Psalms 19:12 Meaning and Explanation
“Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →No one fully knows their own hidden failings; the psalmist asks God for cleansing.
The Context of Psalms 19:12
Despite the law's clarity, sin can remain hidden to the one who commits it.
What Does Psalms 19:12 Mean?
The speaker recognizes a profound limitation: we cannot fully see or understand all our own faults. Some errors are hidden even from ourselves, deeply embedded in our nature or blind spots.
Aware of this blindness, the psalmist appeals to God for cleansing from these secret faults—those sins unknown even to oneself. Only divine mercy can address what human knowledge cannot perceive.
Psalms 19:12 in the Original Language
errors (שׁגִיוֹת), 'errors' or 'unintentional wrongs'—mistakes and inadvertent transgressions, often contrasted with deliberate sins.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 19:12
What does Psalms 19:12 mean?
No one fully knows their own hidden failings; the psalmist asks God for cleansing.
What is the context of Psalms 19:12?
Despite the law's clarity, sin can remain hidden to the one who commits it.