Psalm 139:12

12 For darkness will not be darkness with thee; but night will be light as day: as its darkness, so shall its light be to thee.

Psalm 139:12 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 139:12

Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee
Any thing that is done by men in it; or "darkeneth not from thee" ^F9, or causeth such darkness as to hinder the sight of any action committed. The Targum is,

``from thy Word;''

see ( Hebrews 4:12 Hebrews 4:13 ) ;

but the night shineth as the day;
or "enlightens as the day" ^F11, gives as much light with respect to God as the day does;

the darkness and the light [are] both alike [to thee];
as is the one, so is the other: the day gives him no more light than the night, and the night no more darkness than the day; he sees as well, as clearly and distinctly, in the one as in the other. The psalmist expresses the same thing in different words three or four times, as Kimchi observes, to show that so the Lord is, that thus it is with him; he has as clear a discerning of all things done in the darkest night as at bright noon day; see ( Job 34:21 Job 34:22 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 (Kmm Kyvxy al) "non obscurabit a te", Montanus; "non obtenebrant", Gejerus; so Michaelis.
F11 (ryay) "illustrat", Junius & Tremellius; "illuminabit", Gejerus Michaelis; so Ainsworth.

Psalm 139:12 In-Context

10 for even there thy hand would guide me, and thy right hand would hold me.

11 When I said, Surely the darkness will cover me; even the night was light in my luxury.

12 For darkness will not be darkness with thee; but night will be light as day: as its darkness, so shall its light be to thee.

13 For thou, O Lord, hast possessed my reins; thou hast helped me from my mother’s womb.

14 I will give thee thanks; for thou art fearfully wondrous; wondrous are thy works; and my soul knows it well.