from God.
What Does Psalms 139:11 Mean?
The psalmist now considers darkness as a potential hiding place. 'The darkness shall cover me' suggests using darkness as concealment—a natural human instinct. In darkness one might believe they are hidden, beyond observation. The 'if I say' construction indicates this is a hypothetical, perhaps representing wishful thinking or an illusion the psalmist might entertain.
Yet the paradox is immediate: 'even the night shall be light about me.' Darkness does not obscure God's vision. Instead, from God's perspective, the night itself becomes luminous. This is not a physical transformation but a statement about the nature of divine perception—nothing can hide from the God for whom all is visible and illuminated.
Psalms 139:11 in the Original Language
חֹשֶׁךְ (choshek), 'darkness' — absence of light, often symbolizing concealment and mystery.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 139:11
What does Psalms 139:11 mean?
Darkness cannot conceal the psalmist from God's sight.
What is the context of Psalms 139:11?
The psalmist considers darkness as a potential hiding place from God.