Verse

Psalm 139:11

ESV If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,"
NIV If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
NASB If I say, 'Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,'
CSB If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night" —
NLT I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night —
KJV If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
NKJV If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me;

What does Psalm 139:11 mean?

David understood that the Lord was watching over him. Even the darkness could not conceal him from God's watchful eye.

"Darkness" is often associated with death. Psalm 88:3–5 refers to death as Sheol, the pit, and the grave. The psalmist of that passage, Heman the Ezrahite, writes in verse 6, "You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep." Perhaps what Heman referred to in Psalm 88 is trouble that seems like a death sentence.

As Psalm 121:3–4 points out, God guards His people and will not doze off or fall into a deep sleep. He is always alert to what is happening in the lives of His people. Jesus said our heavenly Father sees even a sparrow's fall to the ground and knows how many hairs are on our head, therefore we have nothing to fear (Matthew 10:28–31).
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