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Text -- Psalms 139:11 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
139:11 If I were to say, “Certainly the darkness will cover me, and the light will turn to night all around me,”
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: Wicked | Readings, Select | Prayer | Praise | OMNISCIENCE | OMNIPRESENCE | Night | Heart | God | GOD, 2 | FOREKNOW; FOREKNOWLEDGE | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Clarke: Psa 139:11 - -- Surely the darkness shall cover me - Should I suppose that this would serve to screen me, immediately this darkness is turned into light.

Surely the darkness shall cover me - Should I suppose that this would serve to screen me, immediately this darkness is turned into light.

Calvin: Psa 139:11 - -- 11.If I shall say, etc. David represents himself as a man using every possible method to make his escape from a situation of embarrassment. So having...

11.If I shall say, etc. David represents himself as a man using every possible method to make his escape from a situation of embarrassment. So having acknowledged that it was vain to dream of flight, he bethinks himself of another remedy, and says, If no speed of mine can bear me out of the range of God’s vision, yet, on the supposition of light being removed, the darkness might cover me, that I might have a short breath of respite. But this also he declares to be hopeless, as God sees equally well in the deepest darkness as at noon-day. It is a mistake in my opinion to consider, as some have done, that the two clauses of the verse are to be taken separately, and read, If I shall say the darkness will cover me, even the night shall be as light before me — meaning that darkness would be converted into light, and so though he saw nothing himself, he would stand manifest before the eye of God. David is rather to be considered as in both clauses expressing what he might be supposed to feel desirous of, and intimates that, could he only find any covert or subterfuge, he would avail himself of the license; 208 “if I shall say, at least the darkness will cover me, and the night be as light for me,” that is, in the sense in which it is so to the robbers or wild beasts of the forest, who then range at greater liberty. That this is the proper construction of the words we may infer from the particle גם , gam. If any one should ‘think it a very unnecessary observation to say that as respects God there is no difference between light and darkness, it is enough to remind him that all observation proves with what reluctance and extreme difficulty men are brought to come forward openly and ‘unreservedly into God’s presence. In words we all grant that God is omniscient; meanwhile what none would ever think of controverting we secretly make no account of whatsoever, in so far as we make no scruple of mocking God, and lack even that reverence of him which we extend to one of our fellow-creatures. We are ashamed to let men know and witness our delinquencies; but we are as indifferent to what God may think of us, as if our sins were covered and veiled from his inspection. This infatuation if not sharply reproved will soon change light, so far as we are concerned, into darkness, and therefore David insists upon the subject at length in order to refute our false apprehensions. Be it our concern to apply the reproofs given, and stir ourselves up by them, when we feel disposed to become secure.

TSK: Psa 139:11 - -- Surely : Psa 10:11-13, Psa 94:7; Job 22:12-14; Isa 29:15; Jer 23:24 even the night : Job 12:22

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Psa 139:11 - -- If 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 ren...

If 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 Gen 3:15, "He shall "bruise"thy head, and thou shalt "bruise"his heel;""breaketh"in Job 9:17, "He "breaketh"me with a tempest;"and in this place "cover."It does not occur elsewhere. Here it means to fall upon; to overpower; to cover. The idea is, If it should come suddenly upon me; if I should be involved in sudden darkness - "as if"the darkness should come and attempt to "snatch"me away from God. All this would be in vain, for it would be, so far as God is concerned, bright day around me.

Even the night shall be light about me - In respect to me. It shall be as if I stood in the full blaze of light. God can see me still; he can mark my goings; he can perceive all that I do as plainly then as at mid-day. This "is"so: and what a thought this is for a wicked man who seeks to escape detection in his crimes by perpetrating them in the night! What a thought for a good man, that in the darkest night of sorrow, when there seems to be nothing but deep midnight, when there appears to be not a ray of light in his dwelling, or on his path that all to the eye of God is as clear as noon-day! For in that night of sorrow God sees him as plainly as in the brightest days of prosperity and joy.

Poole: Psa 139:11 - -- Shall be as clear and manifest to God as the light itself.

Shall be as clear and manifest to God as the light itself.

Haydock: Psa 139:11 - -- Fire of hell, (Worthington; Chaldean) as well as temporal afflictions, from lightning, &c., Psalm xvii. 9. (Haydock) --- Some have ridiculed the be...

Fire of hell, (Worthington; Chaldean) as well as temporal afflictions, from lightning, &c., Psalm xvii. 9. (Haydock) ---

Some have ridiculed the belief of hell. But the universality of this opinion is a strong proof of it, as it is also confirmed by revelation. (Berthier)

Gill: Psa 139:11 - -- If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me,.... The darkness of a cloud or of the night, so that my actions shall not be seen; that is, if I enterta...

If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me,.... The darkness of a cloud or of the night, so that my actions shall not be seen; that is, if I entertain such a thought in my mind, that what I do in the dark will escape the sight and knowledge of God, and so be emboldened to commit it;

even the night shall be light about me; and make all my works manifest, as light does.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 139:11 Heb “and night, light, around me.”

Geneva Bible: Psa 139:11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be ( g ) light about me. ( g ) Though darkness is a hinderance to man's sight, yet...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Psa 139:1-24 - --1 David praises God for his all-seeing providence;17 and for his infinite mercies.19 He defies the wicked.23 He prays for sincerity.

MHCC: Psa 139:7-16 - --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 ...

Matthew Henry: Psa 139:7-16 - -- It is of great use to us to know the certainty of the things wherein we have been instructed, that we may not only believe them, but be able to tell...

Keil-Delitzsch: Psa 139:8-12 - -- The future form אסּק , customary in the Aramaic, may be derived just as well from סלק ( סלק ), by means of the same mode of assimilation...

Constable: Psa 107:1--150:6 - --V. Book 5: chs. 107--150 There are 44 psalms in this section of the Psalter. David composed 15 of these (108-110...

Constable: Psa 139:1-24 - --Psalm 139 David praised God for His omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence in this popular psalm. It...

Constable: Psa 139:7-12 - --2. God's omnipresence 139:7-12 139:7 Evidently the confining awareness of God's omniscience led David to try to escape from the Lord. His two rhetoric...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: Psalms (Book Introduction) The Hebrew title of this book is Tehilim ("praises" or "hymns"), for a leading feature in its contents is praise, though the word occurs in the title ...

JFB: Psalms (Outline) ALEPH. (Psa 119:1-8). This celebrated Psalm has several peculiarities. It is divided into twenty-two parts or stanzas, denoted by the twenty-two let...

TSK: Psalms (Book Introduction) The Psalms have been the general song of the universal Church; and in their praise, all the Fathers have been unanimously eloquent. Men of all nation...

TSK: Psalms 139 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Psa 139:1, David praises God for his all-seeing providence; Psa 139:17, and for his infinite mercies; Psa 139:19, He defies the wicked; P...

Poole: Psalms (Book Introduction) OF PSALMS THE ARGUMENT The divine authority of this Book of PSALMS is so certain and evident, that it was never questioned in the church; which b...

Poole: Psalms 139 (Chapter Introduction) THE ARGUMENT This Psalm is esteemed by the Hebrews the most excellent in the whole book. The matter of it is noble and sublime, and so is the style...

MHCC: Psalms (Book Introduction) David was the penman of most of the psalms, but some evidently were composed by other writers, and the writers of some are doubtful. But all were writ...

MHCC: Psalms 139 (Chapter Introduction) (Psa 139:1-6) God knows all things. (Psa 139:7-16) He is every where present. (Psa 139:17-24) The psalmist's hatred to sin, and desire to be led ari...

Matthew Henry: Psalms (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of Psalms We have now before us one of the choicest and most excellent parts of all the Old Te...

Matthew Henry: Psalms 139 (Chapter Introduction) Some of the Jewish doctors are of opinion that this is the most excellent of all the psalms of David; and a very pious devout meditation it is upon...

Constable: Psalms (Book Introduction) Introduction Title The title of this book in the Hebrew Bible is Tehillim, which means...

Constable: Psalms (Outline) Outline I. Book 1: chs. 1-41 II. Book 2: chs. 42-72 III. Book 3: chs. 73...

Constable: Psalms Psalms Bibliography Allen, Ronald B. "Evidence from Psalm 89." In A Case for Premillennialism: A New Consensus,...

Haydock: Psalms (Book Introduction) THE BOOK OF PSALMS. INTRODUCTION. The Psalms are called by the Hebrew, Tehillim; that is, hymns of praise. The author, of a great part of ...

Gill: Psalms (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO PSALMS The title of this book may be rendered "the Book of Praises", or "Hymns"; the psalm which our Lord sung at the passover is c...

Gill: Psalms 139 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 139 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. This psalm was written by David, when he lay under the reproach and calumnies of...

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